4/5 Stars
Warner Bros. has done it again. After restoring audience’s faith in its comic properties through the likes of “Wonder Woman” and “Aquaman,” the world of DC seems to have finally found its place in the oversaturated superhero franchise market. This trend continues with “Shazam!” Not only is the 132-minute feature full of laughs and marvelous feats, but “Shazam” at its core also contains a substantial amount of heart and charm. In short, director David F. Sandberg (“Annabelle: Creation”) delivers a crowd-pleasing adventure that should bring out the kid in everyone.
Our main hero is Billy Batson (Asher Angel, “Andi Mack”), an agitated orphan who is given godlike powers by the ancient wizard Shazam (Djimon Hounsou, “Captain Marvel”) to become the new “Champion of Eternity.” These powers transform Billy into a superpowered adult (Zachary Levi, “Office Uprising”) whenever he shouts the wizard’s name. Alongside his foster brother Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer, “It”), Billy begins a journey of understanding the true nature of his powers and discovers what it takes to become a true superhero. As always, a superpowered foe appears to challenge our hero in the form of Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong, “Stockholm”), and conflict rages on.
Where “Shazam!” shines is its performances and tone. Compared to the darker attitudes of “Man of Steel” and “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice,” “Shazam!” incorporates a lighter tone that encapsulates a dream that all children have: being a superhero. The possibilities for this scenario could only be limited by one’s imagination, but “Shazam!” is able to fully capture the fun and amusement of a long-sought-after childhood fantasy. The light-hearted feature is anchored by Levi’s performance as Billy’s adult alter-ego. The energy and charisma the former “Chuck” actor demonstrates in the role is what converts the film from being simply good to great. The chemistry Billy has with his foster family is strong as well. They not only provide the superhero romp with comic relief but also provide support for Billy as he goes through the struggle of finding familial ties. “Shazam!” may be a film about a superhero, but it is really about what truly constitutes as family. This is the glue that holds the movie together.
“Shazam!” does falter when it comes to its main antagonist and CGI effects. While Strong’s Dr. Sivana is given a backstory and a well-defined reason to be in conflict with Billy, Strong’s performance is underwhelming, especially compared to the enthusiastic Levi. Dr. Sivana is totally forgettable, but he at least provides a foil for our hero as he forces Billy to put his powers to the test. “Shazam!” features forgettable CGI minions that both are generic in design (typical hellish-looking demons) and appear as low-rendered PS4 graphics.
“Shazam!” is not only the best superhero film to come out this year so far (sorry, “Captain Marvel”), but it is also one of DC’s best superhero offerings. Levi is delightful, and the entire film takes the superhero genre people have come to know and love and gives it a little twist. “Shazam!” most definitely will appeal to everybody’s inner child.
Image from Warner Bros. Pictures via YouTube
