Shazam! (2019)

 

Sometimes, people seem to forget that superhero films can just be plain fun. They don't always have to be serious, because the entire idea is a bit silly to start with. Marvel caught on fairly quickly, but for some bizarre reason DC often lagged behind, regularly making their films dark and broody but by overdoing it, they at times failed the mark. Not so with 'Shazam!': it is colourful, lighthearted (for the most part) and funny and while it may not be the best of the catalogue, it is a fun watch.

Billy Batson is a 14-year-old who has been in and out of foster homes after losing his mother at the age of about 3, I guess? I don't mean she died, they literally lost one another at a carnival. Since then, Billy has been incessantly searching for his mom. But his options are running out and now he is taken into a foster home with a couple of other kids, including Freddy, a kid obsessed with trivia and superheroes and all sorts of weird facts.

Huh, never thought DC would portray young me in a film. 

Never thought DC would portray old me in a film, either.

Through some freak happening, Billy is chosen by an old wizard to become the new champion of magic, Shazam. Suffice to say: the boy isn't ready for this. If you're wondering why someone would select a 14-year-old: the wizard was out of options, as a doctor Sivana has already unleashed the 7 Deadly Sins on the world and he needs to be stopped. Billy is the quick choice. He has a lot of problems figuring out what his superpowers are and how they work, but after some shenanigans, Billy comes to the realisation that he might actually have to fight to keep both the world and his new found family alive. 

So yes, in essence, it's an origin story the likes of which we have seen countless times. But this film does several things right, not in the least the portrayal of how a streetwise kid would handle suddenly been given superpowers. Trying to make money and being a bit of a dick is pretty spot on. 

Come on, how would you act at first? Don't tell me you'd all be the perfect hero from the get-go. 

In fact, this is one of the best reasons why this film works: despite the complete absurdity of it all, it is told in a way that makes sense. Billy doesn't have to be the most likeable person out there; he just is a human being with flaws. Fortunately for him, the villain has a lot more and even there, this film is more subtle than you might expect. Dr Sivana was always belittled as a child by his father and older brother and now he has something to prove that he is worthy of something, albeit the wrong thing, that is for sure. And he's played by Mark Strong, who is always an excellent choice for a sinister villain. 

Couple that with some genuinely funny moments and jokes and you have the recipe for a warm and entertaining superhero film, that seems to have disappeared off the radar quite quickly. A lot of people still talk about 'Wonder Woman' for example, but this one apparently faded rather quickly. A shame really, as this is a lot of fun.