Recently, Shazam the newest movie in the DCEU (DC Extended Universe) came out. All of these movies have been critically panned in the passed. This film however, seems to be the exception. Unlike most of the other movies in this series, it doesn’t take itself seriously. Because of this, the cartoonish and cheesy tropes it uses are excusable due to its self awareness. The movie also feels very genuine, and its tone and energy are great and keep the movie interesting.

The first twenty minutes of the movie aren’t great, and it seems like it’s going to take itself too seriously, However it quickly picks up after this and the tone becomes more or less consistent after this. The emotions that the film tries to evoke feel much more earned than many other modern superhero movies, which is a breath of fresh air when compared to even most of the MCU (Marvel Cinematic) franchise which is generally far superior to the DCEU. There are a lot of cliches that the film has which would normally bring the movie down, the tone makes it feel fitting.

Most characters are very likeable and relatable and the performances are generally done really well with the exception of a few very young child actors who were a little annoying. Although this didn’t have much effect because they were not invasively present in the movie.  Zachary Levi as Shazam and Jack Dylan Grazer as Freddy Freeman had a great dynamic. Throughout the film they played off each other very well and made scenes very fun. Overall a fitting rating for this movie would be a 7/10