'Shazam!' is DC's Funniest Superhero Movie Yet

What a time to be alive especially for comic book and superhero movie fans! Whether it's DC or Marvel, there's just no slowing down for this genre. Just a few weeks ago, Marvel unleashed their first ever superhero with a woman in the lead. And a few weeks after that, DC set loose their own and it's Captain Marvel's counterpart Shazam. It's about time they release one of the first ever superheroes there is. As a matter of fact, it's a wonder what took them so long to put him on the forefront.

Warner Bros. Pictures

Finally, Shazam's here and it's fair to say that DC has finally perfected the ingredients of a great superhero movie. Without seeming like a try-hard or a Marvel copycat, DC's Shazam! is their funniest superhero movie yet. No more bleak set or melodramatic script, director David F. Sandberg focused on the fun side of the superhero movie brand. That despite its dark familial plot which Sandberg is known for. See Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation.

Imagine a 14-year-old foster teenager who's still a kid at heart turning into a ripped, superhero body complete with a superhero suit, cape and superpowers embracing it to its full potential, using it to his advantage whether in school, or life in general. That's basically the fun part of Shazam! and it's almost neverending without seeming repetitive. Watching him discover his powers and use all the tricks up his sleeve brings to light the childishness of the film which resonates well to the inner youngster in us. We were all once kids anyway, and we're used to dreaming of having our own superpower.

Warner Bros. Pictures

Still, it doesn't rest entirely on the fun part. Shazam! digs deeper to our superhero's origins and it's quite murky. Inside the superhero is Billy Batson, a sardonic teenager who gets in and out of foster families in search of his real mother whom he lost in a carnival while he's young. Because he's too focused on his goal, he's unable to see 'family' even when he arrives in a welcoming one filled with foster children and a loving foster parent which weirdly enough, the foster mother looks so much like Angelina Jolie.

The family's dynamics help a lot in building the film's enjoyable nature. His newfound brothers and sisters with varying personalities make for an amusing watch. One's an achiever, another is a talkative lass who tries her best to be the best sister she can be, one's a quiet guy, and lastly, Freddy, a tough young kid with a disability who became Billy's unexpected closest pal. Jack Dylan Glazer plays the role and he almost steals the show from Asher Angel as Billy and Zachary Levi as Shazam.

Sure, it's not devoid of weaknesses. Shazam! is almost more of a comedy than a superhero movie except for the last third where a surprising turn of event would definitely delight and surprise. Unfortunately, the superhero part is my least favorite part of the film. But that's okay because it's clearly all about the fun. To the point where its visual-effect-driven characters look like Left 4 Dead's The Boomer or The Spitter and I'm willing to ignore it just because it was super entertaining for most of its course.