The DC Comics big screen universe continues its upward
trajectory with the immensely charming “Shazam!,” a
superhero origin story that gets an appealing bolt of energy thanks to director
David F. Sandberg’s ability to combine humor, heart, and spectacle into a
narrative that should satisfy audiences, no matter what they’re looking for.
We meet
Billy Batson (Asher Angel), a wayward teen who’s spent his childhood bouncing
between foster homes. Not one to get too attached, he runs off before he has a
chance to get settled. At 4 years old, he was accidentally separated from his
mother at a carnival and never found her again, but he’s sure that she’s still
out there looking for him.
Billy’s
latest placement is in the home of loving couple Rosa and Victor Vasquez (Marta
Milans and Cooper Andrews) and their other five
foster kids: Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer), a disabled superhero enthusiast; video
game obsessed Eugene (Ian Chen); Darla (Faithe
Herman), the adorable youngest; college-bound Mary (Grace Fulton), and Pedro
(Jovan Armand). They’re eager to make him part of the family, but Billy has his
eyes on the door.
Then one day
Billy’s magically whisked to the realm of the wizard Shazam
(DjimonHounsou). The last
of his kind, Shazam is tasked with protecting the
world from the Seven Deadly Sins, which take the form of a collection of
alarming gargoyles; demons that wish to break free and wreak havoc on the
world. The wizard must locate a worthy successor, an individual who can carry
on his legacy, and to whom he can bequeath his mystical powers. It seems that
Billy is just that pure-hearted soul.
By shouting
the magic word “Shazam!,” he
can transform into a strapping superhero (now played by star Zachary Levi) with
abilities drawn from his ancient immortal elders: the wisdom of Solomon; the
strength of Hercules; the stamina of Atlas; the power of Zeus; the courage of
Achilles; and the speed of Mercury. In short, everything Billy needs to save
the world.
At first he
isn’t sure what to do with these gifts, and the film has a lot of fun watching
the Superman-obsessed Freddy help Billy test the limits of his powers (and
share it with an ever-growing audience through social media), geeking out over each newly discovered ability. This
section is as good as I’ve seen in any comic adaptation at tapping into the
wish fulfillment fantasy of its stories. To most kids (and a fair amount of us
adults), being a superhero would pretty much rule.
But of
course there’s also a supervillain to contend with. Dr. Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong, having fun chewing the scenery with a
somewhat one-note character) was one of the many Shazam
deemed unworthy, and over the years his resentment and rage curdled into an
obsession with gaining the power he feels he’s rightfully due. With Sivana, the film offers a cautionary tale of what happens
when those who lust for power actually get it. The plot sets him in stark
contrast to Billy, who must figure out what’s truly important to him and choose
how to wield the immense gifts he’s been given.
Angel
handles the more emotionally fraught side of young Billy with impressive skill,
and Levi digs into the part with an enthusiasm that makes it easy to believe
there’s a kid underneath all those rippling muscles, one who hasn’t quite
gotten the hang of his new adult-sized body. The scene-stealing Grazer is
great, developing a nice rapport with both Billy the…er,
kid, as well as Billy the superhero.
Like “Aquaman” before it, “Shazam!”
embraces the inherent goofiness of its premise, and it’s all the better for it.
But while it maintains a generally lighter tone overall than we’ve come to
expect from DC’s movies, the film has its share of dark moments. Director David
F. Sandberg (previously helming “Lights Out” and “Annabelle: Creation”) draws
on his background in horror, especially in scenes centered on the Seven Deadly
Sins. The demons have a pleasingly Harryhausen-esque
stop-motion feel to them, but they lend themselves to some horrific imagery
that may be too intense for younger viewers.
Sandberg
juggles tone to great effect, weaving together an effervescent sense of humor, satisfyingly
emotional moments and exciting, character-driven action. His film is as much a
coming-of-age narrative and heartfelt family drama as it is a superhero origin
story.
Like a lot
of big action flicks released these days, “Shazam!”
shows the influence of Amblin-style 80’s family-adventures. It’s a delightful
cross between “The Goonies” and a superhero version of “Big,” and Sandberg
succeeds at capturing the wonder (and occasionally fear) of being a human in a
world in which super-powered gods walk among us.
This article appears in Apr 3-9, 2019.
