FUN AND FUNNIER

MOVIE
Shazam!
Zachary Levi, Asher Angel
Director David F Sandberg
Review Ray Chan

With Shazam!, it seems that Warner Bros has discovered its own secret word to making the DC Extended Universe as consistently enjoyable as its Marvel counterparts.
    Wonder Woman captured the lead character's essence better than any previous DC film, and Aquaman successfully celebrated the more outlandish nature of its hero in an expansive undersea adventure. Shazam! is entirely different sort of super-hero fare, with a unique premise and the DNA of the comic source material laced in every scene with an awareness of how to make it work for modern audiences.
    The key ingredient in this rollicking recipe may be the filmmakers' decision not to make drastic alterations from the original concept, and instead happily embrace it, albeit the rebooted interpretation and not the original Golden Age version. Director David F Sandberg simply focuses on making the movie both fun and funny.
    The move centres on teenager Billy Batson (Asher Angel), who – separated from his mother at a carnival when he was a toddler – has ended up living in a series of foster homes as a result. The latest clan to take him in consist of carers Victor and Rosa, and their other adoptees Mary, Eugene, Darla, Pedro and Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer, late of It).
    One day, in a rare selfless act, Billy helps the mobility-impaired Freddy against a couple of school bullies, bringing him to the attention of the wizard Shazam (Djimon Hounsou), who needs a champion to combat the brewing evil of the insane Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong). But Shazam doesn’t offer Billy a training manual and now he’s got to learn these new powers and get used to instantly becoming a super-powered adult (played by Zachary Levi), which happens only after he utters the wizard's name. 
    Levi does a commendable job playing a child in an adult’s body, although for this reviewer, it's difficult to take the actor seriously because of his striking resemblance to late night host Jimmy Fallon. But that's not the only bit of cosmic circumstance: Hounsou also appeared in the recent Captain Marvel movie as a Kree, thus participating in two near-simultaneously released movies starring different characters who both share a history with the Captain Marvel moniker.
    (The events are too convoluted to relate here, but the Shazam character was originally named Captain Marvel back in the 1930s. For a proper history of events, Google will be your friend.) 
    The diverse family make-up helps add to the charm of the movie, which enjoys a dynamic reminiscent of Stranger Things or Goonies that really works. The transformation of Billy's foster siblings later on in the movie is also straight out of the comics, and will not disappoint ardent fans. 

    And while the presence of arch-nemesis Sivana was expected, equally as mouth-watering is the mid-credits promise of the appearance of Shazam's other great villain in the inevitable sequel. 
    Sandberg understands the thrill of a teen with powers who's not running around playing hero, but rather more interested in taking selfies, visiting adult clubs, trying beer and generally abusing his powers in a harmlessly self-absorbed way. The script, credited to Henry Gayden (with rewrites provided by a team of writers), beautifully captures the tone for a teenager who eventually realises he’s as powerful as Superman. 
    Shazam! is funny, fantastic and entertainingly fabulous. The appetite whets for a battle alongside the Justice League. This is exactly the kind of movie Warner Bros. needed to convince audiences Aquaman and Wonder Woman weren’t flukes, but the blueprint for success going forward. 

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