Just returned from seeing Captain Marvel.... er, umm, I mean SHAZAM! (I don't know if I will ever adapt lol), and my thoughts on the movie are quite conflicted. I am definitely harder on DC movies than Marvel, since I have a stronger emotional connection to DC lore. And the original Fawcett Captain Marvel in particular is a fundamental building block of my childhood, so it is difficult for me to judge this movie on it's own merits and what I wanted out of it.
And let me be honest, there is a vast chasm between the movie I wanted and the movie I got.
I wanted less Geoff Johns and more Otto Binder. I wanted more whimsy. I wanted more fantasy. I wanted talking rabbits and tigers, oh my.... The first post credit scene; now that is the movie I wanted to see!
This is visually a very grounded movie. So don't go in expecting Aquaman-style visuals or colours. The movie is set at Christmas time, and yet, the cinematography palette is dull, sullied and lifeless. It looks like the last shackles of the Snyder vision.
The tone of the movie is odd in many places. This is clearly a movie aimed at a younger audience, but I was surprised by some of the graphic violence and the ongoing negative Santa gag....
The villains.... I will be blunt, I did not like the reimagining of Dr. Sivana at all. It was just too Lex Luthor. Plus, I think it might be time for Mark Strong to retire from playing villains, as I found him completely one note and shockingly dull, bringing nothing new or fresh to his performance. And then there are the Seven Deadly Sins... the first strike against them they are CGI monsters, but the biggest sin (get it? see what I did there?) is they have zero individual personality. I mean it is sooooo obvious, each Sin's name should have opened the door to some creative gags and moments.... but they are nothing more than completely inter changeable killing machines. Such a lost opportunity.
The Shazam suit.... I was hoping the trailers were misleading me... but it looks like a padded suit. I did not believe for a second it was actual muscle....lol. The suit just did not work for me. But then again, when I was six and watching the George Reeves reruns I never realized his suit was padded, so there is that...
But I don't want to it seem like I hated this movie because I did not.
As many critics have said, there is a refreshing joy to this movie. Zachary Levi is delightful and funny. The core theme of Family works wonderfully and is the heart of this movie. In fact, it is this theme that elevates the Third Act from the pitfalls of other super hero movies.
It was a fun movie. My theatre was full and I would estimate over half the audience was between the ages of 6 and 14, and they were all laughing and cheering throughout. And I am looking forward to seeing it again now that my expectations are out of the way to see how I react.
It is not the Captain Marvel...er Captain Thunder... Sparklefingers???... it is not the movie as an old Fanboy I hoped or wanted, but for a new younger audience it might be hero they need.
7 out of 10 for me.