Skip to main content

Review: Shazam (2019)

Shazam (2019)

I think we can all confidently say that it's nice to no longer have Zack Snyder spearheading the cinematic DCU. No offence to Snyder - he has a specific style that works for those dark and stylistic stories - but he is not the right man for the usually whimsical and optimistic tone that permeates much of the DC universe. Aquaman and the studio's newest entry, Shazam, have now both succeeded in effectively evoking that fantastically high-concept and family-oriented side of the DCU that has been missing for quite a long time.
Overall, Shazam is a fun and entertaining superhero film. In this it is quite reminiscent of Donner's original 1978 Superman playing out with a lighthearted self-awareness. There were a number of children in the theatre when I saw the film who were audibly enjoying the film with laughter and cheering - a nice change from the morose and grimness of BvS (which those kids likely weren't even allowed to watch). The cast here are all great, especially Zachary Levi who seems to have been born for this role, convincingly playing the 14 year old superhero Billy Batson/Shazam.
The film does struggle a bit in its first half, going through some of the mandatory background material in order to set up DC's world of wizards. Some of the dialogue and scenes here are a bit awkward and unevenly paced. It is when Billy becomes Shazam though and begins experimenting with his newfound powers that the film finds its footing, and it does not let up from there. The final act of the film in particular is absolutely stellar and has some grand surprises that will wow both the comic book lovers and newcomers alike.
8/10


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Review: The New Mutants (2020)

The New Mutants (2020) TLDR: A sad, dismal final chapter in Fox's once-acclaimed X-Men saga. The New Mutants shows promise in fragments, but its poor script and plot and often awkward execution makes for a sickly overall package that is quite fitting for this equally-sickly year that it has finally been released in... The New Mutants were an alt-X-Men team created in the early 80's in an effort to revamp and re-contemporize a new team of teenage X-Men. The new series became a smash-hit with new star mutants like Magik, Cannonball, Sunspot, Wolfsbane and Mirage, all of whom continue to headline Marvel comics to this day. Josh Boone's The New Mutants, which was announced more than five years ago and shot in 2017, has finally seen the light of day in 2020... The film seeks to adapt the team's beloved 'Demon Bear' storyline, while introducing audiences to this fresh team of mutant superheroes. In doing so, Boone tries to create an omelet-homage from the likes of Ste...

Review: The Before Trilogy (1995, 2004, 2013)

The Before Trilogy TLDR: As a whole, and in each of its separate parts, Richard Linklater's 'Before Trilogy' is the cinematic experience in its absolute finest form. The story of Celine and Jesse speaks to the core of the human experience - surprising joys, inevitable obstacles and eventual pains, and, most importantly, the mystery and intrigue of love - and it does it in an affecting way that, almost unlike any other film, is simultaneously theatrical and also remarkably raw and realistic.  "It's just, people have these romantic projections they put on everything. That's not based on any kind of reality." - Jesse, Before Sunrise Even more than the multitudes of other incredible introspective bits of wisdom and philosophy that Celine and Jesse converse in across the three movies, this quote perhaps sums up the trilogy best of all. What are romance movies other than certain individuals' projections of what romance - often, idealized romance - is. Most o...

Review: Whiplash (2012)

Whiplash (2012) TLDR: On multiple levels Whiplash is a brilliant film. A dual character study. An ode to jazz music supremacy. And a cautionary (or inspiring?) tale of what it takes to become the world's greatest. In an instant, Whiplash cements Damien Chazelle as one of today's youngest and most talented filmmakers brimming with artistry, intensity and craftsmanship. This is not one to miss. It was surprising that the first time I saw Whiplash, I left the theatre with a slightly nauseous feeling in my gut. Not because of the film itself - its visuals or audio per se - there is nothing to criticize about its radiance. It was in its simple yet utterly-effective and haunting discussion of what it takes to become the greatest in one's field that left me feeling torn and conflicted. While most of the film seems to be a cautionary or reprimanding tale of jazz instructor Fletcher's (JK Simmons) brutal methods of 'mentorship', its ending posits perhaps an equally stron...