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Shazam! (2019)


Some movies try to capture lightning in a bottle.

Some movies bring the lightning...

After being assigned to a group foster home, Billy Batson finds himself transported to a magical place a dying wizard grants him his powers- turning him into the super hero, Shazam!

 But while Billy learns about his powers- and what it means to be a family, someone else is seeking the power that Billy possesses...

I have been a fan of Captain Marvel (Shazam!) since I was a kid- back when he was called Captain Marvel.

I know.  I'm old- deal with it.

I won't go into his history, or why I'm a fan- since pretty much every other review tends to cover this territory.  No, I'm just going to tell you what I thought of the movie.

I was worried that it would follow the same tonality of the first couple of DCEU movies.  Then the first trailer dropped, and I relieved to see that it was going to be a bit more lighthearted and whimsical- which fit in well with the tone of the classic stories

I was looking forward to seeing this movie.

Then I saw it.

I didn't know what I was feeling.

I didn't know what I was thinking.

I had to take time to process everything.

After taking more than 24 hours to absorb, process, and assimilate everything I saw, heard, felt, and thought, I can no put down my opinion on "Shazam!"...

I loved it.

Holy moley, it was fun.  Just plain, simple fun.  I found myself smiling throughout the while film.  I don't often come across a movie that catches me and holds me enough make time stop.

"Shazam!" did that.  At one point, I came back to myself to find that I'd been holding a handful of popcorn with my mouth open for some time.  I have absolutely no idea how long.  The other people in the theater vanished from my perception.  It was just me, and the movie.

Objectively, the story isn't the greatest.  It's fairly simple, but sufficient for it's purpose- which is to entertain us.  This it did.  Subjectively, it took me back to those moments under the blankets with the flashlight late at night while I read the adventures of Captain Marvel (Shazam!), and the Marvel Family.  I felt like I was rediscovering an old friend.  There was the sense of fun, humour, adventure, and optimism that was at the core of the character's stories.

The characters are based on their New 52 versions, which are a bit more modern and not as "white bread" pure as the classic incarnation.  For the movie, this was perfectly fine.  Billy's less than pure heart gave him more emotional depth, and room to grow as a person and a hero.  The villain had a bit more depth as well- though not to the point where you'd be able to argue that he had a valid reason for his actions.  Each of the characters were enjoyable (especially Darla), and I'm looking forward to see them grow in future films.

Most of the other films in the DCEU have a muted, subdued, and dusty look to them.  "Shazam!" does not.  It's vibrant.  It's colourful.  It's glorious in it's celebration of the Big Red Cheese, and the wonderous magic he brought to people's childhoods.  While, I miss his costume with the chest flap and the sash, this version captures the simplicity- and offers a canvas for changes as the character develops down the road.

By the end of the movie, I was left with a warm glow in my chest, and a smile on my face.  I would love to see it again.  I will be buying it on Blu-Ray.  And I'm putting it in "The Good".
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