Underrated Gems: Shazam!

 

        It’s becoming apparent that Warner Bros. is trying anything to make their DC films successful. When you compare the Marvel Cinematic Universe with this shared universe, there’s a level of consistency that is audience pleasing. Here, it’s anything they can sling in a wall to see if it sticks. With Shazam!, an unexpectedly great comic book film that is probably one of the best DC films of all time. Albeit, underrated due to how loaded 2019 was for comic book films. SPOILERS will appear in the film. 

1. Story

        At its core, it’s a superhero origin film, a pretty endearing one. We see Thaddeus Sivana riding with his Dad and brother. He plays with a magic 8-ball and is transported into the wizard Shazam’s throne. He offers him a chance to wield his power, but the 7 Deadly Sins tempt him and the wizard sees him as unworthy. Years later, played by Mark Strong, he figures out a way to enter Shazam’s realm, he steals the wizard’s staff and takes an object called the Eye of Sin and controls the Sins.

        Meanwhile, Billy Batson played by Asher Angel, is a runaway foster kid attempting to find his mother. The flashbacks involve him and his mother in a carnival. He loses his mom when a mugger steals his carnival prize. He is caught up by the police and is told by the adoption counselor that there is a family waiting for him. Billy is adopted by the Vasquez’, and joins an assortment of adopted siblings. 

        He bonds with Freddy played by Jack Dylan Grazer and defends him from the standard school bullies. Bullies chase him through the subway and Batson gets in the train. He is then teleported to Shazam’s throne. Being hesitant, the wizard chooses him to be the next heir to his power. Most of the film involves Billy figuring out his powers while coming to blows to Sivana as he wants the power of Shazam.

        Out of all the DC films including Wonder Woman, this is hands down one of the best superhero films that I have seen. It’s completely different from what preceded it which isn’t saying much since the whole slate of films are inconsistent. It brings levity that isn’t forced and has an unorthodox way to show a new hero. 

2. Billy Batson

        This hero is the main highlight in the film. For those who don’t know Shazam, he yells that phrase and becomes a grownup version of himself with superpowers. Played by Zachery Levi, he has the same child-like innocence that young Billy has as a teenager. Besides Diana Prince, Billy is a shining example of depth. He acts selfishly but its justified since he wants to find his mother. 

        When he lives with his new family, he wants no part of it since we can assume that he lived with a bad family. I really liked that as the film goes on, he feels comfortable with the siblings like Darla, Freddy, and Mary. When he’s Shazam, it’s like Asher Angel grown up but it’s in Zachary Levi’s body. He and Freddy goof off and record Billy’s powers to put on YouTube. Eventually, Billy starts to show off his powers and Freddy scolds him for being selfish. 

        There’s a favorite moment that involves Billy and his mother. I will talk about that scene since I think it’s the best scene in the DC Films Universe. Other than that, his antics matches the tone of the film which is part kids film, part superhero film. It’s a unique approach since I think it’s a kid version of Deadpool as he grapples with being a hero. 

3. Embrace the Weird

        Other than Billy, the best moment is just the weirdness that the film has when referencing the old comics Shazam is based on. While the 7 Deadly Sins are a reworking of the 7 Enemies of Man when the hero made his first appearance, they more so show that they were in Shazam’s throne. This is a movie that is probably made for the diehard fan, however small they are. I think the one moment I was not expecting is one of Shazam’s enemies making a cameo. A tiny caterpillar called Mister Mind making his appearance with a voice box is just icing in the weird factor. 

4. The Best Moment in The Shared Universe

        With all that, the best moment in the film and in the cinematic universe of DC Films is when Billy finally meeting his mom. When Batson returns to the Vasquez house, the kids comfort him after he was lectured by the parents. His adopted brothers Pedro and Eugene managed to find his actual mother and Billy goes to find her. 

        He meets his mother and tries to hug her. It’s gut wrenching when she tells him no. We finally understand that Billy got lost intentionally since his mother wasn’t good enough for him. Billy sucks it up and doesn’t show emotion. In terms of a hero’s journey, the method of the character arc that a hero goes through, Billy nails it. He was finding what he wanted but realized his real family was the one that loved him. 

        He leaves and gets a call from Freddy that Sivana has them hostage. Billy is on the roof and shouts the phrase to rescue his brothers and sisters. I must stress, this is the best moment in this series. Yes, the No Man’s Land in Wonder Woman is good, but here the emotional investment works since Billy finally becomes a hero, since he was hesitant on being one. 

5. A Christmas Movie

        I might as well make this segment brief but, I can say, yes, it is a Christmas film. I mean there’s snow and a moment where Billy fights Sivana in a mall and there’s the mall Santa Claus who runs away from the fight. I think it’s intentional since, as I mentioned in my Christmas films review, most of the films themes is about family. It’s apparent that in the film, it’s exactly the case. Billy rejects his new family to find his mom. Sivana hates his Dad and brother and has them killed by the Sins. Making Thaddeus become if Billy shuns his new family completely. 

6. The Odd Backstory of “Captain Marvel” and “Shazam!”

        So, in 2019 Captain Marvel and Shazam! came out two months apart, little did people know that these heroes share a very weird history together. Back in the 1940s, Shazam was called Captain Marvel by the publisher Fawcett Comics. Many consider him a Superman ripoff, since he has a cape and can fly. In the 1950s, National Publications who published Superman sued Fawcett Comics for ripping off Superman, even though there were inferior heroes that copied the Man of Steel. 

        Eventually, Fawcett stopped publishing Captain Marvel stories due to a court ruling favoring National Publications. Fast forward to the 1960s, Marvel Comics was becoming a hot commodity in superhero stories. They decided to publish their version of Captain Marvel and trademarking that name since it was no longer in use. DC Comics bought the characters of Fawcett Comics including the original Captain Marvel. Since they couldn’t use that name, they refer to the character as Shazam in his books.

7. How is it Underrated?

        Given with the overall direction of the DC films, being scattershot where if you were to have a marathon, the tone of the films are just scattered beyond belief. It only made 300 million in the box office, which isn’t entirely bad. Considering it got sandwiched by two Marvel films that grossed 3 billion dollars in total, is such a crime that Warner Bros. didn’t marketed well enough. 

        I think the comedic nature of it when the film universe started as a half-baked philosophical superhero film trying to be deep. What is astonishing is that there is no leader to guide the direction of the DC Films universe. Now, I can understand that Shazam is a hard sell since he’s an obscure character that had a few tv appearances back in the 70s, but it’s damning that Marvel Studios can market a team that has a raccoon and a tree and make it into its own franchise.

8. Overall 

        Hands down, this is a great film regardless if it’s a comic book film. It has some endearing aspects that a family can actually enjoy it and a general audience can admire about it. I was not expecting it to be good but, it’s something to have the bar completely on the ground since this film series is an utter dumpster fire. 

Shazam! gets a four out of five.