j* Movie Reviews 2019

Shazam! (2019)

Finally DC found the fun-button. !

This movie is fun. Like a lot of fun. It's more like a Ghostbusters or a Goonies in spirit than a holier-than-thou superhero flick. It is cheerfully irreverent and it pokes a heap of fun at genre conventions. Playing them out and paying-them-out at the same time. It does this in a cutesy-teen spirit - super PG**. Everything is up for grabs.

It reworks the concept of tragic pasts and finding your kinfolk, with both child abandonment and foster-homes nicely plot-central. There was a particularly fun tie in to this with a close-up on the foster-van bumper sticker "I'm a foster-Mum, what's your superpower?"

And I think that's where I really related to this film, it's made a real point to be embedded in reality. Whilst most superhero flicks go straight to deep fantasy-land with too many powers and a crazy cast everyone is meant to know, this stays neatly grounded. Except for the flying bits. But there are a range of real-life set-ups neatly tweaked by the newfound super-powers. Getting beer. Wagging school. Dealing with dogs.

(Adult) Shazam, is played so well as a total goofball - I loved the spirit here. He's also a more body-conscious superhero, being freshly endowed with his massive, muscular form. And this feels refreshing... it's nice to see a superhero being impressed with their own existence rather than just jaded, surly big guys. He's also kind of, well, coquettish? Is that the right word? He really plays up to his physicality in a more sensual way than most male characters. Kinda hot. In an adorable way.

I laughed a lot. I had a good time. There were bits where the standardised super-hero scenes dragged on a bit, but mostly it flowed freely. And look, it pains me to say it, but I even loved the Batman and Superman references in this. And that's not something you should ever expect to hear me say again. But they were cool. There's a range of additional DC character jokes. The end-credit was pretty funny.

Nice work DC for finally making something that's just purely sweet-fun-fluff and near fully entertaining!

J* gives it 4 stars. !