Gomer Pyle might have made it sound extra silly, but "Shuz-ayum" is what everyone was saying as we left the cinema.
Knowing nothing about the superhero before we went in, I was blown away by the sheer fun of Shazam!, the latest entry in the DC movie universe. It's the sort of simple-minded joy we felt way back when the first X-Men or Spider-Man movies hit the mainstream and started the modern age of comic book blockbusters. Unlike those entries, however, this one is pure joy and silliness, a seamless blend of humor and heart that never lets its surprisingly dark elements weigh down the film.
In the city of brotherly love, young orphan Billy Batson gets placed into a group home that already includes five foster kids whom he does not immediately love. After delivering his new brother from bullies, however, Billy is magically transported to the lair of an ancient wizard. The wizard's name is -- yes -- Shazam, and it has been his sacred duty to keep the Seven Deadly Sins incarcerated while searching for a suitable champion to take his place. Billy has proven that his heart is pure, and so by speaking the name Shazam, Billy is transformed into a superhero, imbued with the wizard's magic.
Weird? Hell yes. But also a fabulous way to showcase the purity and passions of a child-as-superhero, as well as the talents (and body) of Zachery Levi as the adult hero. The character's endearing mix of innocence, cockiness, and elation are infectious; Levi's effortless comic delivery and ballsy presence on screen are entrancing. More impressively, though, the rest of the cast, half of whom are children! They play off each other like veteran actors, carrying the weight of the film with their antics and sweet sibling affection. And while their antagonist, played by a sleek and severe Mark Strong, isn't quite terrifying, the embodiments of the Sins certainly are. Their final showdown in the fairground is one of the most delightful climaxes of any superhero movie ever.
The result of all this stuff: a joyful romp that holds no pretense. In a franchise so drenched in style and seriousness that it often fails to win fans' support or even respect -- I have certainly enjoyed all the DC films, but they've become very cool to hate on -- this movie manages to thwart expectations and deliver a sassy, irreverent, and completely heartwarming vision of inclusivity, bravery, and a chosen family.
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