Don’t Miss Shazam! Fury of the Gods – Charismatic Shazam Family Returns in Sequel
[0] This Friday, March 17, Fury of the Gods will be in theaters.[1] The sequel to the 2019 film [0], the action-adventure directed by David F. Sandberg follows teenage foster-child Billy Batson (Asher Angel) as he is granted the power to transform into a vermillion hunk, played by Zachary Levi, with the usual roster of Superman-like powers. In the sequel, Billy and his fellow foster kids must battle a vengeful trio of ancient gods who arrive on Earth in search of the magic that was stolen from them in ancient times.[3]
The movie features an all-star cast including Rachel Zegler, Lucy Liu and Helen Mirren.[3] Levi’s Shazam is dealing with “imposter syndrome” and trying to broker peace between the gods and his family. But the Daughters of Atlas (Mirren, Liu, Zegler) are out for revenge and looking to reclaim the powers that now reside within Billy and his family. The movie also stars Meagan Good, Grace Currey, Djimon Hounso and D.J. Cotrona.[4]
Early social media reactions to the movie have been positive, applauding the franchise’s sense of humor and some of the new additions to the cast, but noting that the movie could have done a better job of centering the movie’s titular hero. Critics have also noted that there are two bonus scenes during the end credits which set up the future of Shazam in the DC Universe.[5]
[0] Fury of the Gods is a perfect sequel that you won’t want to miss.[5] Don’t forget to stay for the two post-credits scenes which feature yet another familiar face in this universe.[6] Zachary Levi is back with a less buoyant hero and bland villains, so watch out for the shopworn and at times incoherent plot, along with an overstuffed, overlong finale. However, the charm of the Shazam Family, whose closeness was one of the sweetest parts of the first film, remains bright in this sequel.[7]
0. “Shazam! Fury of the Gods movie review: the spell has been broken” Evening Standard, 15 Mar. 2023, https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/shazam-fury-of-the-gods-movie-review-zacary-levi-dcu-helen-mirren-b1067579.html
1. “Shazam 2 keeps Wonder Woman, Batman out of the picture in a clever way” Polygon, 14 Mar. 2023, https://www.polygon.com/23638287/shazam-fury-of-the-gods-justice-league-daughters-atlas-preview
2. “‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods': One of the Worst DC Movies Ever” The Daily Beast, 15 Mar. 2023, https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/shazam-fury-of-the-gods-one-of-the-worst-dc-movies-ever
3. “Meagan Good Amps Up Embellished Bralette With Thigh-High Slit Skirt & Strappy Sandals for ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ Los Angeles Premiere” Footwear News, 15 Mar. 2023, https://footwearnews.com/2023/fashion/celebrity-style/meagan-good-at-shazam-2-premiere-in-los-angeles-1203431563/
4. “‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ Los Angeles Premiere Makes a Splash With a Wet Red Carpet” Hollywood Reporter, 15 Mar. 2023, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/shazam-fury-of-the-gods-los-angeles-premiere-flooded-1235352908/
5. “SHAZAM! Fury of the Gods Review: Zachary Levi and Jack Grazer steals the show; Perfect superhero sequel” PINKVILLA, 15 Mar. 2023, https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/hollywood/shazam-fury-of-the-gods-review-zachary-levi-and-jack-grazer-steals-the-show-perfect-superhero-sequel-1212733
6. “Shazam! Fury of the Gods Review” JoBlo.com, 15 Mar. 2023, https://www.joblo.com/shazam-fury-of-the-gods-review/
7. “‘Shazam' 2 Review: DC's Superhero Sequel Loses the Magic of the Original” Inverse, 15 Mar. 2023, https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/shazam-2-review
