Starring Zachary Levi, Mark Strong, Asher Angel, Faithe Herman

Directed by David F. Sandberg

Warner Bros, out now

Orphan Billy Batson is granted superhuman powers and abilities by a mysterious wizard, but can he step up to the pantheon of superheroes and use his powers for good, and will he do so in time to stop the villainous Doctor Sivana from unleashing the horror of the Seven Deadly Sins on the world?

If the DC/WB shared universe has had a failing compared to its MCU counterpart, it’s that it has often missed the fun that’s inherent in the comic book genre. Big supervillains, world-ending threats, massive powers, sure but there’s always got to be a slightly playful edge to a comic book property to make it work. Not every superhero movie needs to be Deadpool, but no superhero movie should be as determinedly and permanently po-faced and take itself as seriously as Man of Steel and Batman vs Superman did.

Shazam! recognises this, taking the intelligent (and risky) decision of existing in the same universe as those other movies, but deciding to take a far different tone to them. So yes, Superman, Batman et al exist in this world, in the guises those earlier films gave them, but they are treated by the film (and specifically by one of its characters in particular) as distant celebrities to be admired and looked up to, without attaching the overly serious, gods and monsters moral wrangling to them.

That’s not to say that this isn’t a film which doesn’t deal with serious issues – in fact, it does so in a far better, more rounded way that Snyder ever quite managed with his offerings, while retaining the family friendly appeal which means kids will get just as much out of it as adults (and well they should, given the subject matter).

So we have Billy, an orphan driven by a lifelong quest to find his long-lost mother, thrust into yet another in a series of foster homes. Except this one is slightly different – a middle-aged, ordinary couple running a chaotic household of eclectically different kids from the oldest, about-to-go-off-to-CalTech daughter to the youngest, videogame-obsessed nerdy son. As Billy gets used to his new abode (he can’t bring himself to call it a home – a theme that runs through the movie) he is ready to make another break for it when he has his fateful encounter with the wizard who will make him a superhero every time he says the eponymous magic word.

What follows has already been noted by other critics as something akin to Deadpool without the R-rated bits, and while that’s not a bad note to make, I’d add that there isn’t really any fourth wall-breaking here either. Oh sure, there’s meta stuff that’s made as a clear nod and wink to comic book fans in the audience, but there’s none of the blatant mugging to camera of the Reynolds vehicle, nor any direct addressing of the audience. Shazam! mainly just wants you to remember a time when comic book movies could be goofy, fun things which could exist as part of a wider mythos without being enslaved to it and without having to set building blocks for other films within that universe on top of telling its own story.

And it’s a good job, because this film has a lot of story to tell. Not only do we get Billy’s own journey from cynical orphan boy with a charmingly hopeful centre beneath that armour to full-fledged superhero complete with gags about finding out his powers and abilities, using his adult superhero body to do the sorts of things kids can’t/shouldn’t etc. We also get a surprisingly filled-in and complex villain in Mark Strong’s Sivana, who gets a full origin story, motivations and character development in a way that even the MCU has struggled to deliver in many of its entries over the years. I’ve seen others comment that there’s almost too much movie here, and that some time could be saved by shaving back the Sivana parts but I have to disagree – this two hour and twelve minute long film absolutely flew by for me, and there isn’t a single element I would have changed.

While it’s having fun though, it never stops surprising and challenging its audience. The third act in particular really defies the accepted perception of what the third act of a superhero movie can do and the most surprising thing of all is how well the studio has kept most of the tricks of the movie under wraps in all of its PR – you’ll want to go in and see this one completely unspoiled, and then you’ll want to keep all of it to yourself so that others can enjoy it too.

All in all, it’s one of the most surprising entries in the genre that I’ve seen for some time. Family friendly without being patronising or condescending to younger viewers, serious and engaging without being arch or ‘gritty’ in the Snyder sense of the word, there really is something here for everyone. It even manages to be accessible to non-comic book fans while still packing in the kinds of Easter Eggs and references that will have the most fanboy-ish of its audience hugging themselves with glee.

Verdict: Forget the trailers, avoid any spoilers and go and see this delightful, engaging, warm-hearted, hilarious movie for yourself. I defy anyone to come out of this one not smiling. 10/10

Greg D. Smith

When Billy Batson says the magic word ‘Shazam!’ He transforms from 14-year-old schoolkid to superhero, but the evil Dr Sivana is on his trail, desperate to claim the super powers for himself.

This is where it gets complicated. This is the second Captain Marvel movie I’ve seen this year, except that he isn’t called Captain Marvel any more, and the other Captain Marvel is better known as Ms Marvel. But enough of the complications, what’s crystal clear is that DC’s latest superhero movie is a joy from start to finish, reminding us that we don’t have to rely on Marvel for fun comicbook big screen adventures. Reeling from the drubbing they received for Man of Steel and Batman vs Superman, the comic book brand realised they had to lighten up, and this is the ideal property to showcase their funny bone.

This origin story couldn’t really be anything but a comedy, the construct that a teenager could transform into an adult superhero is wish fulfilment to the nth degree, and by embracing the humour in this conceit it makes for an unexpected change from the norm. Billy’s unnamed superhero (it’s a running gag that they can’t settle on an appropriate moniker) is still a teenager, leading to fun scenes where he buys beer and goes to a gentlemen’s club, abusing his powers by charging for selfies. It reminded me of Big, and there’s even a cheeky reference to that movie when characters step onto a floor piano, just like in the Tom Hanks bodyswap movie.

Zachary Levi (Chuck, Thor: The Dark World) is wonderful as the superhero, all wide-eyed and innocent, loving every moment as a badass with amazing powers. His youthful iteration as played by Asher Angel is also impressive, the young actor always keeping us on his side, particularly in some unexpectedly emotional moments. In fact all of the young actors impress – Faithe Herman as Darla Dudley is an absolute poppet – and arguably the least interesting role is that of Mark Strong (Kingsman) as villain Dr Sivana, who doesn’t get an awful lot to do more than snarl, levitate and disperse the seven deadly sins demons that exist within him. He’s a one-note character that serves his purpose, but Strong is a great actor who deserves a little more.

Verdict: A lot of the UK audience will be unfamiliar with the characters, thus making the whole story fresh and avoiding comparisons with other versions. This movie is also refreshingly stand-alone, making it a great jumping-on point to the DC Extended Universe cinematic arm. Kudos to director David F. Sandberg (Annabelle: Creation, Lights Out) for pulling out the stops and putting the comical back into comicbook movies. 9/10

Nick Joy