Last night my wife and I saw Shazam!

I’m pitching a longer article/review for another site. But for now, I have some brief(?) reactions.

Some may sound negative. I like this movie. But, especially compared with the previous DC films, it will take a little more work than I expected to reset my expectations (again). Such constant resetting will become more necessary for me, because DC’s movies are becoming even more director-driven. They’re sharing the same “universe” in name only.

• The film is genuinely funny in many ways. But it’s more character-driven humor than “banter,” or “trope subversion,” and such.
• I loved the cast, especially Zachary Levi as the titular World’s Mightiest Mortal.
• Yes, the story is set in the DC film universe as established in Man of Steel, Batman v Superman, Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, Justice League, and Aquaman.
• But several of the other films, even Aquaman, have scope and grandeur that clash with Shazam!
• Earlier DC films established that civilian bystanders don’t always “hit their marks” in reacting happily to superheroes.¹ In fact, superheroes have previously polarized the world’s religions, governments, and military powers. All that’s gone here. Superheroes in town are just a bit shinier than the costumed folks in Times Square. And civilians all “hit their marks.” Civilians are either rescued by heroes or stand around applauding heroes. Honestly, it’s a little awkward and cliched.
• It’s also a bit regressive. We’ve already seen, from both Marvel and DC films, some slightly more realistic story turns about how the world would actually react to real-world superheroes.
• One hero’s strange “cameo” yields more questions that cancel out the potential for a happy-fan-moment.
• Sometimes the film’s ambition stretches at the budget. Parts of the movie look almost homemade.
• Billy’s foster brother, Freddie, exhibits an understandably juvenile “fandom” of real-world superheroes. He objects when Billy Batson, in hero form, doesn’t act as a hero should. But the question of what a hero should do, or what Shazam’s ultimate mission should be, is not explored.
• For DC fans, this Shazam does not actually inherit the “wisdom of Solomon.” The film references that superpower, then kinda forgets it.
• Parts of the film actively seemed to mock the other DC heroes. A child drops a Batman and Superman action figure to watch two other characters fight. End-credits silly animations show Shazam!‘s characters easily surpassing and mocking Batman, Wonder Woman, and The Flash. It all seemed very Teen Titans GO! I am not fond of this impulse. DC should show confidence in all its heroes.
• I loved Billy Batson’s foster family. We can rejoice to see such a positive portrayal of a loving, flawed yet normal group.
• Some moments were downright horrifying, especially with the Seven Deadly Sins. Parents, take caution.
• The film does not develop a potentially strong theme about a teen who must grow up quickly into a mature hero.
• I’d love to see more from these characters. But sequels would need to arrive in a hurry, lest the child and teen cast members age out of their roles.
• One can hope that a sequel helps Shazam grow up, not just as a character, but as a franchise.