Watching any film put out by the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) has been a gamble ever since the franchise’s conception. Plagued with qualitative inconsistencies and utter disarray in its shared universe, the superhero conglomerate has remained difficult to become invested in, even if it has experienced a couple victories along the way. 

“Black Adam,” the franchise’s most recent offering, is afflicted by its studio overlords’ desire to cram as much as it can into one story without taking the time to fully develop any particular aspect. While less-demanding viewers may find delight in its high octane action and highly-advertised star-power, those already impatient with or fatigued by the superhero formula may see it as a more groan-worthy viewing experience.

To put it bluntly, “Black Adam” is the best representation to date of how a Michael Bay (“Transformers”) and Zack Snyder (“Army of the Dead”) collaboration might turn out. Such is greatly apparent in the film’s testosterone-fueled action sequences, which are characterized by an abundance of explosions, poorly-implemented rock music and cringe-inducing one-liners. Computer-generated imagery (CGI) is highly overused in the film, a notion all the more unfortunate considering the visuals’ varied, often rushed-looking quality.

Seeing as the film is so hyper-focused on showcasing its action, it should be no surprise that its story is sacrificed in the process. Half-baked ideas run rampant throughout the narrative, most noably Black Adam’s (Dwayne Johnson, “DC Superhero Pets”) struggle to overcome his past and questionable morals.  The idea of political superpowers, or in this case, the superpowered Justice Society, intervening in foreign conflicts for personal gain or convenience is also posed, albeit with little impact or meaningful focus. For all of the concepts, themes and characters it attempts to stuff into the story, the film seems to never dedicate enough time to fully flesh them out.

Though Johnson’s performance displays deep conviction, his stone-faced, brooding portrayal of the titular antihero leaves little to be desired in terms of emotional depth, save for a few moments toward the end of the film. The rest of the cast, aside from standouts Pierce Brosnan (“The King’s Daughter”) as Dr. Fate and Aldis Hodge (“One Night in Miami”) as Hawkman, fail to spark any interest in their characters, while youth actor Bodhi Sabongui’s (“The Baby-Sitters Club”) character proves to be rather insufferable and unnecessary.

“Black Adam” also seemingly suffers from an apparent identity crisis, struggling to settle on a concrete tone and style. While its story screams for a dark, serious tone to compliment its brooding protagonist and his story, the film often reverts to the escapist qualities Marvel properties have both popularized and have been criticized for. Namely, its serious and emotional moments are often swiftly broken up by poorly-timed humor, thus contributing to an overall lighthearted tone which greatly clashes with the subject matter.

Having been championed by Johnson for nearly 15 years, the heart and passion put intonBlack Adam’s live-action cinematic debut helps it to somewhat hold up, especially from an escapist standpoint. However, the film’s flashy presentation ultimately fails to live up to its overstuffed, overly-ambitious concept, thus proving to be yet another tedious, ill-conceived DCEU output.

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures via YouTube