REVIEW: Shazam! Fury Of The Gods

‘Shazam! Fury Of The Gods’ is DC’s upcoming superhero blockbuster release. I had an absolute blast with the first film, so my hopes for this sequel were rather high. Now, the wait is over and in just a few days the film will be released for fans to experience for the very first time. 

I was lucky enough to see the film last week and like I said, I had rather high expectations having thoroughly enjoyed the first one. Well, I can genuinely say that ‘Shazam! Fury Of The Gods’ totally lives up to its predecessor, continues that wholesome theme of family and belonging, whilst revealing the fate of Shazam in the future of the DC Studios.

‘Shazam! Fury Of The Gods’ is directed by David F. Sandberg, written by Henry Gayden & Chris Morgan and stars Zachary Levi as Shazam, Jack Dylan Grazer as Freddie Freeman, Helen Mirren as Hespera, Lucy Liu as Kalypso and Rachel Zelger as Anthea.

Whilst the story itself doesn’t do anything new by all means, it provides a very entertaining, humorous and action packed experience for viewers. With hints of mythology and horror peppered throughout, it delivers us a charming action/adventure flick that is suitable for all ages. There is also a perfect blend of heart and humour too, both are peppered throughout in just the right places. David F. Sandberg expertly continues the themes of family and belonging with some really moving moments. With that said there is one emotional moment that I wish was explored and acknowledged in more depth.

The cast are stellar and each and every one of them take on their roles with everything they have. In some cases the cast completely embody the personality of the character, that can specifically be said about Zachary Levi. Sometimes when you think of adults with personalities of children you may think it’d be annoying, but nope, the adult cast perfectly carry on the personalities of their younger selves without it being obnoxious or tiresome. Though several years have passed since the first film, and the children within the Shazam family have aged, the entire cast jump right back into it perfectly. It almost feels like we are getting to watch them grow, which I think adds to the charm of the film.

The standouts for me were Jack Dylan Grazer and Dame Helen Mirren, Grazer really brought the emotion to his lighthearted character, whilst Mirren portrayed a complex yet quite lovable villain. Whilst the characters of Hespera and Kalypso have never really existed in the realm of Shazam comic book history, they certainly were a perfect and compelling addition to it.

The action and visual effects were epic on so many scales. From the designs of mythical beasts, to the Shazam Family saving the city side by side, there is plenty of great superhero fun and action packed moments to enjoy. My only complaint here is that I would have loved to have seen more team up action between the family members. There is just something about superhero team ups that I adore, and when they do happen in this film they are brilliant. Some moments felt like homages, not only are there several DC Easter eggs within the film and references to other superheroes, but some moments are very reminiscent of other DC films, which I thought was a great touch.

The costume designs are excellent too. The entire Shazam family get an upgrade and each and every one of their suits are filled with little details which look fantastic. The costumes of Hespera, Kalypso and Anthea are works of art, each skillfully designed and brought to life by Louise Mingenbach. The score high is by Christophe Beck is spectacular too, it’s exactly what you’d expect from a superhero blockbuster such as this and it’s used to really add to the effect that the scenes are having. The sore is mixed with one or two familiar tracks we’ve come to adore in the DC Universe and an upbeat soundtrack really adds to the fun of it. It was great to hear it against some of the action sequences and emotional moments throughout ‘Shazam! Fury Of The Gods’.

‘Shazam! Fury Of The Gods’ is BIGGER, BETTER and BOLDER than its predecessor. It showcases a perfect mix of heart, action, mythology and horror, and it truly has something for everyone. David F. Sandberg has expertly continued the wholesome themes of family and belonging in this fun and exciting film.

Oh, and make sure you stick around for the TWO post credit scenes, they are very telling of the future of Shazam.

‘Shazam! Fury Of The Gods‘ is out in cinemas on 17th March.