The Pitch: While Batman, Superman, and the rest of the Justice League defend the world at large, local hero Billy Batson (Asher Angel) and his “fam” of fellow foster kids (including Jack Dylan Grazer’s acerbic bestie Freddy Freeman) defend the city of Philadelphia with godlike powers acquired from the now-broken staff of a mysterious wizard (Djimon Hounsou).
Sure, when they shout “Shazam!” they grow to Grecian proportions as superpowered adults (most notably, Zachary Levi as Billy’s beefed-up counterpart). But their day-saving abilities are spotty at best, leading to the town referring to them as the “Philly Fiascos.” What’s more, Billy feels his foster family growing apart, and as he grows closer to 18, he’s feeling more than a bit of impostor syndrome.
It couldn’t come at a worse time for Philly, really: Turns out the staff from which they got their powers was stolen by the Wizard from the god Atlas, and his powerful daughters — Hespera (Helen Mirren), Kalypso (Lucy Liu), and Anthea (Rachel Zegler), would like to take it back, please and thank you. And before you can squabble about whether or not these new villains have a point, you learn they’re ready to annihilate the world with that power. No need for moral ambiguity in our superhero flicks!
The Gods of Tedium: 2019’s Shazam! was a comparative breath of fresh air amid the dour, dreary vibes of the DCEU by that point. It’s a kid-friendly adventure that had just as much in common with an Amblin Entertainment picture as it did something like Aquaman or Justice League., buoyed by a welcome stab of cosmic horror courtesy of Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation maestro David F. Sandberg.
And indeed, Fury of the Gods continues in that tradition, one more concerned with quipping kids in beefed-up supersuits than grumbling musings on the failings of humanity. But that’s a layup in this age of giddy, bubbling Marvel pictures, and even the new James Gunn-run DC universe is likely to pep things up with a bit more Skittles-flavored excitement than the Snyder era.
So why does Fury of the Gods feel so empty?
Shazam! Fury of the Gods (Warner Bros.)
