The DC Extended Universe has had a rough time garnering the fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There are some strong ones, but reception of the movies has been all over the place, with many either having been bashed by critics and moviegoers alike (Suicide Squad) or having failed to live up to expectations (Wonder Woman 1984). There, too, are the middle of the road entries, like Birds of Prey. By early indications, this could be about where Black Adam winds up, with a probably edge towards a worthwhile watch.
Early praise is citings its action sequences, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s lead performance and pacing. At a short (by comic book movie standards) 124 minutes, Black Adam probably at least feels brisk.
Our own critic called it down the line, saying, that while it’s “not a top-tier superhero movie I still had a good time from beginning to end, and Johnson is really good. Too many characters though…”
One catching piece of praise for the movie comes in the form of Pierce Brosnan, who seems to be getting singled out for his turn as fellow Justice Society of America member Kent Nelson/Doctor Fate.
Despite some clear praise, early word on the movie is indicating that there might be a little too much bloat, that there doesn’t seem to be much risk and that it may not grip audiences in the intended ways.
No matter the early reviews, Black Adam is projecting a $70-75 million opening weekend, which, again, would put it somewhere in the middle of DCEU receipts. Let’s hope it does well enough to warrant a showdown between Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam and Henry Cavill’s Superman.
Black Adam arrives in theaters on October 21st.
What do you think about the initial reactions to DC’s Black Adam? Will you catch it on opening weekend?