In general, it’s no secret that the newer DCEU films have not been well received, per se. With many complaints and criticisms of the films being (or trying to be) darker and grittier, DC seemed to have realized this, and decided to try a blend of action-comedy instead. Their first foray into this new style, Justice League, was almost universally panned, while their next attempt, Aquaman, got a little more appreciation for its attempt at making the character more engaging to viewers, since the “man who talks to fish” is mostly viewed as a bit of joke. Speaking of jokes, DC’s latest, Shazam! (yes, you have to add the exclamation point), advertised itself as a mostly comedy-oriented, feel-good family film. But how good can a DC movie be?
Taking place in modern-day good old Philadelphia, foster kid Billy Batson spends most of his time trying to search for his missing mom and evading various crimes – at least, he does until he is put in yet another a group home, comprised of a family of several fun members, one of which is the superhero-obsessed Freddy Freeman, who Billy initially dismisses along with the rest of them. However, one day Billy is suddenly summoned by no other than Shazam himself, who chooses him as his successor and the ‘new champion’. When he returns home, he discovers that he has become not only a superhero, but also an adult! With all these new powers in store, Billy and Freddy team up to discover all the amazing things he can do. Meanwhile, a mysterious businessman, Sivana, has more nefarious motivations – he’s become the vessel for the Seven Deadly Sins and is planning on exacting revenge upon whoever dares stop him. Does Shazam dare stop him, and how on Earth will he do it?
Because Wonder Woman was, at that point, the only DC film that I liked, I went into this movie cautiously, unsure of what I’d think of it. Of course, my use of the past tense in that last sentence should tell you that that is not the case any longer. Truth be told, this film was a lot better than I expected. The main character, Billy, has all the zest of teenager and his friendship with Freddy is one of the best aspects of the whole thing, portraying two completely different guys bonding over shared dreams and desires with surprising emotional depth for a family film. Of course, neither of the two are perfect virtuous angels, and they make a point of showing us that, something rarely seen in these types of superhero films. Once the supporting cast of Billy’s foster family was introduced, I was worried that they would bog down the story as well, but they surprisingly add to the experience, giving us the humanizing, down-to-earth depiction of a family who, despite differences, really do care for each other.
The film was surprisingly hilarious, with jokes that both humorously parodied superhero movies and felt fresh at the same time, with many jokes that end up being cleverly re-incorporated at later points. And, despite advertising itself as a comedy, it has surprising moments of emotional weight and actual depth, handling serious subject matters with subtlety and nuance, as well as showcasing what it really means to be a family and the (literal) power of friendship.
However, like all movies, and especially all superhero movies, it does have its flaws. Being a more ‘family’-like film compared to DC’s other fare, some moments stand out as being a bit too silly and cartoonish amongst their handling of more realistic and mature themes. Speaking of mature themes, while some are handled well, others are placed in the most out-of-place moments you would expect, which leads to quite a few moments of total mood whiplash in the film. And yes, there are moments of genuine hilarity, but a few of these moments go on for a while, enough to make me wonder when the joke was going to end.
In conclusion, while the misguided and awkward moments in the film are noticeable, they do not distract from the sum of its parts. Whether you like or dislike DC and their superheroes, or perhaps you don’t really care at all, Shazam! is definitely worth watching – despite its flaws, it’s a heartwarming and eye-opening story about the meaning of family and the nature of being a superhero, wrapped up in a bow of genuine fun and self-depreciating comedy.
Final score: 7.5/10
The Art Archive 