Movie Review: Shazam! Fury of the Gods

 Movie number 15 of 2023

The Movie: Shazam! Fury of the Gods

The Cinema: Hoyts Victoria Gardens

Stars: 3.5

I needed some time away from my flat and this looked like a nice, light option. It ticked the boxes for something light and easy - a superhero movie. And there were few options other than horror on at the local cinema, so Shazam! It was. And I remember enjoying the first one. 

So,  what is Shazam! About? I remember the cartoon from when I was a kid. He's a teenager imbued with superpowers, but also has the ability to turn back into a kid. The first movie dealt with all this, where we see Billy Batson, a kid in the foster system take on board his family and his new situation. At the end of the last film, Billy shared  the superpowers with the rest of his foster family. 

In Shazam! Fury of the Gods, we learn a bit more about what's going on. The group are both loved and loathed by the city of Philadephia for their actions. There's a bit of a power play going in with Billy (Zachary Levi) and his step-brother Tommy (Adam Brody). Then all bets are off when three Gods - Lucy Liu, Helen Mirren and Rachel Zeigler, turn up to wreak havoc on the city, and it's up to this group of unlikely superheroes to save the world. 

Sound familiar? Of course it is. Hasn't this all been done before? It has.

Then why go see it? 

Well, it's fun, it's light and the effects are great. 

This lacks to polish of a Marvel superheroes movie, but it's got some good things going for it. Firstly, it's got a lovely heart. This film is as much about family as anything else. When you dig down, you're seeing a group of teenagers trying to work out where they fit in the world. 

Secondly, the effects are good. The unicorns, in particular, are great. And yes, there are unicorns. 

And that's about it. I remember the first Shazam! film being a bit slicker, but this benefits from having the whole family involved. Helen Mirrin and Lucy Liu make great baddies. Djimon Hounsou as the Wizard is always fun to watch too. 

Okay, it's not the greatest film, but it's fun, it's frothy and it can keep your attention for it's two hours, ten minutes if you choose to sit back and enjoy yourself and not over think it. This would be great to take your kids along to, just for the fun of it. 

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