With Wonder Woman 1984 having been delayed a whopping seven months, 2019 looks to be the year of Shazam!, at least as far as DCEU movies go. And from everything we’ve seen of the David F. Sandberg film so far, it really does look like this is going to be unlike any DC effort before it.
For starters, it’s headlined by Billy Batson, a young boy who becomes the unlikely successor to Shazam, an ancient wizard who’s harnessed the god-like abilities of Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles and Mercury. That premise will clearly bring a bit of levity and lightheartedness to the pic and also help set it apart from the franchise’s other outings, like Justice League and Batman V Superman.
Another thing that might help set it apart though is that apparently, it’s fantastic. The first reactions have now surfaced over on Twitter and it seems that the critics are head over heels for Shazam! Calling it brilliant, tremendously fun and damn near perfect, among other things, the DCEU looks to have another smash hit here – following Aquaman – and below, you can find just a sampling of what folks are saying.
#Shazam is such a brilliant movie. It’s so tremendously fun, and incredibly scary at some points (thanks, David F. Sandberg!). It blows away every expectation and is my new favorite DC movie. pic.twitter.com/DlpymCukTP
— BD (@BrandonDavisBD) March 8, 2019
#Shazam was damn near PERFECT in my book. My FAVORITE DC movie (DCEU? What are we saying now?) by far. Pure of heart, incredibly funny, full of in-jokes and references. Brought me a childlike joy to watch. This role was MADE for @ZacharyLevi… & Jack & Asher & the entire cast pic.twitter.com/rVrxjcwvCe
— Ash Crossan (@AshCrossan) March 8, 2019
#Shazam is big, goofy, lovable, and unlike anything DC has done before. Definitely in the vein of Tom Hanks' BIG, but with superhero action & lots of Batman and Superman references. I dug this film so much I wanted to give it a bear hug at the end. DC's movies keep getting better pic.twitter.com/WQJgo61gMg
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) March 8, 2019
#Shazam is an absolute delight! Super vibrant, tons of heart & a great fun-loving vibe. The family element is a big charmer & so is the humor that comes with watching @ZacharyLevi explore his new powers. Said this after IT but it's worth repeating – @Jgrazerofficial is a star.
— Perri Nemiroff (@PNemiroff) March 8, 2019
Zachary Levi was born to play #Shazam He delivers lots of laughs alongside co-star Jack Dylan Grazer. The film packs some big surprises for comics buffs and offers enough mainstream appeal to win over new fans. Shazam’s strengths definitely outweigh its weaknesses. pic.twitter.com/kfFMW01jfO
— Jim Vejvoda (@JimVejvoda) March 8, 2019
Finally allowed to say that #Shazam was fantastic! Full of heart and pure childhood wish fulfillment. It's funny and the tone is exactly right. @zacharylevi is perfect in the role, and so is @asherangel, who I'm convinced is @maisie_williams' brother! pic.twitter.com/DXhp2ZBteR
— Jenna Busch-Henderson (@JennaBusch) March 8, 2019
#Shazam is an absolute joy. Both definitely in the DCEU and nothing at all like any DCEU movie so far, it’s funny, warm, good hearted and silly and the cast is terrific. Watch out for our review soon. pic.twitter.com/NNPU5hqNtv
— Den Of Geek UK (@denofgeek) March 8, 2019
#Shazam is emotionally uneven, yet absolutely FUN. @ZacharyLevi perfects Shazam, though @Jgrazerofficial is the real hero here. All in all, it's an average superhero movie – but it's one that feels like a breath of fresh air. pic.twitter.com/zwfG1hqidE
— Mansoor Mithaiwala (@MansoorAYM) March 8, 2019
#Shazam is parts Home Alone, parts Big, a crowd pleasing family-friendly joy-filled wish-fulfillment superhero film which gets a bit over the top and cheesy at times. It’s fun and funny, and I was surprised at how much it wears it’s heart on its sleeve.
— /Film (@slashfilm) March 8, 2019
DC is finally building a solid run: #Shazam is a delight! Its familiar origin structure is forgivable because of all the new it brings to the table – primarily it's gleeful, childlike enthusiasm, & heartfelt perspective on family. It's also the role Zachary Levi was born to play. pic.twitter.com/5zXtfFDBGm
— Eric Eisenberg (@eeisenberg) March 8, 2019
#Shazam is a laugh-out-loud funny romp that captures the innocence and challenge of being both a superhero and a kid at once. It’s clever, fun and heroic with an obvious nod to 80s classics like Big, Ghostbusters, The Goonies etc. @joblocom @ShazamMovie
— Arctic Ninja (@arcticninjapaul) March 8, 2019
It’s important to remember that a lot of these people are the same critics who initially praised other DCEU efforts like Batman V Superman, Suicide Squad and even Justice League following their press screenings, so we can’t say for certain yet that the reactions here will be indicative of how the general public ultimately receives the film.
That being said, it’s still nice to see all this praise being heaped upon it and we fully expect Shazam! to bring about a heartfelt expansion of the DCEU when the flick flies into theaters next month, on April 5th, 2019.
Published: Mar 7, 2019 09:45 pm