Black Adam
Over break, I went on a whim to watch a movie with a surprising story . . . and it was part of the DC universe. Black Adam is the newest movie in the DC Comics movie lineup. When people hear “DC”, it’s often said with a negative connotation, due to Marvel Comics’ success in the movie industry. For as long as I have been alive, DC (owned by Warner Bros.) and Marvel (owned by Disney) have been in a constant fight for comic supremacy. Now, I’ll admit: I’ve watched every Marvel movie and TV series there is . . . I don’t know if I’ve watched even ten percent of DC’s movie and TV show content. However, due to my disagreements with Disney’s motives, I’m not sure if I’ll be supporting the company by watching any new content that Marvel releases.
Black Adam has been in the works for more than 15 years now. Originally brought up in 2006, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has always been favored to be in the cast of the movie. In September of 2009, The Rock confirmed that he would be playing the role. But, as life would have it, the movie’s development was delayed to 2014. Then, due to The Rock’s extensive filming schedule and the budget needed for more desired movies at the time, such as Man of Steel, Batman v. Superman, and Suicide Squad, Black Adam was once again delayed. Fans were elated when it was announced filming would begin in the spring of 2020. But, as we all know what happened during that year by now, a pandemic shut filming down once more.
Finally, filming began in the summer of 2021 and Warner Bros. set the release date for the summer of 2022. And then it got delayed yet again! So, with more than 15 years in the making, Black Adam was ultimately released on Oct. 21, 2022 and fans were ecstatic. The movie debuted as number one in box office charts and broke all of Warner Bros. estimates. Despite receiving poor reviews from movie critics, such as Rotten Tomatoes, Black Adam received a 90% audience approval rating, which is the highest a DC movie has received in more than a decade. It also ranked as The Rock’s best opening weekend ever starting in a leading role.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson stars as Teth Adam in Black Adam. The movie outlines how the champion of Kahndaq (a fictional country located in North Africa) comes back after 5,000 years to save the present-day country from another threat. DC’s Justice League is also brought into the plot, making for some powerful tensions and ultimate superhero showdowns. The champion of Kahndaq is a little different than the typical hero, however, as he’s often referred to as an anti-hero, which means that he’s a little darker than the normal people with capes.
I really appreciated Black Adam more than I thought I would. The plot wasn’t entirely predictable (unlike most superhero movies nowadays), the characters were unique, and there was an emotional element to the movie that Marvel movies don’t seem to have. Black Adam also promoted unity, which is something we need in the current day and age now more than ever. Plus, the post-credits scene of the movie shocked DC fans. In fact, a few ladies literally screamed out loud in the movie theater when I watched the film. But don’t look to me for any spoilers — you’re going to have to watch this one yourself!
Black Adam is currently showing in theaters.