Yahoo News Shazam! first reactions herald Zachary Levi film as 'best DCEU instalment yet'
The first reactions for Shazam! are out, with critics heralding the upcoming flick as the best modern DC superhero outing yet.
Starring Zachary Levi as the eponymous character, Shazam! centres on a young boy – played by Asher Angel – who can transform into a Superman-type hero by saying the word “shazam”.
After screening to press, critics have come away calling the film the best instalment in the DCEU universe – also including Man of Steel, Batman v Superman, Aquaman, Suicide Squad and Justice League – yet on Twitter.
SHAZAM!: Obviously, terms like “fun” and “crowdpleaser” get thrown around a lot in superhero spheres but this movie really IS a fun crowdpleaser with a lot whole of heart (and significantly more curse words than I was expecting). I like feeling happy after a movie! I feel happy!
— Kate Erbland (@katerbland)
SHAZAM is really good. I don’t know what to tell you. I laughed, I choked up, I was delighted, the ending is a genuinely clever twist...I know there’s a superhero movie every month now and even i’m getting pretty sick of them but THIS ONE IS REALLY GOOD
— David Sims (@davidlsims)
SHAZAM!: A fun time at the movies
— Mike Ryan (@mikeryan)
#Shazam is awesome! Slow start but the rest of the movie totally makes up for it. Love that Sandberg utilized his horror expertise and made the film scarier than I anticipated. Two thumbs up!
— Beatrice Verhoeven (@bverhoev)
Finally allowed to say that #Shazam was fantastic! Full of heart and pure childhood wish fulfillment. It’s funny and the tone is exactly right. @zacharylevi is perfect in the role, and so is @asherangel, who I’m convinced is @maisie_williams‘ brother! pic.twitter.com/DXhp2ZBteR
— Jenna Busch (@JennaBusch)
#Shazam is an absolute delight! Super vibrant, tons of heart & a great fun-loving vibe. The family element is a big charmer & so is the humor that comes with watching @ZacharyLevi explore his new powers. Said this after IT but it’s worth repeating – @Jgrazerofficial is a star.
— Perri Nemiroff (@PNemiroff)
Zachary Levi was born to play #Shazam He delivers lots of laughs alongside co-star Jack Dylan Grazer. The film packs some big surprises for comics buffs and offers enough mainstream appeal to win over new fans. Shazam’s strengths definitely outweigh its weaknesses. pic.twitter.com/kfFMW01jfO
— Jim Vejvoda (@JimVejvoda)
#Shazam is parts Home Alone, parts Big, a crowd pleasing family-friendly joy-filled wish-fulfillment superhero film which gets a bit over the top and cheesy at times. It’s fun and funny, and I was surprised at how much it wears it’s heart on its sleeve.
— Peter Sciretta (@slashfilm)
#Shazam was damn near PERFECT in my book. My FAVORITE DC movie (DCEU? What are we saying now?) by far. Pure of heart, incredibly funny, full of in-jokes and references. Brought me a childlike joy to watch. This role was MADE for @ZacharyLevi... & Jack & Asher & the entire cast pic.twitter.com/rVrxjcwvCe
— Ash Crossan (@AshCrossan)
Shazam! is another win for DC. Sure, the humor & action you’d expect from a superhero film are there, but #ShazamMovie stands out because of the emotional, family story at its center. I had some small issues with the hero/villain aspects but the family stuff is dynamic & powerful pic.twitter.com/FYM3QVp5hu
— Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier)
I saw #Shazam this week--no review yet, but I and can confidently say it’s the best DCEU movie to date. It’s super fun, has a ton of heart, feels like a self-aware throwback to adventure movies of the ‘80s, the cast are all great, and everything about it just works! pic.twitter.com/LwSncWZFut
— Mike Rougeau (@RogueCheddar)
Directed by Annabelle: Creation‘s David F Sandberg, the synopsis reads: “Still a kid at heart — inside a ripped, godlike body — Shazam revels in this adult version of himself by doing what any teen would do with superpowers: have fun with them! Can he fly? Does he have X-ray vision? Can he shoot lightning out of his hands? Can he skip his social studies test?
“Shazam sets out to test the limits of his abilities with the joyful recklessness of a child. But he’ll need to master these powers quickly in order to fight the deadly forces of evil controlled by Dr. Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong).”
Shazam! reaches UK cinemas 5 April.
