Shazam! Fury of the Gods Movie Review: Henry Gayden, one of the writers behind Shazam!, and Chris Morgan, known for his work on the Fast & Furious franchise, have infused their respective flavours into the film. Gayden’s contribution brings the humour and relatability of a superhero’s daily life, while Morgan emphasizes the importance of family in a hero’s journey. While the film excels in delivering fun and hilarious moments, it falls short when it tries to do the typical “superhero stuff,” such as saving the world from a threat.
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Shazam! Fury of the Gods Movie Review
Zachary Levi continues to embody the role of a childlike superhero dealing with imposter syndrome, making him the perfect “Deadpool for kids.” However, other members of the superhero family, such as Adam Brody and Ross Butler, don’t get enough screen time to make a significant impact. Rachel Zegler, who plays Anne, is bogged down by a dragging storyline despite having considerable screen time. Anne’s elder sisters and daughters of Atlas, Lucy Liu and Helen Mirren, could have benefited from more attention.
Djimon Hounsou delivers a hilarious performance as the wizard, providing much-needed comic relief when the narrative loses steam. However, the film suffers from the same weaknesses as its predecessor, with a story that jumps between humour and seriousness, causing pacing issues.
Christophe Beck’s soundtrack is nothing remarkable, unlike his previous work on Ant-Man, which felt like a standout. The decision to use Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding Out For A Hero” as Shazam saves a civilian is one of the few memorable moments of the soundtrack.
Overall, Shazam! Fury of the Gods makes DC look more like Marvel, while Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania makes Marvel look more like DC. As we wait for the next moves from these superhero franchises, the baseless mid/post-credit scenes leave us wondering what’s next.