The crew of orphans known from the previous part, capable of turning into adult superheroes with a single magic word, returns in a new edition to face a triad of vengeful goddesses … and the problems of growing up that will test the bonds between the adopted family.
I came across the first Shazam by accident, lured by Zachary Levi’s nice face, previously known to me mainly from the Chuck series . And I didn’t regret it. I got a film that, despite the DC logo underneath it, was not dark and gloomy, but loose, humorous and “fresh”, although even in this envelope it was able to smuggle a bit of drama and emotional moments that could make the most sensitive viewer cry a tear or two. And with this nice memory in my head, I went to the cinema for the second part – Shazam! Wrath of the Gods – convinced that even if I just get more of the same, I’ll be satisfied. Did the sequel live up to its predecessor?
Enormity overwhelms, modest size allows you to breathe
I admit without beating that for a long time I feel the so-called. superhero fatigue , i.e. fatigue with movies about leotards. I avoid the vast majority of productions connected to the MCU continuum or related to the Justice League. Not because I have any problem with the subject matter itself, or with simple images based on fights, explosions and dynamic action holding on to the fragile framework of the pretext plot. It’s more about the growing impression that these films are trying to clumsily pretend to be something they’re not.
In a nutshell: if I feel that the next superhero brawler entering the big screen has aspirations to pretend to have emotional and philosophical depth that it simply does not have, my interest in such a title drops drastically.
And the same is true of the “bricks in the wall” written on the knee, building the next epic phase of the Marvel (or any other) universe, as well as preaching paintings whose main goal is to hit the viewer on the head with an intense message about contemporary social problems. When we reject these three subgroups of superhero cinema , we are left with … well, almost nothing. But in this “almost” there will be Shazam!
That’s why Shazam! The wrath of the gods somehow lets you breathe. A local invasion of goddesses from another world shakes the lives of the inhabitants of Philadelphia, and the main character and his family have to deal with it and … basically that’s it. The lack of stakes on a cosmic scale, cameos from characters more famous than Shazam himself or scheming how to squeeze the events from the screen into the context of the broader narrative of the entire DCEU definitely works out for the title and leaves room for what was the norm in older productions – action, humor and fun with less significant characters who get their five minutes here.
A still from the trailer for “Shazam! Wrath of the Gods”
Good idea, poor execution…
Unfortunately – what I am describing, the first Shazam! from 2019 did much better than the sequel. The general nature of the production and its strengths remain the same, but the end result leaves much to be desired. Zachary Levi is still great at playing the overgrown kid and infecting the viewer with positive energy, and Jack Dylan Grazer still steals the show as the clever and feisty Freddy … but still it’s hard to shake off the impression that the plot somehow limits them, and the threads and dialogues could be led Better.
It’s the same with playing with emotions. Original Shazam! he was able to smuggle a bit of drama between the mass of jokes – I mean the unpleasant genesis of the main antagonist or the heartbreaking scene of Billy’s meeting with his biological mother. Shazam! The wrath of the godscannot boast of anything of a similar caliber, and the protagonist’s private problems outlined in the background are also worse. While the first part was a story about finding and accepting a new family by the main character, who gradually learns to leave his protective barriers and admit to himself that someone cares about him and there are people worthy of his trust, in the sequel Billy changes into a home tyrant who tries to force his adopted siblings together and is terrified of their loss – and thus of any changes.
However, all this is hinted at at the beginning, and then more and more is lost somewhere between explosions, gags and Freddy’s romantic thread. It’s a pity. A bit of a sensible message about dealing with the fear of loss – not in terms of death, but in terms of weakening bonds and the inevitable diminution of someone’s role in our lives – would, I think, be universal and useful to many people in today’s world. It would also give a bit more room for the development of the main character’s personality, who always looks good in images focused largely on only one character.
A still from the trailer for “Shazam! Wrath of the Gods”
” A hero is only as good as his opponent”
Another clear problem with Wrath of the Gods , especially compared to the first Shazam , is the lack of a decent antagonist. Doctor Sivana could be terrifying and exude an aura of cruelty and danger around him, and his personal story gave him some depth and allowed the viewer to somehow empathize with his point of view and even sympathize with him a little. Such a mix is a recipe for a good, or at least “decent” arch-villain whose struggles with the protagonist are followed with curiosity. Unfortunately, in this aspect, the sequel fares much worse.
The divine sisters facing Shazam’s family in Wrath of the Gods , though cast by expressive and talented actresses, ultimately turn out to be painfully bland and bland performances. The one that receives the most attention and screen time quite quickly falls outside the classical definition of an antagonist, the motivations and attitudes of the second are unclear and seem to change for unconvincing reasons, while the motives and character of the third are shallow as a puddle, and the fact that this it is she who ultimately takes on the role of the main threat to the world and is the final nail in the coffin.
Taking all this into account, I don’t think it will surprise anyone to say that such enemies do not evoke any special emotions in the viewer. Two of the three sisters are largely expressionless puppets, doing their own thing and attacking the protagonists, because that’s their role in the plot, and it’s unlikely anyone will think of empathizing with their situation … or even cheering Shazam on purpose in beating and crossing them plans. Wrath of the gods can therefore be safely included in the list of examples from the series: “How NOT to write antagonists.”
A still from the trailer for “Shazam! Wrath of the Gods”
Casual entertainment for a spring afternoon
In conclusion, with all my sympathy for “looser” superhero movies and the original Shazam! , on which I had a great time, I can’t help but see a noticeable drop in quality compared to its predecessor. Sorry, Shazam! Wrath of the Gods lands in my category of “chop movies”.
The gags are still funny, some of the characters have their own charm, and the picture is not lacking in positive, youthful energy, but it can all be done better – as evidenced by the first part. The stepmother’s treatment of the seemingly central plot of Billy Batson’s coming of age to loosen ties with his new family, and the nightmarish performance of the antagonists, simply cannot be seen as anything other than a shameful, disappointing mistake that kills the title’s potential. So while old Shazam! could draw in, and at times even move, The Wrath of the Gods is only suitable for watching in the category of a relaxing brainwasher to leer at over the dinner plate.
For watching Shazam! Wrath of the gods, thank you Cinema City cinema chain !