DC has managed to real itself back from the nightmare that was Justice League. Aquaman and Wonder Woman did what the worlds finest could not. They put DC back on the map. But can Shazam keep the momentum going?
Right of the bat, it seems to have very Marvel feel to it, and believe me the irony is not lost on me. But to the uninitiated, Shazam was originally known as Captain Marvel. This was changed for obvious reasons but you can follow the Wiki link to learn more.
The movie has a lot of positives going for it. Firstly it manages to not take itself too seriously while simultaneously not minimizing the threat. Then it has heart, and lots of it. Without giving it away both the hero and the antagonist seem to have mirrored backgrounds and for the most part it has shaped them to the same mind frame. But, the movie strives to prove that no path is set in stone. And just the right people at the right time can save a soul or at least help in path correction.
The movie is well cast, young Billy Batson played by Asher Angel manages to charm you even when he is being mischievous. His adult counterpart is a little different, a bit more obnoxious. Which what happened when a 14yr old gets god-like powers I suppose. But Zachary Levi manages to make you believe they are one and the same person. He has always been a loveable actor, especially if like me you a Chuck fan.
The movie does have drawbacks most of which can be found in the third act. While the main villain is the usual opposite of the hero, his subsequent minions ( I use the word minions extremely loosely ) feel like they could have been interesting to explore. But the film was shot in almost half the budget of Aquaman, Understandably so, as DC’s rather checkered past along with a far lesser known hero.
In short,t it was a movie that offered a much-needed change of pace, and a much lighter glimpse into the beginnings of a hero.
