Film Review | Shazam!

Shazam! is directed by David F. Sandberg and stars Zachary Levi and Jack Dylan-Grazer.

Superhero/Comedy/Action. Released 2019.

My expectations for Shazam! had actually been set very high due to the tremendous online buzz - had I have not heard this positive reception, and only seen the trailers, my expectations would be slightly lower, even though I still enjoyed what I had seen.

I am happy to say that my expectations for Shazam! were comfortably met. They weren't exceeded, but the film most certainly did not disappoint. If my expectations had been set based on word-of-mouth, which was nothing short of excellent, then it would make sense to have my expectations pretty high, which they were. A reason as to why I may not seem as excited about the film as many others do is probably because when I saw Shazam!, the buzz had died slightly, and I went in with a pretty solid understanding of the kind of film I would be getting.

I'll start with David F. Sandberg... It is ludicrous to me how he can deliver the stellar one-two-punch of Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation and only two years later come out with something like Shazam! something which is, tonally, the complete opposite of his first two horrors. I'm really impressed at this demonstration of his versatility, which, just three years into his career of directing feature films, is something quiet exciting, since most directors have barely found their footing, but Sandberg has been able to deliver incredibly stellar results every time. The film is incredibly humorous - the comedic timing is on point, and the script is witty and sharp... there is also some excellent physical comedy here on a superhero scale which you won't want to miss. 

This film is glowing with warmth, and overall is a joy. This is a testament to Zachary Levi, who, quite frankly, I will put on the same level as Ryan Reynolds in regards to the role an actor simply seems born to play (I am obviously referring to Deadpool in Reynolds' case). I won't go as far as to say Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark yet, but that is because he has been on our screens for over a decade and he is pretty legendary (the character as well as Downey Jr. himself). However, I do hope that we see Shazam! on our screens for a while longer, event though the character doesn't have the longevity of someone like Tony Stark in my opinion. Again, I stress that I cannot imagine anybody playing this role except for Zachary Levi. He really embodies the character and his portrayal truly made it feel like he was a grown man with the mind of a teenage boy. However, I think Levi's performance is infinitely elevated by the work of Jack Dylan-Grazer, someone whose future I am very excited to witness unfold. He is so, so talented and this is demonstrated here. He plays a rather deadpan character but he still carries the playful childishness that is so crucial to this film, and his character with his performance actually made the film for me.

Overall, Shazam! is a heartfelt, wonderful superhero film that is very deserving of all the buzz, with what could be a star-making role for its lead.

B+