“Hey what’s up? I’m a superhero.”
We laughed out loud after hearing these words from the trailer because who would believe that an actual superhero will be walking outside a store, eating bags of chips while hollering at strangers? More over, a hero who uploads all his stunts on YouTube? Well, Shazam seems to be one of those that can do that in the DC Universe!
When you say “DC movie”, a dark storyline and literally a dark poster comes into my mind. However, this Shazam! is like a breath of fresh air from the likes of Batman, Batman vs. Superman, and so on. While Wonder Woman and Aquaman are a notch lighter than usual, Shazam! takes a huge leap into the humorous side of the spectrum. It’s very relatable, especially for teens who are looking for a superhero that can best represent themselves. It’s not everyday that you’ll see the spotlight on a 14-year-old kid that can save the world (as soon as he figures out how to)!
For those who are not that familiar with the nitty-gritty details, Shazam is a DC superhero who used to be known as Captain Marvel. He first appeared in comic books in 1939, taking form when 14-year-old Billy Batson shouts the magic word – Shazam! This charming and funny hero will be flying his way to the big screen this month.
After watching the 2-hour film starring Zachary Levi (Shazam), Asher Angel (Billy Batson), Mark Strong (Dr. Thaddeus Sivana), Jack Dylan Grazer (Freddy Freeman), and Djimoun Hounsou (Wizard Shazam), it has been made perfectly clear that Shazam is the perfect superhero for the young. Plus, he’s literally a child at heart! The story is so light and humorous, parents can even bring their kids with them at the cinemas to watch. It’s PG-13 so don’t expect gory scenes and foul language.
Billy Batson is like you and me – he aspires magical powers to help him get through life, but immediately gets overwhelmed by everything he can do as an adult in the form of Shazam. He has his own share of drastic family background but there’s a lot of good values in this one – such as discovering the true meaning of family, moving on from a painful past, and welcoming change. Personally, it seems like a Deadpool (sorry for mentioning a non-DC character here!) movie that has been made kid-friendly.
I highly recommend this to Shazam fans and to those who want to see a different take on superheroes. Music, visual effects, and casting are all on point. Unexpected twists and turns await. I won’t drop spoilers BUT there are members of the cast that have not been named on the initial IMDB page. (Hint: My celebrity crush is there!!)
There are two end credits which you should not miss! I loved the first one because I didn’t expect more surprise appearances within the movie. The second one’s just okay. I won’t say so you can enjoy it yourself!
Produced by Peter Safran and directed by David F. Sandberg, Shazam! also stars Grace Fulton as Mary Bromfield, Ian Chen as Eugene Choi, Jovan Armand as Pedro Peña, Faithe Herman as Darla Dudley, Cooper Andrews as Victor Vásquez and Marta Milans as Rosa Vásquez.
Catch Shazam! in theaters nationwide starting April 3, 2019. For a better viewing experience, watch it on IMAX in SM Cinemas. For more updates on upcoming movies, don’t forget to follow Manila Millennial on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
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