REVIEW: BLACK ADAM

4/5

Here Comes The Man In Black.

121 Mins. Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Aldis Hodge, Noah Centineo, Sarah Shahi, Marwan Kenzari, Mohammed Amer, Bodhi Sabongui, Quintessa Swindell & Pierce Brosnan. Director: Jaume Collet-Serra. 

SHAZAM! Utter those immortal words, and you too can smell what The Rock is cooking. Because the DC Comics adaptation of 'Black Adam' starring Dwayne Johnson is far from the fun filled Zachary Levi 'Fury Of The Gods' (can't wait) predecessor. This man in black even cashes in on a lunch tray post-credits cameo in full that the whole world knows about, but we'll never tell. Just like whose the new King of Wakanda like Chadwick forever. All as DC alternate between this Justice Society (that feels like anything but a B team) and the 'Justice League' that began with the Snyder verse of the underrated 'Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice' throw down. 

Now it's the don Johnson who is raising eyebrows as the man with the dark lightning bolt on his chest (expect cool cameos from similar strands of DCEU fare), as the franchise king ('Jumanji', the 'Fast and Furious' and its 'Hobbs and Shaw' spin-off, the WWE) who started his (anti) hero career as 'The Scorpion King' unwraps another classic character. Mere months after voicing a league of DC 'Super Pets'. Here, The Rock's deadpan and brawn makes sure we both see him as a supe and know that through it all and the dark humor, the man who doesn't quite get sarcasm doesn't take himself, or all this too seriously. Dwayne Johnson was born ready and built to be a superhero. So much so, they actually need CGI to reduce his origin story muscles like a Namor bulge. Still, a slim Rock is another man's most glorious gains. Even a Hercules like me. 

And, between The Rock and a hard place, how about all those who try to bench press this man mountain, ready to take his place on the iconic look of a 'Black Adam' throne? The ever great and underrated Aldis Hodge has already played the unsung hero of N.W.A. MC Ren in 'Straight Outta Compton' and the undervalued sports icon and civil rights hero Jim Brown for 'One Night In Miami'. And now he gets to play an unheralded hero but undeniable leader of his union Hawkman. No, he doesn't have a bow and arrow like the 'Hawkeye' holiday special, last Christmas. But he does have gold angel wings and a spinning mace that makes these epic battles in the sandy streets feel like something out of a Zack Snyder '300', let alone a 'Justice League' cut for this society. Not to mention a fortress and flying one. The muscled up and serious straight Hodge plays this with anything but podge. Grounding all these great cape expectations with gravitas. 

'To All The Boys I've Loved Before', Noah Centineo is the Atom Smasher. With some hand me down spanx (and we aren't talking about leather and blue jeans) from a cameo as cool as Michael Douglas being the original Hank Pym for your particles. And a giant look that could even ground the Jonathan MAJORs Kang conquering 'Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania' trailer, man. Add 'Euphoria's' quintessential Quintessa Swindell stirring up a storm as Cyclone and these young guns in these winds of change really bring Alex Ross artwork to classic cinematic life for the modern mainstream. Yet, if fate will have it, it's the good Doctor with a gold dome that even Nova would be jealous of that can write you an even better prescription for the future than Marvel and Benedict Cumberbatch in this 'Multiverse Of Madness'. What could be even more supreme like red clothing than the Strange sorcerer? Well, how about James Bond, 007? As Brosnan, Pierce Brosnan is as wonderful and delightful as Doctor Fate as the moment on this press tour that the 'Goldeneye' discovered that one of his young, Irish interviewers was also from his quaint hometown of Navan. 

But for all the grand goliaths going to great battle here in 'House Of Wax', 'The Shallows' (one post 'Jaws' shark attack that doesn't bite (and I'm including the sequels going back into the water)), 'Jungle Cruise' and Liam Neeson director Jaume Collet-Serra's big and brilliant picture. It's known The Rock, Dwayne Johnson has always been a man of the people like his elbow. The fictional setting of Kahndaq making a stand for real people, cities and nations oppressed today. 'Alias' and 'Person Of Interest' Sarah Shahi simply stuns with all her soul. And 'Aladdin's' Jafar and 'The Old Guard' star Marwan Kenzari continues his complex character ascent, until DC falls into that CGI stock villain trap. But, baby come back, comic Mohammed Amer is truly a stand-up guy. Whilst the real star of the skateboarding show, Bodhi Sabongui will give you those teenage 'Shazam' dreams wanting to be big like Tom Hanks. Now we can only hope this 'Shazam' spin-off makes an exclamation point next to the other lightning bolt in the future. Fate, doesn't make mistakes. I smell lunch cooking in the canteen. TIM DAVID HARVEY. 

Further Filming: 'Shazam', 'Man Of Steel', 'The Scorpion King'.