Do you believe in magic? Well, you will after watching DC comics new superhero movie Shazam! With the help of the word “Shazam,” Billy Batson, played by Asher Angel, was able to transform into the adult superhero Shazam, played by Zachary Levi. The movie focuses on a 14-year-old foster child that becomes the chosen one due to an ancient wizard. With the help of his foster siblings, Batson experiments with his superpowers in order to defeat the evil Doctor Thaddeus, played by Mark Strong.
The movie “Shazam!” premiered in theaters April 5 and earned a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes. The Sugar Factory in Downtown San Diego held a private showing for Faithe Herman, a San Diego native, who played Darla in the movie. Her family and friends attended the event where she had the opportunity to do a concrete handprint ceremony followed with appetizers and a luxury movie screening. The Sugar Factory gifted their signature candy and complimentary movie tickets to the audience.
The movie begins with Batson on a search for his birth mother, where he runs into trouble with the police and the foster care system. He is then sent to a last chance placement home where he meets a diverse foster family. Batson is standoffish at first and is still on a mission to find his mother. A member of the foster family, Freddy, played by Jack Dylan Grazer, was being bullied by two teenage boys, and Batson jumps in to defend his new brother. He then appears in a secret layer and was granted the “Shazam” title. Throughout the movie he keeps his newfound secret identity from everyone but Freddy. They both run into trouble when they realize being a superhero is a bit of hard work when there’s an evil doctor out for revenge in hopes to steal his powers. Not only is Batson on a mission to defeat the evil doctor but he also has to destroy the monsters known as seven deadly sins.
While adjusting to the superhero life, he still finds a way to track down and reunite with his mother. Batson receives a rude awakening once he realizes his mother is not how he remembers her to be. He struggles to forget about his troubled childhood and later develops a close relationship with his new foster family.
“Shazam!” is the light, joyful, and fun superhero that DC Comics needed. Superhero movies often require a lot of background knowledge from previous movies and usually have intense fighting scenes throughout majority of the movie. However, this was the complete opposite. “Shazam!” is a kid and family friendly movie that will move your heart. This movie is a must watch for young children, teens and even adults. It will make you laugh and want to cry at the same time. Batson’s joy developing throughout the movie is exciting to watch considering the fact that he’s had such a harsh childhood, while his foster siblings have great characteristics that make the movie more lovable. “Shazam!” overall has broad humor, fun energy, and just enough spookiness to keep you entertained throughout.
