Ever since DC started their own Extended Universe with 2013’s Man of Steel, it felt like they’ve been playing catch up to the greatness that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe. By that time, the MCU already included four stand-alone superhero flicks, a sequel to one of them, and what was then the biggest superhero ensemble assembled (pun intended) on the big screen.
The first few DCEU films fell short of expectations and, for a time, it felt like Marvel was going to hold its dominance indefinitely. But with the release of Shazam!, we can confidently say that DC is back in the game.
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Shazam! is the first movie in the DCEU that doesn't feel like DC is struggling to fill in the gaps of their own universe. Wonder Woman and Aquaman both achieved this in slightly lesser degrees but it’s this movie that shows DC’s priority now lies in creating great, stand-alone stories first.
In fact, Shazam! is pretty awkward when it suddenly reminds you that it is part of a bigger universe. That it's a comedy somewhat puts it at odds with the usually dark and somber tone of former DCEU movies but it’s also this turnaround that makes the movie feel new and the only way to tell Billy Batson's story. This doesn't mean that Shazam! is full of fluff, though. It achieves a balance in telling the story the way it wants to without sacrificing the elements fans of the genre are looking for.
Like Aquaman before it, it felt like Shazam! took a lot of cues from movies coming from Marvel's filmography. It feels fresh, yes, but it's not groundbreaking cinema. At times, it felt like Spiderman: Homecoming and its similar theme of a young kid being thrust into a great responsibility. Other times it felt like a PG version of Deadpool. But behind all these is a story that has a ton of heart and makes you care equally about the lead, his sidekick (and extended posse), and the villain. This is what makes it work and stand on its own in an already crowded space.
The cast of Shazam! did an excellent job overall. Who knew that Flynn Rider from Tangled (or Chuck from Chuck, depending on your age) was capable of this kind of performance? Probably the only qualm here would be the disconnect between non-super Batson’s (Asher Angel) always sullen and detached attitude and Zacahary Levi’s over the top kid-trapped-in-an-adult-superhero’s-body performance. Levi’s chemistry with Jack Grazer / Freddy Freeman on the other hand was completely enjoyable to watch.
Shazam! is a fun ride from start to finish, which is very refreshing given how superhero movies nowadays feel like they have to have a burden to carry. It’s a film that finds joy in what it is—a comic book brought to life—and wants you to feel the same. Shazam! won’t put DC ahead of Marvel in their race for superhero movie supremacy. But its invigorating take on the genre, and with Captain Marvel feeling like an intermission to The Avengers: Endgame, certainly tips the scale to their favor.