We all have a superhero inside us, it just takes a bit of magic to bring it out. In Billy Batson’s case, by shouting out one word – SHAZAM! – this streetwise 14-year-old foster kid can turn into the adult superhero Shazam. Henry Gayden recreates the story of this super hero and David F. Sandberg directs Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, and Jack Dylan Grazer in this DC Universe tale.
Chuck says: Without question, the superhero genre has gone stale, primarily because the makers of these epics and their devoted fans have come to take them much too seriously. The genius of “Shazam!” is that its makers main concern is that the audience and all involved are having fun and they certainly deliver. This is told from a boy’s perspective and speaks to a universal fantasy- namely, that any one of us has a hero inside of us waiting to get out. This is myth-making at its most basic, but done with style and a sense of good-natured whimsy from beginning to end.
Pam says: Do we really need another super hero movie? The answer, in this case, is a resounding YES! “Shazam!” takes us all back in time to our youth reminding us of how bullies wreak havoc and the social awkwardness of being a kid. Additionally, it creates a loving tone accentuating the importance of family and what that really means. Angel and Grazer are magical together on screen typifying two polar opposites, but both with bold personalities that immediately connect you. And with Levi’s ingenious efforts, he makes us believe there’s actually a kid beneath that chiseled adult exterior.
Check out the video of the stars of this film at a recent Chicago screening on our Youtube channel. https://youtu.be/N_6bc8V3vZM
