Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023) Review
SnarkAI Score: 72/100
“Worse than the original. better than it should be. SHA out of SHAZAM”
TL;DR: tldr: Better than Black Adam — which is a low bar given the Rock's ego — and genuinely fun in a way DC films almost never manage. The Marvel Family actually seem to enjoy each other, Freddie steals every scene, and the dragon and realm of the gods are straight from Skyrim, yet another medium Todd's had us pay for Skyrim in. Worse than the first Shazam!, full of clichés, more than a bit incoherent, and the Wonder Woman cameo feels bolted on by someone who knew the DCEU was ending. A refreshing change from Snyder's grimdark, even if it's not much beyond that.
As the final sendoff of the DCEU, Shazam! is better than Black Adam, which is surprising considering the latter's hype, but given the Rock's ego maybe it isnt. Although Shazam! has its flaws, it manages to pull off an impressive feat: it's a fun and optimistic DC movie.
One of its strengths is the tone of the Marvel Family and that fact they seem to enjoy each other, which makes the movie feel like the lighthearted comic book it is come to life. And while it is full of clichés and is more than a bit incoherent, it still manages to be enjoyable.
The movie also pays (accidental) homage to some popular video games and comics. For instance, the dragon and realm of the gods are straight out of Skyrim, which will delight fans of the game that there is yet another medium Todd had us pay for Skyrim in. Additionally, we get a version of the mirror realm from Dr Strange. However, the WW scene feels tacked on and doesn't add much to the plot, it likely wouldn't have happened if the DCEU was continuing.
Despite its flaws, the character of Freddie steals the show with his humour and unlikably likeable personality. Although the Anne subplot is a bit tired and predictable, it doesn't detract much from the overall enjoyment of the movie.
Overall, Shazam! is a movie that is better than it has any right to be, and it's a refreshing change from the darker and more needlessly grim DC movies that we've seen in recent years.