Shazam! Fury of the Gods, 2023.
Directed by David F. Sandberg
Staring Zachary Levi, Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu, Rachel Zegler, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Adam Brody, Faith Herman, Meagan Good, Grace Fulton, Ian Chen, Ross Butler, Jovan Armand, D.J. Cotrona, Marta Milans, Cooper Andrews, and Djimon Hounsou
SYNOPSIS:
Bestowed with the powers of the gods, Billy Batson and his fellow foster kids are still learning how to juggle teenage life with their adult superhero alter egos. When a vengeful trio of ancient gods arrives on Earth in search of the magic stolen from them long ago, Shazam and his allies get thrust into a battle for their superpowers, their lives, and the fate of the world.
Amongst the furrowed brows and hashtag entitlement of the DC universe, 2019’s Shazam! stood out because of its simple modus operandi to entertain. It was an optimistic bolt of lightning to a world built upon angst, and it seems to have been forgotten amidst the furore of red capes and hot takes. Whatever the future holds for Shazam! following the much ballyhooed DC reshuffle, Fury of the Gods is here to remind you that you can still have formulaic fun (another collapsing bridge) in this superhero sandbox.
We’re dropped into a chaotic world following the expansion of the Shazamily at the end of the first film, so there are a lot of characters for the script to juggle. Each of the kids now has their souped-up alter-egos, plus there’s the introduction of the villainous Daughters of Atlas, embodied by Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu and Rachel Zegler.
It’s inevitable then that a few will get lost within the maelstrom of hyperactivity that unfolds. Even Levi’s titular superhero seems to disappear for extended periods as the narrative attempts to find a focus. When it does it favours Jack Dylan Grazer’s Freddy Freeman, who seems to have the most complete character arc of the large ensemble; starting out with high-school rom-com, to buddy-movie opposite Djimon Hounsou’s returning Wizard, and then completing his hero’s journey come the flying and special-effects finale.
Admittedly it’s not the stuff of Shakespeare, despite the presence of Helen Mirren, but what makes it work is that Grazer is just so darn likeable as the super-powered sidekick, consistently landing the funnies as-well-as the feels.
Running parallel with his character is that of West Side Story’s Rachel Zegler, who is equally likeable as the school-girl with a secret, but much like the film as a whole, her Anthea soon gets swallowed up in the CGI and Skittles of the final act. In fact, the evil trio each suffer a similar fate. Their impressive introductions and villainy soon take a back-seat to special-effects, with Lucy Liu quickly becoming consigned to being stuck on the back of a giant dragon, occasionally uttering pantomime one-liners, while Helen Mirren’s playful wickedness withers away in the face of an onslaught of thunderbolts and lightning. Maybe the characters will get more time to breathe when the campaign for the extended cut begins.
While the strength of Fury of the Gods can be found in the relationships between the core characters, the world building still remains a joy to behold, especially the smaller flourishes. Shazam’s lair now feels like something you’d find on the Warner Bros. Harry Potter Tour, with Steven the Magical Pen a creation to rival anything you’ll see on-screen this year, and as throw-as-much-and-see-what-sticks as the ending is, the menagerie of mythical creatures galloping around Philadelphia make for some fun Harryhausen-style action.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods doubles down on the same charm which made the original soar, upping the action-ante almost as much as it does the silliness, and while it won’t change the world, the resulting film is a sequel that’s easily the equal of its enjoyable predecessor.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film ★ ★ ★ / Movie ★ ★ ★
Matt Rodgers – Follow me on Twitter
