It was a long and dark road but the seventh film of Warner Bros.’ DCEU, Shazam! may have finally found the right formula for its own superhero universe.
Unusually Light-Hearted
The DCEU has been notoriously dark. Both plot-wise and visual-wise. This is especially true with Zack Snyder-helmed DCEU films, Batman v Superman and Justice League and even with Suicide Squad.
Strangely enough, director David F. Sandberg who is best known for horror films (Lights Out 2016, Annabelle: Creation) brings some unexpected brightness into this dark DC universe with an unusually light-hearted theme that is funny and family-centered. It could essentially pass as a family movie, a great one, for that matter.
A kid that can transform into a superhero by saying the words Shazam! out loud sounds like a ridiculous premise but that’s exactly what the film is aiming for. And it’s not necessarily a bad thing. After all, it’s what made most of the films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) successful.
It’s not just about the fun either. Shazam! has bravely explored one of the lesser-tackled themes in DCEU – Family. Or in Billy Batson’s case, the lack of it.
Dual Role
Billy Batson played by Asher Angel and MCU alum Zachary Levi as his alter-ego superhero Shazam! makes for one of the wackiest dual roles in DCEU to date. Asher’s youth is equally matched by Levi’s fast-talking wit and charm. This is a tandem unlike any other and one that we hope would get a sequel or at least an appearance in future DCEU films. We heard one of Shazam!’s arch-nemesis, Black Adam played by Dwayne Johnson (Hobbs and Shaw), will be making his DCEU debut soon so a Shazam! return should be coming.
Shazam! is also one of the better origin stories as the film explores the origin of both Shazam! and Billy Batson’s persona. Meanwhile, Dr. Sivana, another one of Shazam!’s arch-nemesis proves to be a worthy adversary and actor Mark Strong is clearly suited and up for the role. He is not just another villain either with his back story also told in the film.
Jack Dylan Grazer’s Freddy Freeman role made up as one of the best sidekicks, too. The nerdy superhero specialist was there to capture Shazam!’s goofs on video and uploading them online almost like vlogging. Ha-ha! That was pure fun!
The Best DCEU Film To Date?
The DCEU made a lot of mistakes in the past. Most notably, with Batman v Superman 2016 and Justice League 2017. Boy, both films were brutally slammed by audiences and were basically a failure. Oh, and let’s not forget Suicide Squad 2016. Sorry, the movie was so bad we wish we could forget it.
Thank goodness Shazam! went in the same direction as Wonder Woman 2017 and Aquaman 2018. These three films are our top three DCEU film so far but Shazam! is the clear number one here. Don’t you think?
Shazam! entertains without trying too hard and the theme of a group of outcast kids sharing a home for foster kids is something families will appreciate. The fresh and young faces of the cast deliver an unexpected chemistry with Darla (Faithe Herman) as our favorite among Billy Batson’s step-siblings.
An unexpected twist during one of the fight scenes involving the kids is something to watch out, too.
Skip or Watch?
It is often a hit or miss with DC but Shazam! hits all the right marks for us and is a must-watch for DC comic book lovers and even non-lovers alike!
Here is our rating for the movie.
Let us know what you think of the movie by giving it your own rating our commenting below.
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