Shazam! Fury of the Gods review

 

I really did enjoy the first Shazam! movie quite a lot so with this sequel will it be bigger and better or fall by the wayside? Zachary Levi returns as our titular hero but he is not alone as all of his family is also along for the ride. Some time has passed since the first movie ended and things are looking good for Billy Batson and his family of rag-tag superheros so much so that they're not only recognized in Philadelphia but are it's main form of protection. They don't quite have a name yet but fans of the source material will definitely enjoy some of the nods and references to names from the comics. Just like the first movie it's sequel begins with not a look at the hero's but rather the villains we're introduced to The Daughters of Atlas who are played by Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu. Their power is showcased inside of a museum set piece that swings the movie into full gear and to be honest at not point did I feel like it ever stopped. 

Shazam! Fury of the Gods is just a lot of fun plain and simple. It's main elements this time relying heavily on the bond between family, revenge and an overall sense of trusting those you're close with. Zachary Levi is once again brilliant here just as he was in the original movie. The rest of the cast do a good job too including Mirren and Liu who are actually rather good villains, I didn't expect much from them beforehand but they did their job and did it quite well. The final act is a giant bang of electricity straight through the heart as the final battle takes place. 

This is a fun movie as I just said. It's packed with entertaining moments, action and humor that doesn't always land but when it does boy does it. The cast are great and overall Shazam is pure popcorn entertainment for the entire family. Now just say the magic words...Shazam!

★★★★