Shazam!: The Not-So-Typical Superhero Figure

by Nik Nur Athirah

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Known for its dark and dreary narrative, DC Films surprised its fans with a ray of sunshine in the form of red tights - called Shazam!

With big superhero names such as Batman and Superman, DC’s Shazam didn’t get as much attention in its comic form. DC Films took a big risk in releasing such a character to the cinemas with the success of its rival company, Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but it was all worth it.

Directed by David Sandberg, who made his directorial debut with a horror story based off his short film, Lights Out, Shazam! was his first light-hearted superhero film that is the furthest from being scary. Although he prefers to direct horror or sci-fi films, The Annabelle: Creation director did a great job in making a name for this otherwise underrated comic book character. The only scary thing that you can find in this movie is the Seven Sins CGI characters.

It seems like DC Films has found a great match with horror directors for their movies as they have also hired the famous horror director, James Wan, who directed Aquaman, which is another movie that changed its concept and succeeded in becoming a box office hit.

Shazam! is also filled with talented young casts that take centre stage in this coming-of-age story. Asher Angel, who is famous for his role as Jonah Beck from Andi Mack, a Disney television series, played the lead role, Billy Batson with the right amount of angst and mischief an abandoned kid would have. Alongside him, we have the talented child actor from Stephen King’s It (2019) film, Jack Dylan Grazer who portrays Freddy Freeman, a superhero fanatic.

Zachary Levi who plays the titular character, Shazam, Billy’s alter ego, provides a convincing and refreshing take on the troupe of a child in an adult’s body. Levi’s portrayal of the lesser known superhero even garnered new fans from the younger generation with his attitude that is relatable to many millennials. Just imagine a millennial having superpowers, what would they do with it? Record and upload on social media, of course. Who wouldn’t want to be famous?

As far origin stories go, Shazam! appears to have the best one yet in DC Films as it opens with the story of the villain as opposed to the superhero. The origin of Shazam was not over-the-top (like taking revenge over your parent’s death) but more like a desperate call from a wizard. The way it focuses on the journey of Billy Batson, who discovers what it means to be a hero after he was chosen, is more grounded than becoming a hero because you were born with the power to begin with. Even though the basis of Shazam! is littered with sad circumstances of orphans and disabilities, it didn’t choose to go there, giving audience a hopeful outlook on life.

With its emphasis on light-hearted superhero humour, you would not expect to be hit by a subtle harshness of reality, where young parents abandon their responsibilities. Although the movie downplays Billy’s confrontation with his mother who abandoned him, we could not help but be more satisfied at the end as he finds the true meaning about having a family. As cliché as it sounds, Shazam! played the family card right with a foster family environment that doesn’t feel too forced, bringing in a new family of Superheroes.

However, Shazam! is not without its flaws. The villain character, Dr. Thaddeus Sivana played by an English actor, Mark Strong, didn’t have a very strong presence in the film itself. He was relegated to only a necessary evil character that helps the main hero undergo a change. Dr. Sivana was an undoubtedly forgettable character but he was the right villain to be the first to go against Shazam who is, technically, still a young child. It would be nice to see what other villains this superhero will fight later on in the future.

Putting a nice cherry on top of this excellent twist of superhero story, we get a glimpse of a potential crossover of Shazam! with the man of steel, Superman himself, marking the new era of DC Films.

If Shazam! is the sign of a new dawn in the DCEU, then we might just have hope for the franchise.