SHAZAM! REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Most of the films that have been released in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) have been negatively received, both from critics and audiences. The only two films in the franchise to receive a positive reception are Wonder Woman and last year’s Aquaman. The latest addition to the DCEU is Shazam!. After watching the trailer, I was skeptical as I found the titular superhero to be a bit irritating. However, the positive reception from critics surprised me.

We all have a superhero inside us, it just takes a bit of magic to bring it out. In Billy Batson's (Asher Angel) case, by shouting out one word - SHAZAM! - this streetwise 14-year-old foster kid can turn into the adult superhero, Shazam (Zachary Levi), courtesy of an ancient wizard (Djimon Hounsou). Still a kid at heart, Shazam revels in this adult version of himself by doing what any teen would do with superpowers: have fun with them! Can he fly? Does he have X-ray vision? Can he shoot lightning out of his hands? Can he skip his social studies test? Shazam sets out to test the limits of his abilities with the joyful recklessness of a child and with help from his superhero-obsessed foster brother, Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer). But he'll need to master these powers quickly in order to fight the deadly forces of evil controlled by Dr. Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong).

Without a doubt, Shazam! is DC's most entertaining and funniest feature yet. Most of the humour comes from Levi's portrayal of the titular superhero, he clearly seems to be having a lot of fun with the role and the film is at its best when it focuses on him. Like I mentioned, I was worried that I would find him irritating, fortunately, this wasn't the case and he gives an unforgettable performance. The supporting cast are all great, including Grazer, Faithe Herman, Ian Chen and Grace Fulton who each portray a member of Billy's new foster family. As is the case with every superhero film, there's a villain and, in Shazam!'s case, the villain is portrayed by Strong, in one of his darkest performances yet. Most villains feel underwritten and undeveloped, fortunately, I didn't feel this was the case for Sivana. We learn that, as a child, he was visited by the same wizard as Billy but didn't receive the powers. Now, an adult, he becomes determined to steal Billy's new found powers from him. Mainly because of Strong's serious performance and the writing, Sivana does feel like a genuine threat and he proves to be a difficult villain to defeat, due to his own powers, and help from the Seven Deadly Sins which are a supernatural team of demons, Pride, Envy, Greed, Lust, Wrath, Gluttony, and Sloth. They are initially trapped in statues guarded by the wizard but align themselves with Sivana. The characters were portrayed by stunt doubles in motion capture suits on-set during filming and depicted as CGI characters.

Shzama!'s story does feel similar to the classic 1988 comedy, Big, which starred Tom Hanks as a child stuck in an adult's body. The writers knew this and there's a funny reference where we briefly see Shazam and Sivana fighting on a floor piano. This reference will go over the heads of younger viewers but will most likely amuse those who recognise the reference. The story successfully balances its tone. Most superhero films, especially those in the DCEU, struggle with deciding whether it wants to be comedy or taken seriously. This isn't the case with Shazam!. While there's a lot of laugh out loud scenes, there's also some touching and heartfelt moments too. These come from Billy looking for his mother who he lost when he was a child at a fair. This is why he struggles to fit in with his new found foster family, at first, despite them caring for him. A heartbreaking scene sees him reuniting with his mother, unfortunately, he doesn't get the reunion he was hoping for. The story effectively includes the theme of family and that those who unconditionally love you are your true family, even if they're not biologically related to you. 

The release of Shazam! comes just a few weeks after the release of Captain Marvel, the latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). There is irony here, due to Shazam originally being named Captain Marvel. While DC's Captain Marvel is the original, with comic books featuring the superhero on stands in 1939, they renamed their superhero, Shazam, in 2012, due to Marvel holding the trademark of the name. Shazam's name is an acronym of six "immortal elders" which includes Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury. He also gains their powers including Solomon's wisdom, Hercules' superhuman strength, Atlas' stamina, Zeus' powers, including the ability to summon lightning, Achilles' increased courage and Mercury's super speed. At first, Shazam shows off his powers and uses them as a way to gain popularity from the public, who all take immediate interest. However, he soon realises that me use them to stop the villainous Sivana. 

A common trait with superhero films are scenes that appear during the middle and after the end credits. Shazam! features two scenes. The middle scene features an imprisoned Sivana meeting the alien worm Mister Mind, who proposes an alliance. I'm not sure if this scene is hinting at a future sequel where Sivana breaks out at prison and teams up with Mister Mind to stop Shazam. The final scene takes place at the end of the credits and shows Shazam trying to talk to fish and is only worth watching for those who want to see more of Shazam.

While Shazam! is one of the most family-friendly films in the DCEU, it's not without its dark and scary scenes, which is unsurprising considering it's directed by David F. Sandberg who previously directed horror films such as Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation. One scene that may be considered too scary for younger viewers involves Sivana and the Seven Deadly Sins monsters killing several people in a business meeting. Although I didn't find this scene too scary, I think it's worth noting that, while Shazam! may appear to be all fun and games, parents hoping to see this film with their children may want to reconsider. 

When it comes final acts in superhero films, which sees the superhero fighting the villain, some of them are predictable and fail to excite. Fortunately, this isn't the case for Shazam!. The final fight between Shazam and Sivana takes place at a fairground and while, at first, Shazam struggles to defeat Sivana, he soon comes up with the idea of transforming his foster family into Shazam-like superheroes, who all help him defeat Sivana and the Seven Deadly Sins. This made for final act that is action-packed and exciting to watch.

With a story that is funny and full of heart and a memorable performance from Zachary Levi as the titular superhero, Shazam! can join Wonder Woman as one of the best films that the DCEU has to offer.

8/10