Shazam!

Movie Review Shazam!

Admittedly I’m really late to the party on this one.  I’ve flip flopped back and forth on whether or not to see this one for weeks.  On the one hand, I’m a fan of Zachary Levi and Mark Strong.  I also remember watching the Shazam/Isis hour religiously growing up.  However, on the other hand, the trailers and clips for the film prior to release seemed rather cheesy and cartoony. Not in a good way.  And as far as the live-action show I grew up watching, the fact I can’t really recall much about it, other than watching in the first place, didn’t speak well of the character.  Wanting to spend time with a good friend as well as wanting to hit the theater, Shazam! was the film we both agreed upon, so off to the theater!

Ladies and gentlemen, we definitely have a winner in Shazam!  

Yea!

Shazam! probably is a touch cheesy and cartoony, especially compared to other recent superhero films, but those things actually add to the fun, heart, and soul of the film.  A tad uneven for the first twenty minutes or so, the film nonetheless is nothing but entertaining throughout.  Never getting bogged down to the point of boredom or loss of interest.  A solid, layered script chock-full of genuine laugh-out-loud laughs; sweet, heartfelt moments; drama, action, terrific soundtrack, great messaging and solid acting and character development, Shazam! definitely struck a cord with me, and by the sounds of the cheers and applause the entire theater audience (surprisingly, while it was a smaller theater, the place was packed) as well.

As hoped, Zachary Levi delivers as Shazam and Asher Angel’s Billy Batson is on point.  Jack Dylan Grazer (probably best known for his role in It as Eddie Kaspbrak) is outstanding as superhero obsessed Freddy Freeman.  The chemistry and camaraderie with both Levi and Angel truly are the superglue that binds the film together and takes it to the next level.   Then there’s Mark Strong.  LOVED his villainous bad self.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen Strong give a performance I didn’t like.  Strong’s Dr. Sivana isn’t generic or cookie cutter and is completely believable in his motivations and actions. 

Shazam! definitely shows DCEU has its $#@! together and is continuing to up their game.  I had a blast watching this film and am glad I broke down was able to enjoy it on the big screen.  I laughed, I misted up, I cheered, and I awwwwed my way through this one.  Watching Shazam! is a joyful experience, one I highly recommend to everyone.  If it’s still in a theater near you, get to the box office and say Shazam! It’s worth the effort to check out.  If not, do yourself a favor and make sure you rent, stream, on demand it when available. A solid 9.5 from me.

Oh, don’t forget to stay ALL the way through the credits.  DCEU goes MCU and has both mid and post credit scenes for your enjoyment.