Shazam!

My only previous reference to Shazam! is the 70s morning TV series that Michael Gray and Les Tremayne starred in with two different actor playing the adult Captain Marvel. It was shot on a shoestring budget with Gray and Tremayne wearing the same clothing every episode.

No budgetary expense here was spared in Shazam! the movie. We get some background on the teen Billy Batson who is in a group home in Philadelphia and wants to find his parents. He's not a bad kid, but a mischievous one who is the troublemaker for the adults at the home.

One fine day he's contacted from an alternate world and given the power of a superhero. Which he's fine with, but not sure how to use. Asher Angel is Billy and the adult superhero he can transform himself to is Zachary Levi. Watching Levi as the adult is like watching Adam Sandler. Maybe the producers tried for Sandler originally.

Things go great until he runs into a super villain Mark Strong. It seems back in the day when Strong was a kid he entered the same realm, but was rejected. Now he's back having aligned himself with demon forces.

Shazam! for all its technical wizardry is a show for kids of all ages. By the way no name for the superhero is decided so you will not hear Captain Marvel.

That comes in a sequel I'm sure.

Superhero this, superhero that. Someone gets super powers and ends up fighting an evil version of themselves with similar abilities. If you've seen one (recent) superhero movie then you've probably seen them all and it gets to the stage where you start to wonder if there's anything new a film company can bring to the genre. I'm pleased to say that, despite following most superhero cliches, 'Shazam!' has enough going for it to make it definitely worth a watch.

Ignoring the fact that it was originally meant to be part of the (possibly now deceased?) 'DC Shared Universe' (remember 'Batman vs Superman, Suicide Squad' and all that?) you don't really need to know much about any other film to 'get' what's going on here. A young boy attains magical powers from a wizard (as you do) and, every time he says the magic word ('Shazam!' just in case you hadn't guessed), he's changed from a weedy fifteen year old high school lad to a spandex-clad muscular hunk.

Now, if you've been following what was supposed to be DC's attempt at a 'shared universe' you'll know that they tried to make themselves different from Marvel by being 'darker' and 'grittier.' Well, 'Shazam!' isn't like that at all. It actually feels a bit like one of those 'family' movies from the eighties, as if it's part of a 'Goonies' shared universe than the 'Man of Steel.'

Having a child as the star can always be a bit hit and miss, however Asher Angel actually pulls it off and is quite believable in the role, even before he transfers leading man duties to Zachary Levi for the 'superhero moments.' We have veteran actor Mark Strong as the baddie who has the previously-mentioned 'similar powers' as Shazam. He's naturally a good actor, therefore he plays the part well. However, just like the light-hearted tone of the film emulates Marvel's output, so does the lack of real development and motivation for the villain.

There's plenty of laughs and a great use of Queen's 'Don't Stop Me Now' (possibly even better than 'Shaun of the Dead' used it), however, for those of us who noticed, the computer-effects are a bit ropy and probably could have been a little more polished. But that's just a minor gripe. Ultimately, I reckon youngsters should enjoy this film and not notice the - slightly in-your-face - message about 'family,' choosing instead to simply go along for the ride. For the adults, there's plenty of mocking of superhero movies and it's quite fun to picture this film in the same world where Batman and Superman have become marketable brands.

It may not be the greatest superhero movie of our time (and certainly not the most original), but it nicely crossed the divide between a film for adults and kids and if you're in the mood for something light and fluffy after the darker 'Infinity War/Endgame' pairing, then you can happily lose yourself in a world of magic and wizards for a couple of hours.

It was pretty much exactly what I expected which is a really enjoyable and lighthearted superhero film with some funny moments and that will be enough for most people but it just didn't blow me away. No way this is a 10 like some are suggesting and to nitpick, adult Billy acts nothing like young Billy at all. Don't get me wrong - its still a fun movie which I can recommend.

General Thoughts:

The most fun I've had in a superhero movie since...well I was going to say Infinity War but that plotline is not very fun. Point is: this movie is fun. It really feels like it was made for kids, with a sprinkling of adult themes here and there. As someone who is suffering from extreme super hero fatigue, this is an excellent film to enjoy without having to put too much thought into it.

The Good:

The characters do not feel like they make stupid decisions. Every time I was questioning something that was being done, I could essentially chalk it up to the kids being...well kids. The film treats its children like children in the best way. There is no profound philosophical dialogue coming from the mouth of an eight year old. The film was just plain fun.

The Bad:

There are some minor continuity errors throughout the film that would not distract most people but if you are thinking about the film-making it may take you out of the film for the briefest of moments. Two examples I can think of are characters swapping their locations very quickly (likely in-between takes), and a character flying through the air faster than a plane with absolutely no wind affecting him or his clothing whatsoever. The movie does make up for this with a comical flight scene near the end of the film which I wont spoil.

Easy watching, some funny bits. Starts off well but then gets a bit muddled in its ideas and a bit 'seen it all before'. I think the 7/10 is accurate but it a good seven.