Early reviews say Dwayne Johnson's 'Black Adam' is a 'game-changer'

Dwayne Johnson's superhero movie debut, Black Adam, has been branded a "game-changer" in early reviews.

The film is based on the DC Comics character and sees the actor - aka The Rock - play Black Adam, an antihero from the ancient city of Kahndaq who has been imprisoned for thousands of years.

Buzz about the film has been building for a while and the first reactions suggest it has been worth the wait.

Read more: Black Adam: Cast, plot, release date for Dwayne Johnson's DC debut

Joseph Deckelmeier of Screen Rant said on Twitter that it was "a game-changer" and that the action was "non-stop".

"This is the #DCComics movie I’ve been waiting for & it did not disappoint," he tweeted.

"@TheRock is electrifyingly brutal as Black Adam!

"This is what I wanted Black Adam to be."

Erik Davis of Rotten Tomatoes said the film "rocks".

"Tons of action, characters you’re instantly invested in & terrific pacing," he tweeted.

"Dwayne Johnson finds a great balance in being menacing & badass, but also empathetic."

Steven Weintraub at Collider said The Rock was "fantastic" in the role.

"He spent 10 years getting ready for this role and he literally kills anyone and everyone in his way and I loved that he didn't pull back on who Black Adam is," he said.

"Left the theatre wanting to see the sequel immediately."

Reviewers have also had a lot of love for Pierce Brosnan, who stars as Kent Nelson/Doctor Fate.

Many said the former 007 was something of a "scene stealer".

Reviewer Brandon Davis tweeted: "Pierce Brosnan kills it as Doctor Fate.

"He steals scenes. Charismatic as ever."

Film critic Ben Rolph said that Brosnan was a "standout".

Read more: Dwayne Johnson says Black Adam has 'most raging and violent' action he's done yet

Black Adam, which also stars Aldis Hodge, Noah Centineo and Sarah Shahi, is due to be released in the UK on 21 October.

Watch: Dwayne Johnson seems to confirm Henry Cavill's Superman return in Black Adam