Shazam! Fury of the Gods Movie Review

One of the biggest surprise hits in the comic book film genre in recent years was David F. Sandberg’s 2019 superhero fantasy, ‘Shazam’. With many complaints levied against the Snyder-verse era of the DC Extended Universe, citing its dark tone, I for one don’t mind the dark tone, but I also appreciate levity in my comic book films. It is safe to say audiences globally were pleased to see a comedic and more light-hearted take on the franchise with ‘Shazam’, poking fun at the darker tropes and playing into the light-hearted more family-friendly tone. The film played more like a comedy than your average comic book film. It was witty, fun, and still had a lot of heart. It was only a matter of time until we got a sequel to the film and in 2023, we did, with ‘Shazam: Fury of The Gods’. The film sees the cast return from the first film and was once again directed by David F. Sandberg. The film once again follows Billy Batson (played wonderfully again by Asher Angel) and his fellow foster kids who are still learning how to use their new superhero powers as they go toe-to-toe with a trio of vengeful Gods, who venture to earth in search of an ancient magic stolen from them long ago. It is up to Billy and his friends to stop these evil Gods, with the fate of the world depending on it. 'Shazam: Fury of the Gods' is a fun follow-up to the 2019 film, with the strengths once again lying in the cast of characters. The alter egos are all so well played, with Zachary Levi, Adam Brody and Ross Butler being the three best performances out of the bunch.

Another one of the biggest strengths of 'Shazam: Fury of the Gods' is the fact the film is so fun and light-hearted in tone. With so many films in the DC Cinematic Universe going for the darker, more gritty tone, we haven’t really seen the franchise as a whole have fun with its more absurd and fantastical characters. Billy is such a loveable character, living a power fantasy as a teenage boy, it’s something that everyone watching can definitely relate to. It’s absurd in nature but endearing in David F Sandberg’s superb execution of the beloved source material. The writer/director/producer has a love and clear affinity for these characters and the relationships that they form throughout their adventures. The film gives Jack Dylan Grazer's Freddy a little more to do in this film, which is great, as he was a standout in the previous film. 

Each of the characters has their own quirk and character trait, which makes them all feel unique, I enjoy this aspect of both Shazam films, as it allows all audiences, from all different backgrounds, to feel like they can be superheroes. There is something endearing in that. There’s a great sequence at the beginning of the film, highlighting their unique personalities, we get to see them all in the foster home, living out a typical day. We then get a fun action set piece, of all of our heroes as their alter ego’s saving a bridge from collapsing. The interplay from the cast here is genius, showing a sharp contrast to the simplicity of their day-to-day lives, with their duties as superheros. All of this is done to the backdrop of the late great Tina Turner’s ‘Holding out for a hero’. The use of the song rivals that of its use in Shrek 2. The sequence is a highlight of the film, showcasing just how fun superhero films can be.

The wild visuals and fun action set-pieces also adds to the fun of the film, making it feel vastly different to other superhero films out there. David f Sandberg has a visual style and flare that a lot of other filmmakers working in the genre, simply don’t possess. The action is fun and plays out in a lot of children’s fantasy’s of ‘what if I were a superhero?’ Sandberg has a clear visual style that he has employed in each of the Shazam films, and I love the mix and the balance of the darkness with fantasy. It plays superbly here. The villains are also great in the film, played by Helen Mirren and Lucy Lui. They are menacing and Sandberg uses their abilities as Gods to his advantage, creating some memorable and fantastical action set-pieces. Their conflict with our core group of heroes is a lot of fun and does make for compelling storytelling.

‘Shazam: Fury of The Gods’ was fun, energetic, and hilarious, whilst maintaining the emotional beats from the first film. Zachary Levi is once again fantastic as adult Billy Batson or Shazam, showcasing his range and ability to play both a childlike adult and what it would be like if a child was to get the powers of a superhero. He doesn’t miss any beats as this character, clearly having a blast playing him. If you were a fan of the first Shazam, then you definitely need to see this one. It's fun and unlike a lot of other superhero films out there, especially in the DC Extended Universe. Add a copy of Shazam: Fury of the Gods to your collection today. Head on over to Sanity’s online store to secure your copy on DVD, Blu-Ray or 4K UHD, you won’t want to miss it! You can also shop other Shazam merchandise, including Pop Vinyls and posters. Link below!

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Christopher Pattison wrote this blog post for Sanity. See more from Chris here