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Shazam! Movie Review

“I’d like to purchase some of your finest beer, please!” - Billy Batson a.k.a. Shazam

Shazam! is a new DC superhero movie starring Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Mark Strong, Djimon Hounsou, Grace Fulton and Cooper Andrews.  The film is directed by David F. Sandberg, and follows Billy Batson, (Angel), a young orphan who acquires the powers of an ancient wizard, causing him to turn into a grown superhero (Levi) when he says the word Shazam.  When the Seven Deadly Sins are released upon the world, our hero sets out to stop them.
I really enjoyed Shazam!, and I consider it to be one of the best DC movies in recent years.  DC has not really been setting too high of a bar for superhero films lately, but I am really happy that this one turned out to be as good as it was.  I will begin this review by saying that all of the acting in the film is universally really, really good. Zachary Levi brought so much fun and energy into his performance as Shazam, and Mark Strong’s portrayal of the tortured and complex villain Dr. Sivana was convincing and intelligent.  All of the kids in this movie are amazing, but especially Asher Angel as Billy Batson, and Jack Dylan Grazer as his best friend and foster brother Freddy Freeman. This is where the movie reminded me of Stephen King’s It.  The way the kids worked together and played off of one another was really reminiscent of the way the kids worked together in It.  Interestingly enough, Jack Dylan Grazer was also in that film.
The storyline was really cool, and they really did the comics justice.  Speaking of the comics, the film has so many little callbacks and references to the source material, which is something I really appreciated.  The music was fantastic, and there was some really cool camerawork present as well.
Probably my favorite aspect of Shazam! was the use of humor.  I found myself laughing many times throughout the movie, and I mean like actually laughing.  I saw the film twice within a matter of two days, and even on the second viewing, I still found myself laughing as hard as I did the first time.
There are some really good comedic moments in this movie, and that was something that I really liked.
For the things I didn’t really care for, there were some scenes that weren’t very plausible, and seemed like they were just used for a convenient plot device.  There were also some lines here and there that felt unnatural. Probably my biggest problem with this film was the hair effects that were used for Djimon Hounsou’s character.  He was very clearly wearing a fake beard and a wig, and that really was distracting for me.
All in all though, Shazam! is a fantastic superhero film, and one that I think many people will enjoy.  Whether you’re familiar with the comics or not, go out and see this movie. You will most likely find yourself having a really good time with it, and laughing the whole way through.
Rating: PG-13

Grade: B+

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