Black Adam

[Big s]

1 hour ago, hutch said:

They look like costumes from one of the CW shows IMO

I was thinking the same.

[sh9000]

 

[sh9000]

 

[Big s]

I kinda forgot about this movie 

[jvmacross]

I'll watch it on a $5 Tuesday at my local AMC....

[Big s]

The reviews aren’t sounding so good on this one. Maybe I’ll just wait for it to be a free watch 

[TangledThorns]

I'll watch it when it comes to HBO Max. I resigned up for HBO Max last week for their annual $104.99 plan plus $50 cash back from my AMEX credit card which is a steal IMO.

[Negotiator]

When critics hate something. It's probably good... probably. And vice versa

Edited October 19, 2022 by Negotiator

[Big s]

1 hour ago, Negotiator said:

When critics hate something. It's probably good... probably. And vice versa

I don’t totally go by them, but when some are quoted as saying this film is anti entertainment, and a good majority of the good reviews sound more like bad reviews then I kinda wonder if I should waste the cash. This film seems to have slipped of everyone’s radar, because everyone I’ve tried talking to forgot it was a thing. So I probably won’t get any real input from anyone that’s not a critic. The preview doesn’t really help either, it has a very CW kinda look to it. 
If I hear it’s worth a shot I’ll check it out though. There have been some films in the past that have had negative buzz and turned out ok.

Edited October 19, 2022 by Big s
.

[seti88]

On 10/19/2022 at 7:48 PM, Big s said:

The reviews aren’t sounding so good on this one. Maybe I’ll just wait for it to be a free watch 

 

On 10/20/2022 at 2:59 AM, Negotiator said:

When critics hate something. It's probably good... probably. And vice versa

Quick out of the cinema comments;

the ok;

Starts out rushed/cliched-ish, BA was introduced in a quick manner perhaps.

2 supporting justice society heroes were annoying to me but I probably the younger set would identify with them.

the wow;

Fight scenes were totally badass esp Dr fate fight scenes and effects!

hawkman was da boss. Good casting as per expressions/presence.

BA’s fleshing out of backstory throughout the movie. And the fact that DJ could stay in character well. Ie you don’t recognise as the rock flying and kicking ass.

In short tho, totally enjoyable!! Would say I wouldn’t mind watching it a second time. Very cool vibes throughout. Definitely a cinema worthy watch.

Edited October 21, 2022 by seti88

[Big s]

Seems to be doing pretty well overall in the theater. Maybe not quite as well domestically, but worldwide numbers are coming in pretty high.

[Thom]

I enjoyed it. A good story and action, good acting* for the most part and and really good special effects.*

*
 

Spoiler

Good acting, except for the kid. He was gawddamn annoying!

And the FX were good, except for the demon soldiers and the fight of the citizens against them in the city. Was also too cliche'd in that part.

Liked it overall, though I could have also waited and watched it on a streaming site.

[M'Kyuun]

Saw it last night and enjoyed. it. That said, there's a lot going in in this film and it might have been better explored as a series, but my observation's moot at this point.

Good story, and I liked how they protracted Black Adam's backstory in bits throughout the film. He's an interesting character, and Dwayne Johnson did a really good job portraying him. It does bug me, however, how in so many films, this one included, characters who are thousands of years old are resurrected and speak perfect un-accented English.

Spoiler

Going in, I was unaware of Black Adam's connection to the Wizard Shazam, although the big lightning bolt on his suit should have given it away.  Quite the contrary personalities between Billy Batson and Teth-Adam. Teth-Adam has no reluctance in killing his foes, and he indulges in mass carnage in this film. I loved some of the scenes where he zips about taking out squads of soldiers in brutal and electrifying fashion.  Adam doesn't really meet a foe of equal power until the last third of the film in the form of the Ishmael Gregor version of Sabacc. (Wiki is my friend today). I never realized how much comic book writers tapped into Judeo-Christian writings to inform and create some of these characters. Anyway, Sabacc is Hell's version of the Shazam-empowered characters who need only speak the name of the one who gave them their powers to change into their powered forms. 

There's also a lot of character development to Black Adam, as he's influenced by a kid who idolizes superheroes (his room is festooned with posters of Batman, Superman, and other DC heroes) and regularly doles out advice to Adam. Starting out, Adam's essentially a weapon looking for a target to vent his rage, but as the movie progresses, both the Justice Society, esp Hawkman, and the kid begin to have an effect on his often fatal approach to dealing with enemies, but not by much. 😄 

Really good CG and SFX throughout.

Spoiler

 I'm not a zombie fan, so I could have lived without the hell zombies and the worn out cliche of someone inspiring a dejected townspeople to fight. The zombies posed no palpable threat and were easily dispatched by anyone holding a stick. They could've, and should've, left that whole scene on the cutting room floor. But they had to carry over the symbolism of a child inspiring a crowd of oppressed people by standing on a higher spot and making a sign with his hands. 🙄

I was unfamiliar with the Justice Society. I knew of Dr. Fate and Hawkman separately, but Atom Smasher and Cyclone were new to me. Actually, my only reference to Hawkman was the excellent Justice League cartoon which ran from 2001-04 which featured the Thanagarian backstory for both he and Hawkgirl.  Wiki set me straight on Carter Hall's backstory, which was the original story for the character, no less interesting.

Spoiler

Atom Smasher has a great name, and I was expecting him to have some power over molecular structures or something, but no- he just grows really big, similarly to Marvel's Ant Man, although he has the power, not the suit. In the film, he had inherited his power from his grandfather (a nice brief appearance by the Fonz himself, Henry Winkler) and was still very green as a superhero, even borrowing his grandfather's costume. Alas, he's relatively inept and mostly played for laughs. He has one particularly funny scene but I won't spoil it even in the spoiler block. Cyclone was also unknown to me, but we get a very brief backstory. As her name implies, she can control the wind, and they do some neat CG effects when she goes into action. Fate was played by Pierce Brosnan, who gave one of my favorite performances in the film. As @seti88 mentioned, the CG effects they did for his abilities were excellent. He needs his own movie- every bit as interesting as Dr. Strange. Aldis Hodge did a great turn as Carter Hall, aka Hawkman, another character who could use his own film. He's essentially a Bruce Wayne or a Tony Stark- a stupidly wealthy dude with his own underground lair, a suit that lets him fly with mechanical wings, and a pretty spiffy looking jet. One aspect of CG magic that I vehemently dislike in all these superhero movies is the complete dissolution of helmets and accessories under the guise of, I'm assuming, nano-technology. It's BS, and just b/c you can do a thing doesn't mean you should. Hawkman's helmet and wings regularly dissolve in the film and I'd rather his wings just fold up neatly or he just takes off his wingsuit when it's not needed. Likewise the helmet. IDK why it bothers me so, but it does.

Edited October 31, 2022 by M'Kyuun

[sh9000]

 

[Thom]

2 hours ago, sh9000 said:

 

Love Batman!

[Big s]

I guess it didn’t do well enough for a sequel and sounds like Wonder Woman 3 is canceled. And the rumors are saying there may not be another Aquaman or man of steel films after Aquaman 2. Sounds as if a soft reboot is less likely than a full reboot of the dc film franchise 

[hutch]

Gunn is cleaning house thank heavens. 

[Thom]

Though there have been some duds, I'll be sad to not see another WW or Aquman movie. I've liked both WW movies and was hoping to see more. As to Superman, I think he should be allowed to rest some and give some attention to a true teen Supergirl, then use her to recast the part. Not reboot, just recast. So dang tired of reboots!

[sh9000]