‘Shazam!’ Review: The Magic Word is “Heart”
Still riding high after the success of Aquaman, DC Films looks to finally be on the right course. David Sandberg’s Shazam! arrives next week and brings with it an almost perfect blend of heroics, humor, and heart.
Following Justice League, Warner Bros. switched gears. Instead of building up a shared universe the focus would rightly be on just telling a good story without worrying about what was going on in other corners of the universe. It’s an approach that let’s Shazam! have the best of both worlds. The film takes place firmly within the DCU. This is world where Superman and Batman exist. The easter eggs are numerous and wonderful. But the film never loses sight of the fact that this is the story of Billy Batson.
And I have to say, young Asher Angel was perfectly cast as the troubled teen. Zachary Levi brings charm and comedy to spare, his natural charisma shining through. It’s a role that could easily come off as cheesy and over the top, instead we laugh as he tests the limits of his powers, and at his attempts to escape when he comes face to face with a super villain, and share in his joy when he learns he can fly. But it’s Angel who takes us to Billy’s most vulnerable moments, moments that simply make your heart break for him, make you want him to succeed and see what’s in front of him. It’s a testament to both actors that they each essentially play half a character to form a cohesive whole.
Jack Dylan Grazer’s Freddy Freeman is the glue between Angel’s Batson and Levi’s Shazam. The chemistry and friendship between the three leads is what truly makes Shazam! shine. A walking super hero encyclopaedia and Billy’s guide to “all this caped crusader stuff”, you can’t help but be swept up in his enthusiasm as he and Levi test Billy’s new limits.
Mark Strong’s Thaddeus Sivana is a good foil for DC’s new champion. Tested by the Wizard Shazam as a boy, and rejected for not possessing a pure heart, Sivana offers an interesting contrast to the young Batson. I do wish we could have seen more interaction between Sivana and his, for spoilers sake I’m just going to say partners. I think there’s an interesting relationship there that the film could have done slightly more with. On the subject of villains, it was a joy to see Smallville‘s John Glover returning to the DC Universe. No one plays the evil father quite like him.
Shazam! is by far the lightest movie in the DC Universe so far. The lighter tone started in Aquaman (arguably started in the retooled Justice League) continues here. The film contains more laugh out loud moments than all the films of the first phase of the DC Universe combined. But it also contains one of the darkest moments of the DC Universe so far as well, one that is far more real than any super villain could be. I won’t say more because I don’t want to spoil the movie, but it’s a moment that is handled well and strengthens Billy’s arc. Director David Sandberg and writers Henry Gayden and Darren Lemke manage to find a balance that eluded some of the earlier entries in DCU, having those dark moments without letting them weigh the film down because ultimately super heroes, and Shazam! more than most, are about wish fulfillment.
Visually, the film looks great. It’s a smaller scale than previous DC movies, there’s no alien invasion or voyage under the sea, the stakes don’t feel quite so world-ending, but the action is still fast with plenty of fun thrown in for good measure. And the smaller scale fits with the story being told and the journey Billy is on in this movie.
Shazam! isn’t just the origin story of a new super hero, it’s the story of a young boy finding his family. Sandberg’s movie possesses a joy that reminds you why you always wished you could be a super hero. Unafraid to go to dark places, the film doesn’t dwell there and instead soars into the light with humor and heart.
Shazam! opens on April 5, 2019.
Chris is a lifelong fan of Disney, Star Wars and super heroes who can’t quite believe this golden age of movies and TV we’re living in. Having written blogs dedicated to Disney’s Aladdin musical and Star Wars Celebration, Chris is excited to be part of the MNN team.
