Superhero Comedy

Shazam Movie 2019 Review: A Fun But Flawed DC Adventure   INTRODUCTION: A New Direction for DC Welcome to our Shazam Movie 2019 Review. Usually, I know the source material of superhero movies very well. However, Shazam was an exception. Aside from the famous copyright battles between Marvel and DC, I knew very little about the character. Watching this film for review, I enjoyed many aspects, but it definitely falls short in specific areas. Interestingly, the movie marks a shift in the DCEU. DC finally dropped the dour tone of the Zack Snyder era. Instead, they embraced a “fun factor” that started right here. STORY: The Balance of Comedy and Action In this Shazam Movie 2019 Review, we look at how the film prioritizes family lessons over massive action. Zachary Levi shines in the titular role. His chemistry with Jack Dylan Grazer is a massive highlight. Levi perfectly captures the wonder of a teenage boy in a hero’s body. Mark Strong also does a great job “hamming it up” as the villain, Dr. Sivana. However, don’t expect mind-blowing action scenes on par with the MCU. Billy Batson is an untrained kid. Consequently, the fights feel smaller and more personal. While this makes sense for the plot, I felt slightly unfulfilled by the lack of large-scale battles. CHARACTER: The Billy Batson Disconnect My biggest issue in this Shazam Movie 2019 Review concerns the lead performance. Asher Angel plays the young Billy Batson as broody and introspective. Conversely, Zachary Levi plays the hero version with over-the-top playfulness. This discrepancy breaks the illusion. It feels like they are playing two entirely different people. I wish the actors had compromised on a shared personality. This smoothing out would have made the character’s transformation much more believable for the audience. VERDICT: The Final Shazam Movie 2019 Review Overall, Shazam! is dumb fun. If you don’t think too hard, you will have a great time. It suggests that DC is finally finding its own path rather than just playing catch-up with Marvel. This move was for the best. Fun Factor: 8/10 Action: 5/10 Overall Rating: 3/5 Stars Check out our other DC movie reviews: Wonder Woman: Dead Earth Review The Dark Knight Returns Review Want to see the hero in action? Buy Shazam! on Amazon.