people might think of at the very end .Third, this has such a great portrayal of Foster families. Very often movies have these really negative, terrible portrayals of Foster kids and the families they go into. The family that Billy gets into genuinely care about each other. It's easy to see why Billy would want to accept them. Especially after you find out some information which I will not reveal here.One common criticism is that this movie forces drama between the comedic parts and that it doesn't work well. This is only somewhat true. The drama is believable, but it's a little forced, but let me play devil's advocate. We have gotten very used to incredibly great dramas, but not every movie can have this. It's a superhero movie. In all honesty, the drama in most superhero movies always comes second. It is never really THAT captivating. This shouldn't be held up to the standard of great dramas films. Really, no superhero movie should. With that being said, I find the motivation for the villain to be persuasive. Imagine that you are a child that is being bullied. Typically if you cannot rely on your family and friends to help, you're going to probably grow up with anger in your heart. In this case, he has no friends and his family ARE the bullies. Someone criticized this, but they're completely wrong. That's a strong motivation to be someone who wants to take his anger out on others especially family .Another thing I love about this movie is that Billy is never really just motivated to start doing good. He shows that he is willing to do good. He protects Freddy from being beat up, but only when it's gone too far. He's chosen by the Wizard not because he is some perfect, good-hearted child, but because he has the potential to be exactly that. The fact that he's willing to protect Freddy from bullies and that he gets his powers, then doesn't immediately start to save everyone shows the writers knew exactly what they were doing. This isn't some shortcut to being a good person. It doesn't show that he does all of the very funny things he does just to.make the audience last. He's learning. He's still not perfect. It's only when he has to save people from a problem that he created that he even remotely starts to start trying to understand the responsibility he carries. It's not until he begins to accept his foster family as his real family does he really understand the importance of helping others. You have to remember that he's always been a loner. He's never really experienced love since.. well, you'll see, but NEVER. In fact, I don't even think he's fully understood by the end of the movie. He's still learning. And why wouldn't he be? He's only 14. This movie is absolutely great. It's much more than okay. It's honestly better than most comic book movies I've seen in awhile, but for different reasons than the other traditional superhero movies like I said, this movie has those traditional elements, but also much more . The only way that it is "just okay" is if you have some serious superhero fatigue.

into this world, but doesn't underplay the action. His direction and coordination through framing helps us laugh and, in some cases, feel the punches. The action isn't jolty like the other DCEU installments and due to the bright vibrant colors, we really know what's happening, where it's happening, and who it's happening to. Well done.The writing was uneven, but definitely fun. It's a basic story that converts Billy Batson's origin into a modern-day retelling with some elements of Big in there. The humor is well-timed and consistently funny; a lot of meta jokes and inner humor help the story obtain its brighter feel. The relationships written in are heartfelt and the story itself has a lot of heart. One part that causes a rift is the central character of Billy. His two versions, between the adult and the kid, seem to be two completely different people. It's an inconsistency that's fine being just about the only part besides typical villain problems that bugs you about the writing.Performances: I swear, Zachary Levi was born to play Shazam! He carries childlike enthusiasm and a heart in effortlessly. He oozes charisma and really... I won't be able to say it enough so here it is: Zachary Levi is perfection. The rest... Kid Billy was somewhat toned down but still played quite nicely. Mark Strong played a menacing villain. The child actors, especially Jack Dylan Fraiser Grazer? I'm sorry I don't remember off the top of my head , were VERY good. Child actors really are improving. Any other supporting performance was played nicely and everyone knew who the real star of the movie was: I'm sorry, I'm gonna keep coming back to this: Zachary Levi is a national treasure.What else... music was nice and heartfelt, I talked about the action sequences... every other part of this film is mainly there to add to Billy's story and I like it. The world is undeniably fun and we're not really pulled out of it.The future is bright for the DCEU with chapters like Shazam! 9/10

child actors since they don't always work, but here they were great.I was a little worried about the character of Billy originally. Because in the trailers he seemed to be a very angsty kid, and then as Shazam it felt like a very different person. However in the film it totally works. He is an angsty kid in the beginning, but he goes through a very interesting character arch that makes both characters feel real and believeable.And then we get to probably my favourite part of the film, the heart and great story about family. Billy Batson is a foster kid who just kind of wants to be left alone but he is forced to adjust to a foster family. It's incredibly common for films to have a very negative portrayal of foster life, and this film refreshingly has a very positive take on it. The foster parents portrayed in this film are not abusive or negligent, but genuinely want what's best for the kids. This entire part of the film was brilliantly done and filled with so much heart and I loved it. One specific scene stands out to me at the end of the second act that I won't get into, but I thought it was brilliant.My only negative with this film is the same that I have with most comic book films, the villain. However in this case it isn't bad at all, it actually begins in a very intriguing way but there is a big gap in the characters story that bothered me a little. Mark Strong does a goon job playing the character of Dr. Sivana, and in fact the character isn't bad, but it's not one you're gonna remember.Shazam! Is a brilliant film that is a throwback to the old superhero days and a surprisingly self aware with some scenes coming off as a slight parody to me. It's brilliantly acted, hilarious, has a very heartwarming story, and is without a doubt one of the best films in the DCEU.

franchise, it's essentially its own thing. Shazam! follows suit. While there are references to Superman, Batman, and other Justice League heroes throughout, the film isn't concerned with connecting dots or setting up a franchise. It tries to be its own thing.The strongest aspect of this film by far is Zachary Levi. A ravingly underrated actor, Levi brings this film the energy, charm, and humor it needs. He plays the role of a teenage boy stuck in a man's body not only well, but eerily convincingly so. Jack Dylan Grazer, who plays Billy's foster brother Freddy, is also great. Neurotic and hilarious, he helps further convince you of this film's ridiculous premise.Asher Angel, who plays young Billy Batson, got the short end of the stick here, as he's given a character who hides his emotions. So while he still feels like Billy, he's the less entertaining half of Billy. Nonetheless, he delivers a great performance, and the film lands because of him.The rest of the cast is alright, with some weak performances and a decent one from Mark Strong.The script is another strength here. It balances humor and drama, horror and light-heartedness, and character and spectacle better than any DCEU film so far. I cared about these characters. I understood their motivations and their desires.The film is a character piece more than a super-hero film, though. The story isn't about a boy who turns into an adult super-hero battling evil, it's about a boy learning to grow up and accept the things he's ignored his whole life. Billy must realize he must pursue what he needs, not what he wants, and he comes to understand that everything he believed to be true is wrong. It's fantastic, and it's what makes the entire third act land.This movie is self-aware. It carries a plethora of tongue-in-cheek references, and never forgets to make you laugh. The humor is natural, fresh, and never undermines the dramatic tension of the film.Sanberg's direction is strong here. There are definitely some horror-tinged sequences. I'll have to see it a second time to really analyze how this film was shot, but if I remember correctly, it rarely goes large. The movie doesn't try to be a spectacle, and instead simmers down and remains small unlike it's hero.The score is great. The soundtrack is amazing. I had some genuine laughs. While the film is definitely one set piece too long, and could have been tightened down in its third act, I don't have many complaints outside of that.It also brings its own spin to the super-hero genre. This is definitely a family super-hero film. I would argue it's even more of a family super-hero film than The Incredibles. And aside from some mild language and a couple scary scenes it earns it's PG-13 rating , it's one of the more wholesome super-hero movies to come along in a while.I loved this film. Everybody here knocked it out of the park. It has heart and humor and a great message. Hands down the best DCEU film. I can't wait to see what they do with the future movies.So far, it's my favorite film of the year.B+

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