I just want to start off by saying that I may or may not have seen this movie because Zachary Levi is hot. Okay, yes. Part of the reason I went to see Shazam! was because I find Zachary Levi really attractive, and I mean come on, you don’t really see any unattractive superheroes anyway, so can you really blame me?
The DC Extended Universe hasn’t been pumping out movies as much as their competitor, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the movies that have been released have created as much buzz and has racked up as much money as any successful film out today. Shazam! is the newest addition to the film franchise for DC, and it was truly such a well put together film that all ages are able to enjoy.
The film begins with a background story that brings in the audience to believe it’s about the main character, but as the movie continues, we learn that it is a background story for the movie’s villain, Doctor Sivana. In the beginning scene where the audience sees Doctor Sivana as a child, he’s persuaded by the Seven Deadly Sins to try to touch the Eye of Sin, a glowing orb, as they whisper into his ear, “Your father thinks you’re weak. Show him your power.” Shazam, the wizard, knocks Doctor Sivana’s hand down and refuses to give him powers because he doesn’t have the strength to resist temptation. This makes a lot of sense (duh), because you wouldn’t want a superhero who has an evil heart to try to save the world, which we later learn is what happened to the wizard before.
The audience then follows an orphan, Billy Batson, on the search for his birth mother because he’s convinced that she didn’t mean to leave him at a carnival when he was younger. We learn that Billy has run away from every single foster home he’s been in, and he’s convinced the newest one he’s forced into being isn’t going to be his last. But the audience is shown a sweet husband and wife, who were orphans as well, so they know how he feels and they want him to know that they’re there for him, even if they’ve known him for less than a day. We’re then introduced to Billy’s new foster siblings, Mary, Pedro, Freddy, Eugene, and Darla, a misfit group of kids of all different ages that put their differences aside and still act like a real family.
As the film continues, we’re thrown into the Rock of Eternity again with Billy, where he gets his amazing superpowers from the wizard, Shazam. Billy/Shazam! and his foster brother, Freddy, try to figure out all of Shazam!’s superpowers through a series of tests, which are all uploaded to YouTube, where people all over the city start to watch and begin to notice and recognize Shazam! as he walks around the streets. All of the characters in the movie are thrown into a rollercoaster of events that bring them closer and closer, and in the end, we see that HOLY CRAP they all get superpowers and look like a modern, more kick-ass version of the Power Rangers. How awesome is that?!
The film finds a balance between issues adults and kids face on a day to day basis and makes it relatable for all audience members, whether they’re DC superfans, or a family watching a movie together. We’re shown montages of all of the failed superpower tests, as well as two extra post-credit scenes that are sure to fire up excitement for what’s next for Shazam! and his family. I really loved that this movie was sprinkled with humor, heartfelt and heartbreaking moments, and scenes that make you want to scream with excitement, making it a film that’s really for everyone, not just superhero fans.