Shazam! was screened in a number of theaters in North America this past weekend, and finally arrives everywhere else on April 5th.
Early reviews for the latest DC Comics adaptation
have been extremely positive and it definitely seems as if Warner Bros. has another hit on its hands. even if the marketing campaign could have arguably been better (at this stage, it feels like there should be a lot more content doing the rounds).
Now, for those of you who have seen the movie and need a recap or are just too impatient to wait until next Friday to find out what happens, we've got a spoiler-filled breakdown which shines a light on all of
Shazam!'s biggest moments and the most noteworthy surprises!
So, to check out this breakdown for yourselves, hit the "View List" button down below.
Dr. Sivana's New Origin Story
Like most DC Comics characters, Dr. Sivana has had a number of origin stories over the years but Shazam! delivers something new. The movie kicks off with a flashback to his childhood as we see the youngster transported away from his vile brother and father to the Rock of Eternity where it's quickly revealed that he's not worthy of inheriting the Wizard's powers.
Once he's back in the car, his reaction causes a crash which leaves his father badly injured and when we catch up with him in the present day, we learn Sivana has spent years finding others who were taken to the Rock of Eternity and deemed unworthy. After finally figuring out to return there, he frees the Seven Deadly Sins and badly injures the Wizard in order to get his revenge.
The Sins are contained within an orb he places in his eye and he later unleashes them on his family before learning that he must take Shazam's powers for himself so they can control the world.
Black Adam's "Cameo"
Unfortunately, Dwayne Johnson doesn't make any sort of cameo appearance as Black Adam but we do get a glimpse of the anti-hero when the Wizard is passing his powers on to Billy Batson.
It turns out that the Council of Eternity gave Adam their powers but he used them for revenge, unleashed the Sins, and wiped out both them and entire civilisations in the process. As a result, the Wizard has now spent thousands of years waiting for someone truly worthy to inherit his mantle.
We don't learn what became of Adam and his face is obscured but this story will surely be expanded on in his own movie unless it focuses on his return in the present day (the better option).
The Truth About Billy's Parents
Early on, a flashback to Billy Batson's childhood reveals that was separated from his mother at a funfair and has been searching for her ever since. It's not until his fellow foster kids lend a hand that he learns she's just two subway stops away.
Unfortunately, when he comes face to face with her, it becomes clear that things aren't quite as he remembers them and his then 17 year old mom actually saw that the police had found Billy and decided he would have a better life if she just left him. As for his father, it turns out he's behind bars.
It seems this plot thread won't be going any further than this as he soon embraces his foster family.
Shazam's Celebrity Status
When Shazam first inherits his abilities, he's not quite sure what to do with them and while he manages to stop a few petty crimes, being a "superhero" doesn't appear to be Billy's priority.
Instead, he becomes something of an internet celebrity with Freddy's help and they start raking in the cash. At one point, a display of his powers (which he's collecting cash for) goes horribly wrong and it's then that he has to save the bus we've seen in trailers. It's not until Sivana appears that the youngster realises that with great power, there must also come great responsibility!
Meet The Shazam Family
Thanks to those action figures that were officially revealed a couple of months back, the appearance of the Shazam Family in this movie isn't exactly a surprise. However, it's still a cool moment and one of the most memorable scenes in this entire adventure.
After remembering the Wizard's final words, Shazam grabs his magic staff (which is now in Sivana's possession) and shares his powers with his fellow foster kids during the final battle after the villain kidnaps them with the help of the Sins. They all look pretty cool but don't get a huge amount of screentime and some of them don't get to say more than a couple of lines each.
With any luck, that will change in the sequel because this adult versions of the gang definitely need fleshing out after this movie.
DCEU References
Heading into
Shazam!, it's fair to say that many of us were concerned that the references to characters like Superman and Batman would be a little too heavy handed. Well, that's thankfully not the case and we instead just get to see what it would be like to be a kid in a world where superheroes exist.
I'm not sure we needed to see them in toy stores (how would that even work, legally?) but
Shazam! does a good job of reminding us that it takes place in the same world as
Justice League while remaining as standalone in nature as
Aquaman.
Dr. Sivana And The Seven Deadly Sins Defeated
The final battle drags a little but Sivana is finally defeated when Shazam manages to convince Envy to show himself, something which leaves the villain powerless. Just as he's falling to his death, the hero saves him and lures the Sins back to the funfair and traps them back inside that orb after removing it from his foe's head.
What follows is a pretty hilarious moment in which Shazam pretends that he's being sucked in by them, and that's just one example of many great gags in the DC Comics adaptation.
Superman's Cameo
Freddy spends a huge chunk of the movie trying to talk Billy into coming to school as Shazam to validate him with the other kids. Well, in the closing moments of the film, he finally does that, but he's not alone. it's then that Superman walks in!
While he's wearing the Justice League suit, we never see his face and the actor doesn't appear to be anywhere near as well-built as British heartthrob Henry Cavill. However, it's a cool moment and
Shazam! cuts to the credits before we get to spend too much time picking fault with his appearance!
It's just a shame Warner Bros. couldn't work things out with Cavill.
Mr. Mind
Right at the start of the movie, we see Mr. Mind trapped in a jar at the Rock of Eternity but by the time Billy gets there, that's been smashed open. Well, the pint-sized bad guy finally makes his presence felt in the mid-credits scene when he recruits Sivana to his cause and teases the formation of the Monster Society of Evil.
Like his comic book counterpart, he talks through an electronic voice box but he's not credited at the end of the movie so we don't know who provided his voice as of right now.
The Post-Credits Scene
The second post-credits scene isn't really worth sticking around for, especially when it's actually been featured in TV spots and trailers for the movie. Basically, it just features Shazam pretending to talk to a fish before making fun of the power much to Freddy's disgust when he points out that Aquaman is actually a badass. This feels like a deleted scene tacked on for the sake of it, unfortunately.