Shazam! Fury of the Gods Review: A Fun Sequel All About Family
Shazam! Fury of the Gods is a follow-up to the first Shazam! about Billy Batson (Asher Angel), a teenage boy who can transform into his adult superhero alter ego played by Zachary Levi. With the sequel, Billy must bring his family together in the hopes of stopping a new threat, the Daughters of Atlas. Shazam! Fury of the Gods is a super fun movie featuring plenty of godly action and excitement for audiences of all ages.
Director David F. Sandberg is back at the helm, and he and his team continue the adventures of the Shazam Family after the events of the first film. The foster family goes about their normal lives, but Billy wants to keep them focused and strong in order for them to become a very efficient superhero team. The foster kids are able to transform into their adult superhero alter egos just like Shazam. However, they’re just kids from different backgrounds and ages, so getting them to work together as a team can be quite difficult. Most of the actors are back to play the foster family members, and they each get their little moments to shine. The film could have benefitted from a longer runtime in order to flesh out each of their stories and arc.
In the meantime, goddesses known as the Daughters of Atlas have plans to destroy the world, and they need a weapon that will help them achieve their goals. Lucy Liu portrays Kalypso with Helen Mirren as Hespera, and they have different personalities and powers. The actors do the best they can with the roles, but their mainly one-note villains that aren’t really compelling. There are some moments that flesh them out a little bit, but the film would greatly benefit from more development with the antagonists. As villains, the Daughters of Atlas are very powerful, and the third act shows how powerful they can be.
The film’s family dynamic is a lot of fun for the Shazam family, and the most interesting subplot focuses on the relationship between Billy and Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer). Billy is very adamant about the family working together as a team, but Freddy wants to do things on his own without supervision. This leads the latter to a new love interest by the name of Anthea, played by Rachel Zegler (West Side Story). She gets along wonderfully with Freddy with her sweet and charming personality. As a result, Freddy gets to grow as a character as he deals with love and drama at the same time.
It still feels like a traditional superhero movie, and the third act is typical of a DCEU movie with a giant battle inside the city with lots of mayhem and destruction. We get to see flying, super strength, and even monsters from Greek mythology. There is even a cameo that will have DC fans excited.
Overall, Shazam! Fury of the Gods is an amusing film that will leave audiences entertained. With its fun family dynamic, dangerous new villains, and a heartwarming storyline, it’s another solid follow-up to the Shazam! series.
Rating: 4/5 Atoms
