Shazam: Fury of the Gods Brings Same Vibes As The First

Shazam: Fury of the Gods is all about family. This film is filled with heart, epic fights, and hilarious jokes. It raises the bar for DC films, that’s for sure.

This whole review needs to be prefaced with the fact that going into this movie, Shazam was my second favorite DCEU film (still is). This style of movie is my jam. Take silly humor, mixed with dark moments, and a couple of tear-jerker scenes and I am a happy girl. Thankfully, Shazam: Fury of the Gods delivers everything that worked for me in the first movie, dialed up to eleven. 

Just as with the first film, the entire cast shines, but it is Jack Dylan Grazer who steals the show. Every time he opens his mouth, I end up either laughing or crying. He just has this personality that sucks you in, and this movie benefits from that.

The movie itself is all about the family this go around. And not just Billy and Freddy’s family. The villains have some family issues as well. They are sisters after all, and we all know how that goes. The wonderful about Shazam: Fury of the Gods though, is that each cast member gets their time in the sun. They are all an important part of the story and that is why it works so well. 

This movie gives fans lots of great action, some badass villains who make it hard for you not to root for them, and a whole lot of heart. Of course, in true Shazam style, it is also quite hilarious. As a parent, there are a few parts, but one moment in particular, that hit me right in the gut. It is pretty much my MO to sob at movies, so it should come as no surprise that there were moments I wish I had brought tissues with me. 

The Daughters Of Atlas

Lucy Liu, Helen Mirren, and Rachel Zegler absolutely crush their roles as the Daughters of Atlas. While I do wish we got a little bit more of their background in the movie, they fit in perfectly and were an integral part of the story. These ladies are incredible, badass, and bring a whole lot to the film. They are dealing with their own issues, just like Billy and his family are. 

The sisters aren’t your typical straight forward villains, not all of them anyways, and that is what I love so much about them. One in particular dives so far into the dark side and goes balls to the wall with her power. She is phenomenal and it is refreshing to see her in a role like this — one we really haven’t seen her in before.

That said, the daughters story line works because these ladies put their heart and souls into the roles, and fully embraced what it is to be a sister. There are ups and there are downs. The parallels between their family and Billy’s adds a layer to the plot that makes it deeper than expected.

My biggest qualm with Shazam: Fury of the Gods is that I would have loved a bit more time with these talented ladies. Their story is intriguing, and one of my favorite parts of the film, so I was sad to not get as much time with their relationship as I would have liked to. In particular, their history and how they came to be where they are today. 

That said, this movie is already over two hours long, so while I would have enjoyed allowing it a bit more breathing room, I also appreciate how fast-paced it is. The two hours and ten minutes flew by for me, which is definitely a good thing considering that longer movies can easily start to drag if they spend too much time in a moment. Shazam: Fury of the Gods does not have that problem, as it moves through the plot points quickly — for better or worse.

I hate to say this, but it wouldn’t be a DC movie without some questionable CGI. While there are these moments that pop up throughout the movie, the CGI is actually not awful. At one point there are a lot of monsters that are clearly CG, but they work… well, for the most part. They fit into the plot and it actually kind of makes sense for them to be bizarre looking. Although some shots might have VFX fans wincing.

The overall messaging here is one of love, acceptance, and knowing when to let go and when to hold on. I love the two different family dynamics that we get to see on screen. Nearly everyone will be able to relate to this because of one thing or another. 

Overall Thoughts

Shazam: Fury of the Gods has a very similar vibe to the first one. There are a lot of jokes, but at the same time it isn’t afraid to get dark and real when it needs to be. If your style of DC / comic book films is action, humor, and heart — this one has you covered. However, if you are looking for a more serious vibe, it might not be for you. That isn’t to say the stakes don’t ever get high, because they do. The thing is Shazam has always embraced the humor side of things, and that hasn’t changed.

The Daughters of Atlas are awesome, and kick some serious butt, however it would have been nice to spend a little bit more time with them. That said, I really appreciated the pacing of the film and the fact that the two hour runtime flew by. 

There are two end credit scenes, so keep your butt in that chair. They both feel important to the future of DC, although right now things are hanging in the air with the studio so we can’t say for sure.

PRO TIP: Be sure to have Skittles handy because you will be really craving them by the time the movie is over. They are brought up multiple times throughout Shazam: Fury of the Gods and each time it gets better and better. Taste the rainbow. You won’t regret it.

Rating: 4 out of 5

NEXT: Best Shazam: Fury of the Gods Quotes

About Shazam: Fury of the Gods

Bestowed with the powers of the gods, Billy Batson and his fellow foster kids are still learning how to juggle teenage life with their adult superhero alter egos. When a vengeful trio of ancient gods arrive on Earth in search of the magic stolen from them long ago, Shazam and his allies get thrust into a battle for their superpowers, their lives, and the fate of the world.

Shazam: Fury of the Gods hits theaters on March 17th.