Shazam! 2: Fury Of The Gods
The movie “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” faces some challenges from the get-go as a studio-produced sequel and a superhero movie made in 2023, which can often result in creative committee-mandated, formulaic monotony. However, despite these challenges, the first “Shazam!” movie, which served as a decent franchise-starter, managed to tone down the Troma Lite cynicism and post-Spielberg sentimentality that have come to define lighthearted superhero films, especially those in the James Gunn style.
While “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” still meanders in the formulaic direction, it manages to retain some comedic moments, thanks to the star performance of Zachary Levi, who shines in his role as Billy Batson’s alter-ego Shazam (also known as Captain Marvel). However, the movie feels less assured and schtickier than the first “Shazam!” film.
The story follows Billy, Freddy, and their foster family as they return to fight the latest vengeful dangling plot thread, which this time involves a trio of vindictive sorceresses called the Daughters of Atlas, led by Hespera and Kalypso, who want to avenge their father, Atlas. While the identity of the third Daughter remains briefly shrouded in mystery, Billy’s anxieties speak loudest for the “Marvel Family,” a convivial group of tweens whom, after yelling the magic word “Shazam,” are granted godlike superpowers. However, even the residents of Philadelphia, where most of the film takes place, don’t seem to know who these kids are, referring to them as the “Philly Fiascos.”
Billy struggles with his “superhero name” and longs to know what it is. He gets some answers after unexpectedly reuniting with his grumpy guru/mentor, the Wizard, who somehow survived the events of the first “Shazam!” film. There are signs of a warmer and cleverer adolescent super-drama throughout the film, with clearly enunciated and frantically declaimed dialogue hinting at Billy’s prevailing fear of “aging out of” his family, especially now that he’s about to turn 18 years old.
While the movie’s big emotional moments lack cornball vigor, Levi’s performance takes up the slack, creating a character that is both goofy and relatable, like an actual teenager who doesn’t have a filter or an indoor voice. The big action scenes mostly sit there, and the gags need to be both sped up and punched up. However, the movie manages to highlight likable but under-developed supporting characters, like the unicorn-loving Darla or the closeted Pedro, who graze the heart-strings with focus-group-level efficiency.
Overall, “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” might have been better if it were more focused on both Billy and Freddy and their hormonal anxieties. Billy dreams of wooing Wonder Woman, and Freddy has a crush on new girl Anthea, but unfortunately, the chemistry between the two leads falls flat. Billy keeps saying he’s all about family, but maybe he should focus on feuding with his surrogate brother and wrestling with his super-ego? That worked before, so why not an encore?
It’s a tough challenge for DC to get the Captain Marvel character right, especially when they still struggle to make a successful Superman movie. However, despite the odds, “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” manages to do well enough to satisfy fans of the genre. The movie’s ensemble cast members are charming, and Levi’s performance as Shazam is arguably the best combination of main character and lead performer in a recent superhero film.
