I Watch Films: Shazam!
For reasons that are long and convoluted both DC and Marvel have a character called Captain Marvel, but don’t have unrestricted use of the trademark. This is the DC one, who now goes by the phrase the young lad Billy Batson uses to turn into an adult superhero. Originally not a DC character (first published in Fawcett Comics) he had a whole family of other “Marvel” (now Shazam!) superheroes. They integrate into the world of DC comics just fine, or at least no worse than, say Detective Chimp comedy-noir and Green Lantern space-adventure existing together.
The film wants to be deep into the DC film-verse, but it really isn’t; it’s set in a real city for a start not one of their fake ones. The Superman and Batman collectibles are nice, and give some texture to the whole Superhero busking aspect, but could be totally dispensed with. The idea that this is a world with superheroes only ever seems to go one step. People are familiar with the idea yet no one seems to be freaked out that Steppenwolf tried to destroy everyone the year before or that Enchantress trashed most of the world’s military.
Pretty realistic I guess.
The film wants to be a Christmas film, but can’t quite get there. Everyone’s putting out the decorations, there’s snow on the ground, the Christmas carnival, the recurring Santa. And of course there’s a family thing going on. But it’s not a Christmas family thing really.
So yes, it’s a family thing. [SPOILERS] I didn’t think they’d go full Shazam! Family, and hadn’t seen any pictures of that. I mean I should have guessed, seven deadly sins, he’s going to need some back up. But I thought they might save it for the sequel.
Watch This: A somewhat complicated backwater of the DC universe made into a fun superhero film that manages to say something about being a teenager with limitless powers.
Don’t Watch This: If you want the film to take itself seriously
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