It’s been about 10 years in the making, but we finally got a Shazam! movie and it feels like it is more for kids and teenagers than adults.
The first attempt for a Shazam movie was in 2009 which would have been led by Dwayne Johnson as the villian, Black Adam. The film was eventually scrapped until 2014 when they revisited the idea and came up with the movie seen here.
Young boy, Billy Batson (Asher Angel) is a foster kid that keeps running away from his homes while looking for his mother. He gets place with a new home that filled with other foster kids of all ages and ethnic backgrounds. In an attempt to save his new foster brother (Jack Dylan Grazer), he ends up in the subway where he is summoned by the ancient wizard Shazam to take over his powers. The powers are transferred against Billy’s wishes and turns into Shazam, which is a grown man played by Zachary Levi.
With every new superhero movie, you need 3 basic elements. A reason for the person to become a superhero… Superhero training… and the super villain so the superhero can save the day. Shazam had all three of these.
Most of the film seems to revolve around Billy learning his abilities as Shazam with his brother. You have two young teenagers cracking jokes, messing around, and abusing the older version self to buy beer, soda, candy. Using the younger actors capture a younger audience that can relate and also look up to Billy Batson.
The jokes appeal to the younger market, but it wasn’t so slapstick that would make adults feel like it in beneath them. Once you get past the gimmicks, you have a good and fun super hero film that is fun for the whole family.
