Second Viewing: Shazam! (2019)

It’s kind of a shame that a movie like this feels so refreshing. There are just so many superhero movies now that nothing seems all that unique. Until this movie. It’s basically the superhero version of Big, and somehow, the character of Shazam (Zachary Levi) is the most heroic superhero on film in years.

I absolutely love Levi’s performance. He plays it so perfectly, as a teenager who suddenly becomes a man. It’s an engaging performance that has some shades of Tom Hanks’s in Big.

He’s paired with a solid young cast, too. As the kid who becomes Shazam, Billy Batson, Asher Angel does a fine job. The standout there, though, is Jack Dylan Grazer as his foster brother, Freddy Freeman.

The story isn’t all that great, but there’s still a lot of opportunity for character development, and plenty of comedy. It’s really a hard movie not to enjoy.

Rating: 8/10