Shazam: Fury of the Gods is a perfectly entertaining time-waster (frankly, not unlike Black Adam) but it does lack the charm of its predecessor, however Zachary Levi still is great in the lead.
Shazam!: Fury of the Gods
(2023)
Genre(s): Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Warner Bros. | PG13 – 130 min. – $39.98 | May 17, 2023
Date Published: 06/04/2023 | Author: The Movieman
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Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Blog Post.
The opinions I share are my own.
The screen captures in this review were taken from the included Blu-ray copy and do not reflect the 4K UHD picture quality.
THE MOVIE — 3¼/5 |
| Plot Synopsis: Bestowed with the powers of the gods, Billy Batson (ZACHARY LEVI/ASHER ANGEL) and his fellow foster kids are still learning how to juggle teenage life with their adult superhero alter egos. When a vengeful trio of ancient gods arrives on Earth in search of the magic stolen from them long ago, Shazam and his allies get thrust into a battle for their superpowers, their lives, and the fate of the world.
Review: Shazam!, released in 2019, was a bit of a surprise and bright spot in the faltering DCEU and while I wasn’t in love with that movie, it did have its charms thanks to Zachary Levi embodying the titular character so well, to go along with the dynamic with kids, not to mention Mark Strong’s great performance as Dr. Sivana. Fast forward 4 years, with a couple of those kids hitting a growth spurt, as well as a worldwide pandemic, we finally get the sequel, Shazam: Fury of the Gods, pitting Captain Marvel (his original name) against three gods in Hespara, Kalypso and Anthea (played by Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu and Rachel Zegler respectively). I did like these three for the most part, until we hit a finale which finds Liu chewing up the scenery, although in fairness, hard not to riding a dragon made of wood, so will give her some slack. However, even with the presence of Mirren who seems to be having a blast in the twilight of her amazing career with this and appearances in the Fast and Furious franchise but doesn’t hold a candle to the menace someone like Mark Strong brought to the villain role.
Beyond the baddies, the plot this time finds Shazam in a bit of an identity crisis with the others within the family trying to find their own paths to superheorism. It’s an obvious path for the sequel that never quite resonates, feeling like some parts might’ve been removed perhaps to streamline a movie clocking in at over two hours, and at times feeling every bit of the running time. All that said, Zachary Levi once again is great in the role and this time Jack Dylan Grazer gets more to do and has some fun banter with Djimon Hounsou’s Wizard who is now alive with a loose explanation for his return (something to do with another realm, I think). Even so, Hounsou is a nice presence gets more screen time. |
SPECIAL FEATURES – 4/5 |
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This release comes with a semi glossy slip cover and inside is a redemption code for the Digital HD copy. Audio Commentary — Director David F. Sandberg sits down to provide insights into how the movie was made and Sandberg is the perfect person to do a solo track as he is lively but also give good information on the production. Shazam!: Let’s Make a Sequel (24:49) — This is a behind-the-scenes look at making the movie with interviews by members of the cast and crew including Zachary Levi, David F. Sandberg, Helen Mirren, Asher Angel and more. The Rock of Eternity: Decked Out (5:42) — This featurette looks at the new lair for our heroes. Shazam!: The Zac Effect (4:20) — Interviews with the cast and crew talking about Levi. Siserhood of Villains (7:54) looks at the trio of villains played by Mirren, Liu and Zegler. Shazam!: Scene Deconstruction (10:06) has Sandberg breaks down a few scenes and how they were films with practical and visual effects. Mythology of Shazam!: Fury of the Gods (4:59) is on how elements of mythology were incorporated to characters and plot. Shazamily Reunion (5:01) looks at the cast getting back together. And last up we get some Deleted Scenes (31:06) with intros by Sandberg. |
4K VIDEO – 5/5, BLU-RAY VIDEO – 4¾/5, AUDIO – 4¾/5 |
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Shazam: Fury of the Gods flies onto 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray where it’s presented with a 2.35 widescreen aspect ratio and has both HDR10 and Dolby Vision as options for the dynamic range, though my equipment doesn’t have DV available. In any case, this is a great looking picture on both formats, with the 4K getting a slight edge. Colors are generally bright and vibrant in keeping with the more family-oriented story while the assorted range of colors in the Shazam family have nice vivacity, not to mention the intricacy seeing the intricate textures. The movie includes a Dolby Atmos track on both formats. This track allows for a good sampling from the action sequences which does show off the depth while the few quieter scenes do have clear dialogue. It’s an excellent track that does give a bit of that in-theater experience. |
OVERALL — 3¾/5 |
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Shazam: Fury of the Gods is a perfectly entertaining time-waster (frankly, not unlike Black Adam) but it does lack the charm of its predecessor, however Zachary Levi still is great in the lead and at least Helen Mirren gives the villains a bit of weight, however neither she nor Lucy Liu can hold a candle to Mark Strong. As it is, this is fine a one-time viewing but for me, doesn’t have much replay value. |