SHAZAM!! Say my name so my powers may flow through you! The DCEU introduces one of their lesser known heroes. A boy who says the magic word and "POOF" he's super! A bit of a silly premise, but the trailers looked fun. Did it work? Can Shazam! rise above the troubled past of the DC comics Extended Universe? Just say the word and listen as Philip and Andrew return with a look at DC's Shazam!
Two movies about Captain Marvel came out in 2019, but only one took on that name. The DCEU had to go with Shazam! At the time of Shazam’s origin in the comics, he was known as Captain Marvel. The abridged version of history is that Captain Marvel was taken out of the roster, and eventually bought by DC comics and shelved as a character due to similarities to Superman. Meanwhile, Marvel comics came out with a character named Captain Marvel and claimed the rights to the name. DC decided to eventually bring the character back onto the pages of their comics, and instead called him Shazam, after the so called password the character has to shout to turn into the super hero.
After the debacle that followed Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, and The Justice League (bad reviews and lots of behind the scenes scrambling along with a real life tragedy) Warner Brothers and DC comics wanted to shift focus. They had a huge hit with Aquaman, but they also had a huge hit with Wonder Woman in between poorly received films. So now Shazam! enters into the equation. A story about a teenage boy named Billy Batson, who is imbued with the abilities of a powerful wizard named Shazam, merely by saying his name. With Aquaman, they could rely on the mysterious subaqueous world with which he comes from, creating quite the spectacle, and relying on the rugged charm of Jason Momoa. With Shazam!, they relied on the comedic aspect of a teenager being thrust into an older body, and having to deal with super powers on top of that.
For Shazam!, this worked. Zachary Levi is totally believable as someone who is supposed to be a teenager. He gives the film the right amount of humor without getting too silly, and can be serious when it’s called for. This film is often compared to Big starring Tom Hanks, and the comparison is not far off.
Aquaman made specific mentions to the Justice League cementing it’s connection to the DCEU, and Shazam! Is no different. News articles featuring Superman and Batman can be seen. One of Billy Batson’s foster brothers has a bat-erang in the same design that is featured in Justice League and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The most clear connection is with the cameo, if you can call it that, featuring the chest of Superman in the same suit Henry Cavill has worn since he donned the cape. Warner Brothers is clearly connecting the films. This normally wouldn’t be a problem, however, Ben Affleck is out as Batman, and Henry Cavill has neither confirmed nor denied if he is still playing Superman. With 2 key members of the Justice League moving forward with sequels, it's hard to imagine the connected nature of the stories when their two biggest players are MIA. With a new Batman film in the works with Robert Pattinson and a solo Joker film starring Juaquin Phoenix having no ties to the DCEU, it’s hard to get behind the already established shared universe when it's appears to be falling apart. And for the record, with all its failings, the Brothers Brotastic were very much fans of the “DC Snyder-verse” as some have called it. We, like so many others, call for the release of the Snyder Cut of Justice League.
Behind the scenes trouble aside, both of the Brothers Brotastic can get behind Shazam! On a scale of zero to two tickets, we both give this film two tickets way ripped! It is fun and a great introduction to a character not well known from the DC gallery of heroes. We both would love to revisit this film and will most definitely be adding it to our home video collection.
