In the DCEU’s latest offering, “Shazam”, superhero aficionado Freddie (Jack Dylan Grazer) asks Billy Batson (Ashner Angel) –”If you could have the power of flight or invisibility, which would you choose? He then goes on a rapid fire monologue of how people when asked this question anonymously would choose invisibility over flight, saying that invisibility was “pervy” but you could get away with doing stuff instead of the noble, more acceptable choice of the power of flight.
And indeed, only the honesty of a child would look into using their superhero powers to skip school, earn from displaying their powers, get cash from an ATM and buy, well all the toys and gadgets and actually be thrilled to be a superhero. And this is what happens when foster child Billy Batson is chosen by a wizard to become his champion, by saying his name (Shazam!) he transforms into the perfect man (Zachary Levi), tall, strong, well built and has the power of flight, can shoot lightning from his fingers, you know typical superhero abilities.
Being just fourteen years old, Billy and foster brother Freddie are excited to discover his powers, and of course get to buy beer, skip school and do other cool stuff.
Yes-the very idea of a fourteen year old boy with the body and powers of a superhero is indeed hilarious and FUN (arguably the most fun superhero movie ever!) Shazam is a wholesome film which everyone will surely enjoy, the story is told with such joy and delight that you can’t help but laugh at the antics of Billy Batson who uses his (still discovering) powers to get cash from ATMs, do light shows, take selfies for a fee and buy beer (among other things). None of the dark and brooding themes of past films.
Billy is not world weary, nor does he carry the burden of responsibility in being a superhero, he is just enjoying it and after so many films featuring protagonists who wrestle with their abilities and the consequences that come with it, it is refreshing to see Billy, just simply be thrilled to be a superhero.
Not to say that “Shazam” is just a shallow superhero film, because it is anything but- at its core and heart is the story of FAMILY (something which the “Fantastic Four” has tried and failed for years to translate on screen) when we meet Billy, he is a foster child who has been running away from Foster homes for years, in search of his long lost mother. What he doesn’t understand is that family does not always mean being related by blood, but by being able to call someone your “home” and sometimes it takes a super villain, in the form of Mark Strong’s Doctor Sivana for him to realize that.
Zachary Levi as the baby faced Shazam steals the show-he was born to play this role. He plays the role of a fourteen year old in the body and with the powers and capabilities of a superhero to a tee!
The big surprise in the third act is worth keeping secret ⚡⚡⚡
9.5/10 – SHAZAM is coming to cinemas April 3!