Black Adam
DC anti-hero origin story with Justice Society cameos, no prior knowledge needed
The brief
Black Adam feels like The Rock playing dress-up in a superhero costume while everyone around him takes the mythology way too seriously. Johnson's charisma can't quite mask that his anti-hero is just a grumpy Superman with anger management issues, and the film gets bogged down in clunky world-building for a Justice Society nobody asked for. The action sequences hit hard when they focus on Black Adam's raw power, but too much time gets wasted on forgettable side characters and DC universe setup. Perfect if you want to see The Rock throw lightning bolts at things for two hours, but skip it if you need actual stakes or character development with your superhero spectacle.
The verdict
If you're a Rock fan who enjoys mindless superhero action and can tolerate clunky mythology building, this delivers exactly what you'd expect from Dwayne Johnson throwing lightning bolts for two hours. If you need meaningful character development or stakes that actually matter in your superhero films, skip this forgettable DC universe setup piece.
Watch with
- 👥 Action fans who love The Rock
- 👤 DC completists despite mixed reception
- ⚠️ Skip if you need deep storytelling
Heads up
- Intense superhero violence and destruction (frequent)
- Brief child endangerment in flashbacks (brief)
- Lightning effects and flashing sequences (moderate)
Credits
- Director
- Jaume Collet-Serra
- Cast
- Dwayne Johnson, Aldis Hodge, Noah Centineo, Sarah Shahi, Quintessa Swindell, Marwan Kenzari, Mo Amer
Official synopsis
Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the Egyptian gods—and imprisoned just
The Double
Make a night of it
Pair this with Immortal Combat (2026)
Both feature ancient warriors awakening to unleash supernatural fighting powers.
Total runtime: 2h 5m + 1h 28m = 3h 33m
