Review: Shazam! Fury of the Gods

In contrast to the grimy darkness of Zach Snyder’s interpretations of the Justice League characters, the exuberant adolescent exuberance that 2019’s Shazam! brought to DC’s superhero cinematic universe was a breath of fresh air. Yet, what gave it more staying power than many other films in similar genres was Billy Batson’s profound search for his biological family and understanding that the wrath of the Gods is a narrative that stands on its own. the family he’d yearned for was just in front of him. Sadly, some of that heart is absent in the follow-up, Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Although the Greek myth iconography the villains bring to the table gives all involved a significantly increased Pandora’s toy box to play with, the movie stumbles on some storytelling fundamentals that make the sequel feel less powerful than the first. This time, we see the Shazamily putting their newfound abilities to the test against a trio of deadly deities set on overrunning Earth.

The villainous Daughters of Atlas is a lateral shift for the antagonist in Shazam’s plot when seen as a whole. Dr. Sivanna, played by Mark Strong, didn’t have much of a personality in the original, but he served as Billy’s (Asher Angel) power-hungry foil, which kept the personal stakes front and center throughout. The Daughters’ ferocious vendetta against the Shazamily and the Promethean wizard (Djimon Hounsou), who gave them their powers, does not, however, have the same clear-cut implications. As a result, their strategy to take over Billy’s kingdom feels excessively complex for this superhero film, and its reliance on fetch missions and keep-away games quickly grows stale. All of that is before even mentioning how similar their final plot is to one we’ve already seen in another DC movie.

How we referred to Shazam!

Shazam! is a lot of fun, and it further demonstrates that DC’s film future is truly promising following the box office triumphs of Wonder Woman and Aquaman. Zachary Levi and his caustic but likable co-star Jack Dylan Grazer provide plenty of chuckles as this superpowered man-child, a role for which Zachary Levi was born. Following a stilted and unnecessary beginning, the latter third delivers some major surprises for comics enthusiasts and has enough general appeal to draw in new followers. Dr. Sivana fits in well with the themes of how adults may affect children, but ultimately, he serves as nothing more than a plot device for the tale of a young kid who must discover what it takes to be a (super)man. Jim Vejvoda, 23 March 2019

Score: 8.8

The action’s broad strokes might be recognizable, but to his credit, director David F. Sandberg is a master at adding lighthearted moments to give this tale a little more personality. What might have otherwise been a dull rehash gains personality by pausing to give the foster children the chance to speak out about how, despite the end-of-the-world threat the Daughters bring to Philadelphia, they are nonetheless very excited they get to fight a dragon as a result.

The Daughters more than makeup for their lack of compellingly conveyed motivation on screen. They are led by Hespera, and Helen Mirren does a wonderful job playing the role of not simply the main antagonist but also a steely, confident straight woman to the goofy Shazamily’s pranks. I was impressed by her performance and wished Fury of the Gods had given her more time to adequately convey the Daughters’ emotional commitment to the fight.

As the third act approaches, the action begins to seem a little monotonous.

Although Hespera feels redundant around her sister Kalypso (Lucy Liu), her set of abilities do contribute to some of Fury of the Gods’ most memorable action sequences, especially the unsettling opening scene that resembles the first movie’s boardroom scene. Yet, Kalypso feels underdeveloped because Hespera frequently speaks on behalf of the Daughters, giving Liu’s god little to work with but rage. Anthea, played by Rachel Zegler, performs better as the voice of reason. Her resoluteness and charm are appreciated when dealing with Freddy Freeman, Billy’s eternally eccentric best friend, as well as her more fiery sisters (Jack Dylan Grazer).

The Shazam family’s creative responses to thwarting the Daughters keep the action rooted in the superhero wish fulfillment that acts as the series’ backbone. Their powersets and godly heritage give Sandberg opportunities to build up the spectacle. When the same legendary creatures are introduced in the third act to essentially distract the heroes who are given less screen time while Shazam gets to dialogue with the villains, the moments where the kids come up with silly solutions to Serious Issues are satisfying. Little distinguishes Shazam’s action from that of countless other superhero films except for the youngsters’ unbridled zeal for battling crime, and the further the action deviates from that idea, the more forgettable it becomes.

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Shazam! Fury of the Gods Trailer Screens

Freddy, on the other hand, is still a rambunctious ball of anxiety, nerdiness, and wit. His increased screen time in this installment is a clear result of a classic sequel gambit: giving up time that could have been better spent on the protagonist’s story to highlight a character who surprised fans last time. The majority of Fury of the Gods’ funniest moments come from Grazer, who also keeps the comedy going in situations where he must accurately portray the fear a child may feel in the presence of divine judgment. After a first act in which the Daughters primarily operate in the background, Grazer’s shocked response to a particularly callous act of violence inflicted on a friend grounds the Daughters’ malice in something recognizable.

In isolation, there isn’t much to criticize about Grazer’s portrayal, but Freddy’s enthusiasm is a double-edged sword because of what Fury of the Goes lacks because it concentrates on him. There are plenty of action sequences and funny moments, but with a whopping six Shaziblings (you can have that, WB), three Daughters of Atlas, two foster parents, a wizard, a dragon, and a sentient pen all involved, it sometimes feels like there isn’t much time left for Billy’s main (and very ironic) struggle in this film: he fears he’ll be abandoned once more once he turns 18 years old.

Fury of the Gods is a narrative that stands on its own.

Zachary Levi and Angel already share a substantial portion of screen time as Billy, so the writing leaves Angel feeling lost. Although Billy is most often in Shazam form while he is having fun and acting playful, Angel is left with the difficult task of portraying Billy’s sorrow most of the time. Billy’s story’s resolution is completely disappointing, both because of Angel’s minimal role in telling it and because of how fast everything is wrapped up. A quick, reassuring talk to clear up a misunderstanding can be cathartic in real life. Nonetheless, it can be annoying when a character’s entire emotional journey in a film is concluded in the same manner.

The word “consistent” comes to mind most when referring to Levi’s interpretation of Shazam. Billy Batson’s boyishness is still evident in Levi’s portrayal of the character, but his sporadic bouts of sad self-doubt don’t make up for the hilarious scenes in which Billy first discovered how to be an adult and a superhero. The other members of the Shazam family—those with and without supernatural abilities—fall into conventional supporting roles and offer little aside from generic wit. The lone exception is Meagan Good’s adult version of the youngest sibling, Darla, who benefits from the significant age difference between her superhero and kid selves.

It feels unjust not to recognize and appreciate that the Shazam sequel’s flaws are at least not exacerbated by the laborious world-building required of superhero series entries these days, even though it can’t maintain the emotional sincerity of its predecessor. The movie tells its own story on its terms, even in the face of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s upcoming DCU reboot. The mistakes it makes along the way at least feel part and parcel with the efforts of a team trying to build its path – both in front of and behind the camera. Although they are not the reason this movie was made in the first place, references to the greater DC universe are still present.

It feels unjust not to recognize and appreciate that the Shazam sequel’s flaws are at least not exacerbated by the laborious world-building required of superhero series entries these days, even though it can’t maintain the emotional sincerity of its predecessor. The movie tells its own story on its terms, even in the face of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s upcoming DCU reboot. The mistakes it makes along the way at least feel part and parcel with the efforts of a team trying to build its path – both in front of and behind the camera. Although they are not the reason this movie was made in the first place, references to the greater DC universe are still present.

Conclusion

Shazam! Billy Batson and his band of teenage heroes return in Fury of the Gods, a lighthearted and frequently humorous sequel. While Helen Mirren’s portrayal is noteworthy and each of the antagonistic Atlassian Daughters brings something distinctive to the screen (to the plot’s mixed effect), it’s regrettable that the original movie’s particular heart is sacrificed for that broadened perspective. Fury of the Gods suffers from a lack of emphasis on its main character throughout, but the assembled cast is able to share some of that load, which is a credit to the solid foundation this film is built on.

Release date: March 17, 2023