Shazam: Fury of the Gods - Bringing Back the Simplest of Kid-Level Comic Book Pleasures
By John Kirk
Rating: B-plus
DC has had a spotty history of success with its films. But despite its simple story, Shazam: Fury of the Gods might just be their most endearing superhero film.
We’re used to extremes in superhero films, but what this film does well is use those extreme depictions of heroes, magical realms and creatures from mythological times to evoke the simple fun of being fascinated by a comic book. It’s an entertaining fantasy from a kid’s perspective that hearkens back to the days of reading a stack of comics on your bed for an afternoon that never seemed to end.
Captain Everypower (Zachary Levi) and his super-power enhanced adoptive siblings, prepare for battle.
More than anything, it’s just plain fun.
Foster-kid, Billy Batson has grown to love his new adopted family. However, as a kid who lost everything, he clings to his siblings, afraid to lose them. Meanwhile, by a turn of the plot, the realm of gods, cut off from the mortal realm and their magic by the Wizard Shazam, has now become accessible again.
Opportunity knocks, and a pair of forgotten sister-gods decide to take back what was wrongfully stolen from them.
Hespera (Dame Helen Mirren) and Kalypso (Lucy Liu) are the two sisters – daughters of Atlas, the Titan, who begin their revenge by recovering a magical staff. The staff can recover the magical powers stolen from them, now possessed by Billy and his siblings.
Mirren and Liu look terrifyingly fearsome in the villain roles, decked out in ancient Spartan armor and weaponry. They wear their authority well and their presence adds gravitas to the backdrop of puerile jokes and dialogue. Their condescension towards the mortals on Earth is authentic, and it’s clear that, despite how odd it is to see actors of their caliber in a kid’s superhero fantasy, they are well cast for their roles. Not only are they credibly powerful but they drip evil too.
Zachary Levi reprises his adult superhero role as Captain Everypower (the old joke of being unable to figure out a decent superhero name still finds ground). However, this Billy is a different one from the one we met in the last film. Close to turning 18, Billy (Asher Angel) finds himself on the cusp of losing his family as he approaches aging out of the foster care system. This makes Billy hold on to his family even more, out of fear of losing what he just got back.
This is one of the themes in the film that makes it an endearing story. Abandoned by his parents and sent into foster care at a very early age, Billy has a lot of repressed trauma. It’s an obvious theme to understand and buys the audience’s trust very quickly.
The audience is easily dazzled by the CGI and rendering of mythological monsters like the Cyclops or man-eating Harpies. Gigantic, legendary creatures of dangerous proportions are also threats that the audience can appreciate quickly. Everything in this film is larger than life, in true comic book fashion, but the viewers don’t have to struggle to keep track of everything. Shazam – good. Gods - bad.
Family, growing up, dealing with changes are all themes that a younger audience can appreciate. While they are entertained by the superhero/supervillain face-offs, they can also grasp these concepts and their value. Parents can also see their kids recognizing these ideals and the film instantly becomes a shared family experience. There’s a lot of appeal in that type of storytelling, if done right and director, David F. Sandberg has done it right.
The humour is definitely immature, but accessible and entirely fitting, considering the background and nature of the characters. The jokes are well timed and aren’t recycled ‘Dad’ humour. They’re contextually appropriate, if a little predictable.
If there is a downfall to this film, it’s the run time. At two hours and 10 minutes, it can be repetitive as the encounters between heroes and villains go back and forth. Powers are stolen, then returned. Individuals get kidnapped and then escape, seemingly endless property damage on a massive scale and so on. The jokes, pace, and energy level of the story disguise this, but there is a point when you are ready for it to be over. Of course, when you’re a kid, time doesn’t matter, right?
Overall though, it’s a fun romp of a film. We like it because we like all the characters; the good guys, the bad guys, even the surprise cameos during the credits. Stay in your seats until they’re all done. It’s a simple story that everyone can enjoy and appreciate.
Especially the comic readers.
Shazam: Fury of the Gods. Directed by David Sandberg. Starring Zahary Levi, Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu, Asher Angel, Rachel Zegler, Michelle Borth, Grace Fulton, Jack Dylan Grazer, Djimon Hounsou, Gal Gadot. In theatres Friday, March 17.