Shazam!

While caught up in my MCU project I didn’t get a chance to watch the current release from the OTHER major comic book company. Ironically, this character was once known as Captain Marvel, just like the character with whom I started my MCU project, but became mostly known as Shazam due to complicated copyright and trademark issues.

I’ll admit that while I had previously heard of DC’s Captain Marvel, I didn’t know that was the same character as Shazam. In fact, I knew nothing about Shazam; I actually thought that was the Shaquille O’Neal character from the 1996 genie movie.

So what did I experience going into this movie completely cold? A wonderful time! The main character, Billy, is very appealing. He’s been hurt badly in his life and while that sometimes makes him want to lash out he does it in funny ways and he’s charismatic enough that the audience will cheer him on throughout. His coming to embrace his foster family is very heartwarming, and although the phrase “ragtag bunch of misfits” has become a cliché he and his new siblings are actually very charming and not cloy at all. In particular, he and his foster brother Freddie have great chemistry together, as well as conflict that is compelling because neither one is clearly in the wrong. Also, the prologue is terrific at establishing the villain, although the ultimate battle isn’t THAT engaging.

This movie mainly does its job establishing Shazam and the supporting characters in his life and it does that well enough that I’m definitely interested in the inevitable sequel. The best thing about this film might be Zachary Levi, a poor man’s Paul Rudd, and the fact that this whole film is (VERY RELATIVELY) low budget by a major comic book movie’s standards has already made it quite profitable.

Might not stay low budget, even very relatively though. I don’t consider it a spoiler to say this winds up tying into the DC Extended Universe. Maybe there’s hope for that thing after all!

Up next: The granddaddy of all DC movies and comic book movies in general!

Bottom line: Fairly lighthearted and very fun first installment.