Just Say The Word
Some superheroes are instantly recognized by most members of society. The general public can quickly point out Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man, and the Incredible Hulk, but beyond these sacred few (and prior to the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe), most comic book characters are known only by comic book readers and the occasional viewer of a cartoon or animated film that remembers when a hero like Blue Beetle or Jubilee happened to be a part of a team in the show.
Some heroes have come to prominence thanks to successful films such as Iron Man, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and, to a lesser degree, heroes such as Blade, the Watchmen, and Ghost Rider. One oddball that seems to rise to the top of the heap and then slink back to the bottom is Captain Marvel or, as he’s known today, Shazam!
Originally a property of Fawcett Comics and eventually becoming a DC Comics Property, Captain Marvel was one of the first comic book superheroes to appear on the big screen. Frank Coghlan, Jr. portrayed Billy Batson and Tom Tyler starred as his alter ego, Captain Marvel, in The Adventures of Captain Marvel (1941). It was a twelve chapter serial that was highly successful and very popular in its day. It is considered one of the best serials ever produced by many critics and fans as well.
Captain Marvel was the most popular comic book in the 1940’s, but he was eventually put on the backburner due to a legal battle between DC Comics and Fawcett over the character’s abilities that closely resembled Superman’s power set. He would return to the page and arrived on the small screen in the 1970’s, but due to legal issues over the name Captain Marvel (now copyrighted and owned by Marvel Comics), the books and shows featuring the character were titled Shazam!
DC Comics officially made the character’s name Shazam during the New 52 relaunch and the character has managed to remain mildly popular on the printed page and in animated films until his feature film arrived in April of 2019. If the film’s success is any indication, Shazam might remain at or near the top of the superhero heap for awhile.
No Spoilers In The Following Review!
Starring Zachary Levi as Shazam, Asher Angel as Billy Batson, Mark Strong as Dr. Sivana, and Jack Dylan Grazer as Billy’s best friend and foster brother, Freddy Freeman, Shazam! wastes little time giving us the origin story of the antagonist (Sivana) and of Billy Batson/Shazam. The film is essentially a coming of age story in which the hero comes of age at the utterance of the word, “Shazam.”
Angel does a great job of conveying the good intentions of Batson even when the outcome of his actions aren’t always ideal. We quickly get attached to the character and his foster family in the film. Once he gains the power of Shazam, passed to him by the wizard of the same name (hammed up by Djimon Honsou), Billy has to adjust not only to being an adult (at least visually), but also to becoming a hero.
As expected, Billy screws up a lot. He and Freddy devise a plan to learn what exactly his newfound powers are and the entire scheme is played out for laughs in the film. Billy also buys beer and goes to an adult club and reacts exactly as a fifteen year old kid would react.
Zachary Levi looks like he’s having a blast portraying a kid in an adult’s body. He gives a great performance that reminds me of Tom Hanks in Big. In fact, Shazam! gives that film a big nod in one of the Shazam/Sivana fight scenes. The entire film has an 80’s vibe to it despite taking place in modern times. There’s a ton of humor and a couple of genuinely scary moments (younger children may not be able to handle one particular scene) that triggered memories of films like The Goonies, Gremlins, and The Monster Squad. Heck, even the music score sounds like it could have been made in the 1980’s.
When Dr. Sivana faces off with Shazam for the first time, he doesn’t quite know how to react to the Big Red Cheese. He brutally attacks Shazam, but is met with a defense that includes running, throwing toys, and a few smart aleck comments. Billy/Shazam must learn from his mistakes and ultimately realizes that he might not be able to face Sivana on his own.
The film is a nice break from the seriousness of Marvel Studios’ recent offerings (Avengers: Infinity War, Captain Marvel, and the upcoming Avengers: Endgame) and is a perfect follow up to DC’s Aquaman. Shazam references DC Comics a lot. From toys in the film to comics and even paraphernalia collected by Freddy, it’s obvious that this is a DC movie.
This is a very fun film. It is loyal to its source material (the New 52 and beyond version) and knows just how to use that material to its advantage. Shazam may not be the most popular hero in DC history, but he’s definitely one of the most fun ones. Other than those aforementioned scary moments, this is a very family friendly film and if you’ve never taken your child to see a superhero movie at the cinema, this is the movie to go see!
Thanks for reading my post. I highly recommend this film. It’s the best superhero film so far this year and unless Endgame or Spider-Man: Far From Home does something completely insane and out of the ordinary, it might just be the best comic book film of 2019!
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Ken's Alternate Universe! 