Review : Shazam! (2019)
It’s been an interesting few years for Warner Brothers and their DC properties. After monumental success with a string of Batman movies, and a cult classic with The Watchmen, Warner Brothers famously made a series of missteps that, short of the success of Wonder Woman, should have buried the studio in regards to comic book films. With the DCEU’s future in question, a lot is riding on the shoulders of their latest offering, Shazam!
After a part mystical, part traumatizing experience as a child, Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong) has dedicated his life to finding the Rock of Eternity, the hidden dimension he was transported to shortly before a car accident that crippled his father, so that he can prove himself worthy to everyone (most of all, himself). After years of funding research, Thaddeus re-discovers the temple and the last surviving member of the Council of Seven Wizards (Djimon Hounsou), who himself is on the quest to find a worthy champion as successor of his power. Thaddeus, in an act of defiance, unleashes and imbibes the power of the Seven Deadly Sins, leaving the wizard nearly defeated. Meanwhile, a young Philadelphian named Billy Batson (Asher Angel), an orphan after being separated from his mother at a carnival, finds himself placed in a new group home full of loving and eccentric characters : foster parents Rosa (Marta Milans) and Victor (Cooper Andrews), foster sisters Mary (Grace Fulton) and Darla (Faithe Herman), and a trio of foster brothers in the form of Eugene (Ian Chen), Pedro (Jovan Armand) and roommate Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer). After standing up for Freddy, Billy finds himself evading the bullies via the subway, and after hiding on a train, Billy finds himself transported to the Rock of Eternity, where he is blessed with the powers of the final wizard, transforming him into Shazam (Zachary Levi) whenever he utters the name. As Thaddeus searches for ultimate power, the Sins inform him of the emergence of Shazam, leading to an inevitable showdown to see who can wield the power of the Council of Seven Wizards once and for all.
One of Shazam!’s biggest strong points is the multi-faceted villian set we are presented in the form of Thaddeus as host for incarnations of the Seven Deadly Sins. While Thaddeus is a villian that directly mirrors our protagonist, the Sins represent the larger, intangible threat that the hero must truly overcome in order to set things in order. The parallel between protagonist and antagonist, in terms of both finding your self-worth and worth in the eyes of others, locks the two together narratively, propelling the journeys forward until their inevitable conflict. The presentation of these parallels, broken family dynamics and arcs of redemption, though all familiar aspects of the hero’s journey, feel fresh in this film, and really drive home heroic values.
All of that being said, this film is incredibly funny, and equally clever in terms of the way it both presents its narratives and carves its own niche in the DCEU. The integration of social media rather than traditional media to make Shazam! become legend in the world of the film plays quite well. The interaction of the last wizard with strangers in his search for a Champion initially being considered ‘mass hysteria’ grounds the fantastic elements of the film, which gives things a real lift once that Pandora’s box is open. The way that the members of the Justice League and their infamy are peppered throughout the background of the film brings an entirely new batch of subtext to the proceedings, as comparisons of Shazam!’s power set against those members mentioned is a given conclusion, be it in our minds or in explorations by the characters.
After a handful of underwhelming effects in their previous films, Shazam! manages to find its groove with impressive effects that fit well within the film’s aesthetic. The take on the Sins is unique in terms of design, as they are presented like true monsters, but have recognizable aspects that distinguish them from one another and make them identifiable to their main trait. The tone is vastly improved compared to the last run of films, with darkness used sparingly rather than as a foundation. The choice to use Philadelphia in the DCEU is interesting, as DC tends to use towns that mirror actual cities rather than using the real cities they are meant to emulate.
Asher Angel plays a good young lead, having enough youthful vulnerability and stubbornness to offset his ambition and cleverness. Zachary Levi does a great job of emulating Angel as Billy, similar to Tom Hanks’ ability to play young in Big (which gets a slight nod in the film). Mark Strong continues to be not only one of my favorite actors, but one of my favorite actors that plays villians, exuding a single-minded focus of redemption that perfectly blindly drives him. Jack Dylan Grazer carries a ton of both comic and expositional weight, serving as a sort of narrator/clarifying device that exists within the film, but not to the detriment of his performance. Marta Milans and Cooper Andrews portray solid onscreen chemistry as Billy’s foster parents, with each of the group home kids bringing something unique to the table : Faithe Herman brings tons of cuteness and high energy, Grace Fulton serves as the spiritual and logical foundation of the youngsters, Ian Chen draws the nerd card (and runs with it like a champ, and Jovan Armand brings an observational twist to the strong silent type. Brief appearances by Djimon Hounsou, Meagan Good, Ross Butler, Adam Brody, D.J. Cotrona, John Glover, Wayne Ward and Andi Osho also turn in memorable performances.
I went into this with little to no expectations, as the feedback from critics and friends helped quell my trepidation at the DCEU in general. Hopefully, however, this film will be a permanent step in the right direction in terms of letting each hero have their own feel for their movies, rather than attempting to make second-rate MCU knockoffs. Definitely worth checking out.
