SHAZAM! Movie Review: Say My Name So My Powers May Flow Through You

With their seventh entry in the DCEU it seems that Warner Bros. is finally starting to hit their stride. This film picks up some of the same threads as Aquaman. We have a likeable comedic hero who is reluctant to answer the call to action, while still maintaining some elements of the darker side DC wants to portray.

This is very much a coming of age story, we are given the story of BIlly Batson (Asher Angel) an orphan trying to find his place in the world and the family he was denied. It has all the tropes portrayed about foster life a rebellious youth kicked out of every foster family on his last chance to find a place to call home.

Shazam! builds and builds upon itself slowly pulling you more and more into it concluding in your typical superhero final battle. For the most part the comedy lands keeping your interaction with Shazam light-hearted. While everything relating to our villain is extremely dark for a movie geared towards being a family film.

The only thing I found truly hard to stomach in this film was the CGI. This seems to be a recurring problem in DCEU films they seem to really skimp on the budget when it comes to some of the things they choose to animate over using real props. The muscle suits can also be kind of hard to look at. Is it more comic accurate? Yes, would if be better to see the actors closer to their normal sizes? Maybe. This movie was clearly geared more towards the younger generation than any other DCEU film which judging from my kids reaction was well received.