Welcome back to the world of superheroes. You might have already met and are familiar with a bunch of superheroes over the years, who come with different set of powers and outlooks, dresses up in different colorful costumes and capes, have their goals, weaknesses and a motivation of saving the world in one way or another. By far now, we have seen a lot of movies in superhero genre and we must say, they are terrific. These characters are approached and styled in a particular narrative and thus helps in building an effective characterization which their audience and fans have grown to know, feels connected to and love their heroes.
Today we are introducing you to a new DC superhero, ‘Shazam!’ (Represents WB/DC) who breaks the stereotypical image of gigantic, dark and dour heroes. This latest superhero movie, released on April 5, 2019, (Directed by David F. Sandberg and produced by New Line Cinema, DC Films) is filled up with loads of goofy gags, fun and whimsical elements and clever winks which suddenly feels crucial to the superhero genre. Shazam! feels like a breath of fresh air in a genre which seems to have some ‘set ground rules’. Where most of such movies in this genre are based on Sci-Fi, Shazam! is all about embracing fantasy and magic. Powerful and charismatic performances by Zachary Levi & Jack Dylan Grazer, this is the story that takes you on a wild fun superhero adventure with a nice balance between thrill, fantasy, comedy and drama. Even though he isn’t one of the most well-known superheroes from the DC comics, his story has turned out to be the best DC film in years with a whole new outlook and marks the return of most underrated yet beloved character in history of DC comics.
“Shazam!” is the magical word what young Billy Batson (Asher Angel), a 14 year old, says to transform into a big red costumed superhero which is played by Zachary Levi who is definitely the perfect cast for body swapping Shazam! In the world of batman, superman and wonder woman, we are introduced to a troubled foster teenage kid who spends most of his time looking for his mother who has abandoned him, in a hope that she is still waiting for him. Story takes a turn when Billy meets Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer). He is granted powers by a magical wizard who gives him the ability to transform into an adult superhero who is fully equipped and comes wearing a bright red suit and white cape (who by the way doesn’t know how to pee in the costume, poor boi!)
Billy needs Freddy’s help to figure out what abilities he possesses. Well it sounds fairly typical as how generally superhero movies go, though Shazam! has a twist, as we get to experience through the vision of two kids who undergoes a journey of becoming a superhero and are full of excitement and thrilled. The movie also explores Shazam!‘s origin in a compelling way raising the question of what a kid might would do if he is granted with superpowers. The plot mostly revolves around Billy and Freddy’s friendship which is the core of this movie. But like every superhero story, there comes a grounded backstory and a villain to balance this crazy roller coaster ride of Shazam!
Shazam! is an entirely different experience from previous DCEU movies. Zachary Levi shines bright while representing a superhero which is both inspiring, empowering and humorous in all the right ways. Jack Dylan Grazer and Asher Angel have lived their characters throughout the movie. The film serves its purpose to entertain, in a rather fun way which is a break from regular DC/WB ‘serious’ kind. The soundtrack of the movie is look really appealing. Following the latest popular trend for superhero movies to incorporate licensed songs to complement their original classical scores, you will hear a lot of latest and classic hits in Shazam! which includes “Slow Hands” by Niall Horan, “Feels” by Calvin Harris, “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen etc.
Wrapping up, we can conclude that this movie is a surprise package that comes with a strong script, effortlessly well-timed humor, positive messages, entertainment while fulfilling the ultimate goal of ‘wish fulfillment’ and undoubtedly the excellent performances by Levi, Grazer and Angel give it an electrifying entry in DC Extended Universe. Already receiving a heaps of praise, fans of DC and superhero movies will no doubt want to check out Shazam! for its action, drama, thrill and delightful time at the theater, thus appealing a mass audience. It has been rated PG-13 for its intense sequences of action, language and suggestive material.
This 132 minutes long movie definitely gives you an enjoyment of a million bucks. So hurry up, book your tickets and rush to the nearest theater. Don’t forget to grab a big popcorn tub while diving into this crazy adventurous ride of SHAZAM! Check out the trailer here:
Don’t forget to tell us how you feel about this latest superhero movie. Are you loving it as much as we are? Tell us in the comments section down below or you can also tweet to us @CelebMix