Now Watching: Shazam!

Following the success of Aquaman, Shazam! is another solid entry in the DC Cinematic Universe or ‘Extended Universe’ or whatever the f**k you want to call it. It’s more of a movie for kids than anyone, and that’s something to keep in mind. It’s a fun, but mostly forgettable film.

It’s about a kid (Billy) who meets a wizard who gives him superpowers. Most of the film is Billy messing about with his friend (Freddy) and exploring what he can do, before coming up against a super villain who wants his power because . . . because plot, I guess.

I don’t want to sound too harsh on Shazam! because it does a good job building the relationships between its young cast and setting up some nice emotional punches as Billy searches for his biological mother. And there’s certainly some fun to be had in watching Billy test the limits of his powers.

But the film is pretty light on action and running at over two hours, probably about twenty minutes too long. It’s never a good sign when you start zoning out during the climactic battle. But, like I said, Shazam! is more of a kids superhero film than one aimed at a general audience.

‘Suddenly, a wizard appears and gives you superpowers – what do you do?’ – is a perfect little fantasy for children to enjoy. Shazam! is pretty light hearted but has enough serious moments to give the film some emotional stakes that should keep you invested until the end. The direction is solid and the performances by the kids is all decent.

It’s clearly been done on a tighter budget – at least compared to other DC films – but they make good use of what they had and deliver a fun and engaging superhero film that should appeal to and please a younger audience. It’s not exactly a movie for an old fart like me, but I still had some fun with it.

5/10