SHAZAM! – Review

Superheroes in the Springtime? Oh yes, they’re not the mainstay of Summer cinema any longer. Hey, a few even pop up in the Winter (Dr. Strange, Thor, and even the JLA dropped by just in time for “turkey day”). Just about four weeks ago Marvel Studios released their super-powered, high-flying hero CAPTAIN MARVEL to much praise and big box office bucks. So this new flick has a fairly familiar fella’ in red tights and white cape, guess he’s from the same producers. right? Nope, this powerhouse actually predates all the MCU stars (even WWII’s Captain America). Oh, and he hails from Marvel’s long-standing rival, DC Comics. Technically though he’s an acquisition (a wise one, indeed) from a defunct comic book kingdom (a bit more on that later). And what’s the source of his astounding abilities? Born on a distant planet? Exposure to weird rays or energy blasts? A bite from an irradiated animal? None of the above, for his myriad of gifts come from uttering a single word (not said while imitating Jim Nabors’ Mayberry Marine, please): SHAZAM!

This hero’s journey starts out in 1974 (hmmm, same year as the debut of the CBS Saturday morning live-action “Shazam!” TV series). A timid young lad named Thad fails a magical test given by an ancient wizard leading to tragedy. After the title logo flashes with a white hot burst, we’re on the streets of modern-day Philladelphia as fourteen-year-old orphan Billy Batson (Asher Angel) bends (and breaks) the law in his all-consuming quest to locate his birht parents. Said law catches up to him , and he’s back in “the system”, soon to be assigned to another group foster home. This one is run by a nurturing couple, Rosa (Marta Milans) and Victor (Cooper Andrews) Vasquez, who have already opened their house and hearts to bound-for-college Mary Bromfield (Grace Fulton), quiet introverted Pedro Pena (Jovan Armand), whip-smart gaming whiz Eugene Choi (Ian Chen), and sweet, welcoming Darla Dudley (Faithe Herman). Oh, and there’s Billy’s new roomate, motor-mouthed superhero fan (certified collectables) physically challenged Freddie Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer). Despite his friendliness, Billy remains aloof to the others since it’s just a brief “pit stop” before resuming his search. However, when Freddie is threatened by bullies at school, Billy comes to his defense. When the thugs chase him to a subway stop, he hops aboard to escape. Then things get weird. The digital banner displays odd icons and symbols. The lights flicker and the other passengers disappear. Ice forms around the car. The doors open and Billy is in a dark cave, and is soon standing in front of that same ole’ wizard, Shazam (Djimon Hounsou). He offers Billy the chance to become a powerful champion of good, one who will protect the world from the Seven Deadly Sins. All he need do is say his name while holding the magic staff. Billy laughs it off, but gives it a try.He’s enveloped by lightening, and when the smoke clears he’s a towering thirty-something adult man in a red suit and flowing white cape (Zachary Levi). And in a blink, he’s back sitting in the subway car.

“Big” Billy makes his way back to the group home and contacts Freddie, since he knows about these “super guys”. Over the next couple of days they conduct tests (shooting videos for the internet, natch’) to discover just what new powers this Billy now has. Meanwhile young Thad has now grown up into the dour Dr. Sivana (Mark Strong), who is obssessed with finding a way back to the wizard’s lair. When he finally succeeds, Shazam is long gone, and those “7 Sins” offer him God-like gifts if he will be their “host”. The monstrous creatures turn to vapor and enter the doctor’s body. But he still wants more. When Sivana sees the newsreports and videos of Billy and Freddie, he makes them his new mission: to acquire and retrieve all of the magic that the wizard Shazam has gifted the boy. But can Billy sharpen his skills (the flying thing is tough) and summon the courage to become the hero to defeat Sivana and save the world from those demonic creatures he possess?

This coming of age/origin (not orange) story soars thanks to the ingratiating effortless charms of Levi as the juggernaut with the heart of a child (well, pre-teen). Much as Tom Hanks did in that 1988 classic, Levi carefully (while making it look easy) treads a fine line, giving “super Billy” an engaging innocence and enthusiasm and avoiding making him a muscular simpleton or doofus. Particularly funny are his attempts at his interpretation of adult behavior whether buying some “brewskis” or playing Freddie’s “papa”. These endearing scenes heighten the drama of the big action-filled finale as Levi holds back the tears of real pain as an equal power pummels him. This leads to him finding his hero’s heart (that Achilles courage) and using his brain rather than brawn to save the family he’s finally embraced (along with humanity). Luckily Levi has a fearsome nemesis in Strong as the sinister single-minded Sivana who won’t hesitate to destroy any in his way. As Billy might say, “A real scary super-villain!”. As “regular” Billy, Angel carries most of the intimate dramatic story arc as tries to be aloof around his new “crib”, throwing up a wall between him and his “siblings”, in order to toss them aside when he finds his “true” roots. The conclusion of his “quest” provides the story with a dose of “real world” emotion as Angel shows, through his soulful eyes, Billy’s acceptance. While Strong is a formidable foe, Grazer is a most entertaining sidekick/ confidant as the energetic wise-acre Freddie, who enlightens Billy on “super-heroing“, but also delivers a needed “wake up call” insisting that the powers weren’t bestowed on him in order to make some fast cash (as a “super-busker”). Grazer has great comic timing and proves to be a perfect “wing man“.Hounson is gruff, intimadating, and “other worldy” as the wondefully wise, but cranky wizard. Kudos to Milans and Andrews as the warm, caring (no “push-overs’, though) parents any kids would be lucky to have, along with the adorable Ms. Herman whose big pleading brown eyes can melt any hero’s heart (her sister and brothers are terrific too).

As with 2017’s WONDER WOMAN the DC cinematic universe seems to be getting “back on track” and steering away from the “one tone suits all” dark, nearly pitch black flicks that Zack Snyder began with MAN OF STEEL back in 2013. This film is infused with fun, charm, and a bright color palette (as opposed to the desaturated look of most of this DC WB entries). And then there’s that whole “not really a DC hero” thing I mentioned earlier. Shazam and his original name, Captain Marvel, were created by Bill Parker and C.C. Beck for Fawcett publishing (that’s why Billy and Freddie attend Fawcett High) in 1940. Almost immediately National Periodicals, home of Superman, sued for copyright infringement, and the case dragged along for a dozen or so years. In the meantime the good captain regularly outsold all the other comic heroes (1.5 million copies per month) and was the first movie superhero (in the 1941 Republic serial “The Adventures of Captain Marvel”). When sales sagged in the 50s Fawcett settled the suit paying a hefty fine and discontinuing that line of comics. With the character in limbo, in the mid 60s, Marvel Comics swooped in and secured a copywright on the Captain Marvel name (which eventually led to the film that opened last month). In the early 70’s DC liscensed the origianl characters and stories from DC, but because of Marvel’s actions, had to title the book “Shazam”. Eventually DC bought the rights to all the Fawcett heroes in 1991, and jettsoned the Captain name and called the hero Shazam.

Veteran horror film director (LIGHT’S OUT, ANNABELLE: CREATION) David F. Sandberg keeps the film rolling along at a brisk pace only faltering, but not quite derailing when dealing with Shazam’s “dark mirror”. A kid becoming a superhero would seem to be “sure-fire” family fare, but the slithery, slimy “sins” seem to have oozed out of any “near R-rated” thriller. Their CGI tentacles and snake-like tongues could send the “wee ones” diving to the theatre floor particularly as Sivana unleashes them in a fancy business boardroom (little gore, but lotsa‘ screaming). Plus these “creepy crawlies’ are big players in the otherwise very satisfying finale (just think of the final episode of “Buffy”, you TV geeks). Speaking of which, the script from Henry Gayden (with a story assist from Darren Lemke), which relies heavily on the DC reboot from 2011, has some good twists and turns, and balances the action, comedy, and heart-tugging fairly evenly, though the flying fisticuffs over the city come close to MAN OF STEEL repetitive excess (the bit with Sivana shouting inaudible threats to Shazam from a mile away is LOL hilarious). And they’ve got several asides and nods to those Golden Age classic comics (an odd big bug in a case, alligator-men behind a door, several toy tigers, and news reporters from WHQZ-TV) as a bonus (plus two fun scenes intercut with some bouncy line-drawn end credits). Still, this is not an adaptation of those whimsy-filled fables that read almost like children’s’ bedtime stories next to the harder-edged superheroes like Batman. It’s set in gritty, real Philadelphia, not the squeaky-clean, glimmering Fawcett City. But considering the track record of the DC films (their last one, AQUAMAN, despite the gregarious Jason Momoa, was dull, over-cooked, CGI-infused cod), this is a vast improvement, closer to the breezy spirit of most of the Marvel Studios flicks. As we await the big ENDGAME (three weeks), the magical movie word is SHAZAM!

4 Out of 5