The DC cinematic universe has historically been divisive since Man of Steel, but recent additions of Aquaman and Shazam! course-correct the future with fun, crowd-pleasing entries.
Shazam! tells the story of Billy Batson (Asher Angel), a young orphan searching for his lost mother, who stumbles upon an ancient magician (Djimon Hounsou) who bestows superhero powers on him. The film follows Batson as he learns more about himself in relation to his foster family and the role of a hero in society. Mark Strong portrays the villain, Dr. Sivana, while Zachary Levi is the titular hero and elder form of Batson. DC films have often been dark in tone (Man of Steel, Batman v. Superman, Wonder Woman, Suicide Squad), but Shazam! delivers a very surprising and wholesome take on an origin story. As Levi has stated in interviews, Shazam! is oddly unique in its full embrace of heroism, as Batson is a starry-eyed teenager enthralled with the idea of fame and helping others, whereas the stereotypical hero is reluctant to save the day and fearful of consequences. This film knows their target tone perfectly: Tom Hanks' Big meets Superman.
Director David Sandberg (Lights Out, Annabelle: Creation) does a nice job overall handling this film, delivering palpable charm and heart through the performances and family focus. Billy Batson starts out the film as the stereotypical hero—reclusive, yet inherently good—but the narrative does the familiar job of converting him into a more well-rounded individual. Yet Shazam! handles this familiar superhero trope in refreshing ways, from obvious nods to Big or the DC Universe at-large, to hearty performances from the leads. Zachary Levi and Mark Strong appeared to have a blast filming this, as they embody their characters with familiarity and wit. The jokes and banter surrounding Levi and his ensuing scenarios land surprisingly well, delivering steady laughs throughout the runtime. Batson's foster brother, Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer) does a nice job delivering laughs to the audience and superhero advice to Batson throughout the film.
Levi, Angel, and Grazer's strong chemistry with one another enables the lighthearted tone to shine above noticeable weaknesses in the script. The film sits around 132 minutes, which feels a little overdrawn after viewing, and takes too long to get momentum building initially. Sandberg and the team try a Black Panther-esque approach to the villain's narrative by opening the film with his backstory, but it comes across as boring and pointless overall. Mark Strong naturally elevates the poor dialogue, but his screen presence could have been cut down or altered significantly to buoy the film to even greater success. Additionally, while several members of Billy's foster family were quite affectionate in the film, others were numbing stereotypes of children and people in danger. Special effects are ultimately a key character in superhero films also, and Shazam! largely fits the bill for CGI here, with notable exceptions being the rendering of the villainous Seven Deadly Sins in several action sequences, and some aerial shots. The cinematography feels bland at-times with obvious references to Man of Steel and Chronicle, but works overall in delivering a colorful and upbeat addition to the DC Universe.
Shazam! is a very fun movie sure to please the general audiences and should convert many DC skeptics to future optimism. Zachary Levi embodies childish exuberance very well, in addition to serviceable performances all around him. DC seems to have found its footing in the crowded superhero film space, in regards to tone: focusing on joy and personality, rather than reluctance and pessimism. Intimate stories like Shazam! and Aquaman are what DC needs to continue working on, rather than attempts to replicate Avengers-level financial success, to the detriment of public trust (Justice League). For the first time I can remember, I am legitimately excited for DC's superhero slate, thanks to the success of Aquaman and the boldness of Shazam to deliver an unconventional family comedy that magically charms audiences.
RATING: ★★★★ / ★★★★★
Sean Kelso is the editor-in-chief of CUFPe and a junior in Columbia College.