Movie review: ‘Shazam!’ is a fun and fresh take on superhero movies

Paradise Thomas
Wed, 10 Apr 2019 03:12:04 +0000
Arts & Life, Movies, News

Shazam! (Warner Bros.) Credit: Courtesy of TNS

The comedic movie “Shazam!” is the seventh installment of the DC Extended Universe. The film centers around comic book superhero Shazam, formerly known as Captain Marvel, and it is an original screenplay written by Henry Gayden and directed by David Sandberg.

The movie focuses on teen orphan Billy Batson, who got lost from his mother at a carnival. Batson, after running away from several foster homes, gets placed with an interesting, close-knit foster family. After meeting a wizard that gives Billy superpowers, he then turns into an adult titular superhero. The film follows him as he journeys through his new double life as a teenager stuck in the body of a superhero.

The acting is very reflective of the movie’s tone — good and comedic. The movie is not supposed to be extremely realistic but rather it was to be lighthearted. Zachary Levi as Shazam plays the role in a very funny and relatable way, and his acting is cohesive with his teenage alter ego.

Another actor who shines is Jack Dylan Grazer. He plays Freddy Freeman, a member of the foster family. He plays the relatable sidekick very well, and his knowledge of superheroes plays a big part in helping Batson train his powers. The vibe of his character is the prepubescent awkward kid, which he embodied well.

Asher Angel, the actor who plays Batson’s teenage side, is also really good. He fits into the misfit teen character extremely well.

The tone of the movie is spoof-esque, and it seemed like the movie was making fun of other superhero movies, but it was handled in a good way.

It is an overly cheesy film, but in the best way possible. The film’s fight sequences are also interesting to watch and make the movie enjoyable. There also is good and believable character development throughout.

The only off-putting aspects of the film are several cringe-worthy encounters and scenes that occur, but it fit with the overall theme of the film. While it is definitely a comedic superhero movie that aims to entertain, there was a good balance of emotion mixed in.

It was definitely one of the most entertaining and impressive DCEU movies. The CGI graphics are not particularly impressive, but they are good compared to other DCEU films. In terms of the film fitting into the DC Extended Universe, it is definitely a different direction than most of the prior films, but it fits well.

Overall, the movie was an incredible comedy full of laughs. An amazing family-friendly blockbuster that is a sure hit for the DCEU.

Rating: 4.5/5