Reviewed by Victor Rebikoff.
Director: David F Sandberg, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros., M 132 Minutes.
The latest superhero to emerge from the DC comics’ entertainment stable is from relatively-new director David Sanberg (‘Lights Out’) who has created a comical character completely different from his more serious-minded counterparts to coincide with the school holidays.
This stand-alone movie begins back in 1974 when young Thaddeus Sivana is magically transported to a mysterious cavern and meets ancient wizard Shazam (Djimon Hounsou –‘Seventh Son’) before being tested as to his worthiness in becoming his champion but fails badly.
The story subsequently moves to the present day where it is left to an abandoned 14-year-old orphan, Billy Batson (Asher Angel –‘Driven to Dance’) in search of his long-lost mum to take on the wizard’s champion role.
By saying “Shazam” Billy is instantly transformed into the 30-something superhero Shazam (Zachary Levi –‘Thor Ragnarok’).
Billy also has to deal with his newly acquired foster family after confiding in new-found friend Freddie (Jack Dylan Grazer –‘It’) about his new-found powers.
With Freddie’s help Billy trials many of his super powers in some amusing scenes just as an adult Dr Sivana (Mark Strong –‘Kingsman’) appears in a sinister manner displaying his devilish powers, having earlier acquired the wizard’s demonic ‘Seven Deadly Sins’.
Once Sivana finds out that Billy has become Shazam he wastes little time confronting him in order to wrest the powers associated with the champion role bestowed on Billy by the wise wizard.
The power struggle between the famous but good-hearted superhero and the demon-possessed villain then turns into a battle of wits as Sivana strives to gain control of Shazam’ s champion-powers only to be countered by the superhero’s master stroke.
Unlike his superhero counterparts, Shazam is an amusing, larger than life character fulfilling the fantasies of not only the abandoned Billy Batson but of most young boys everywhere with Levi portraying the role with a great deal of gusto.
To Sanberg’s credit he has crafted a light-hearted self-satirising superhero movie filled with many funny action sequences that feature essentially Levi’s most enjoyable performances without overlooking those of Angel and Strong’s impressive characterisation as the evil Sivana.
Vic’s Verdict: 3 ½ Stars
