SHAZAM!!!! Totally biased review...

[bminor]

Saw SHAZAM! on Friday, opening afternoon, first showing at 12:30 in the afternoon.

Not a whole lot of people, but it was early in the day.A young mother and her two young boys, under 10, were very lucky to see a fun movie, geared toward them.

I am a die-hard CC Beck fan of the original Big Red Cheese. This movie reminded me a lot of the great Superman movie from 1978.
I really do not want to spoil anything for any of you fans out there, but it felt like they did a great job trying to appeal to the younger set in this film. Sure, there was plenty for the older crowd. Some easter eggs for the die-hard fans. Mark Strong did a great job as Sivana, Zachary Levi WAS Captain Marvel, I mean Shazam! He filled out the suit admirably. He did a fine job helping me suspend reality and accept him as the Big Red Cheese being a real living person.

Many of the regulars of the original Captain Marvel were there.

I don't feel like I should say much more, except that you should go and see it.
A couple of things though, make sure you stay until the last credit has rolled!

So in short go and see it! I am sure that I am preaching to the choir here on DCM.

B.

[Yoc]

Thanks for sharing your review B.
And I'm especially happy it is kid friendly.

-Yoc

[Defiant1]

I'm not going to see it. The trailers I've seen are horrid. It looks like it's aimed at young kids and I have no interest in seeing that type of movie. I'm a fan of the character in comics, but not the character depicted in the trailer. If I have to see those scenes again in the movie, that's enough reason for me to avoid it.

[erwin-k]

I'm not going to see it. The trailers I've seen are horrid. It looks like it's aimed at young kids and I have no interest in seeing that type of movie. I'm a fan of the character in comics, but not the character depicted in the trailer. If I have to see those scenes again in the movie, that's enough reason for me to avoid it.

I tend to agree D-1. Seems like the kid does not know how to access, or ignores, even a small fragment of the Wisdom of Solomon. Plus the Wal-Mart 100 Page Giants have begun reprinting the graphic novel that promotes the movie. UGH!

I plan to wait until the DVD gets down to $5.00. Then I might buy it. BTW, that's more than I can say about Deadpool 2.

[Defiant1]

That's exactly what bothers me. I think the wisdom of Solomon is a key missing element. Although I've never read Malibu's Prime series, I feel like they used that character instead of the original Captain Marvel. I'm just not into movies where the characters are stupid. It can be done well, but that's not what I was seeing in the trailer. I am also someone who finds nothing funny on the TV show "America's Funniest Videos". Slapstick humor has never appealed to me. I realize some people enjoy it, so I'm guessing it will do well. I think it's very strange that it's got a 100% fresh rating on the Rotton Tomatoes site and it hasn't even been released yet. I'm pretty confident it will shift to a serious theme with a very responsible tone at the end. I still don't want to see it. That transition has been done a thousand times in movies. My biggest problem with Aquaman was that it was too cliché. He's the reluctant hero that was only one who can unite Atlantis to the surface dwellers. It's a similar theme to too many other movies. I prefer a kid's movie to inspire their minds to greatness, not drop down to their level and just play on their naiveté.

[Erik Larsen]

In the comics--Billy turns into Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel had his own distinct personality. There are even stories where the lightning bolt hits somebody else--and they're turned into Captain Marvel complete with his personality intact. If Captain Marvel has Billy's personality--that's not Captain Marvel--that's some other guy.

[Defiant1]

In the comics--Billy turns into Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel had his own distinct personality. There are even stories where the lightning bolt hits somebody else--and they're turned into Captain Marvel complete with his personality intact. If Captain Marvel has Billy's personality--that's not Captain Marvel--that's some other guy.

I agree. From all the stories I've read, what you say is true. I assume you are "the" Eric Larsen. I haven't replied to any of your posts in many years. I hope all is well. I was thinking about your collaboration with Steve Ditko when he passed away. That must have been an opportunity of a lifetime. 

Although I never saw my parents read comics, they encouraged me to read them. My dad inspired my fondness for EC comics and both my parents had fond memories of Captain Marvel. They told me he was more popular than Superman. My dad loved the fact that Dr. Sivana could recite some mathematical formula and walk through a wall. The first Captain Marvel stories I read in comics were the oversized Treasury Editions. In about 1980, a comic shop found a Whiz #9 with the cover split and separated from the book. The pieces were in two different boxes. They sold it to me for $20. The book is brittle, but I cherish it to this day.  The stories were simple, but they were never overly childish.

[erwin-k]

A lot of the original CPT Marvel stories have the same sort of feeling as Carl Barks & Don Rosa's Duck Stories. Aimed at kids, but with a lot for adults with open minds. Post WW2 I think this became even more so.

Tho with a different approach, the Hercules and Xena TV shows could mix serious with goofy, and even include biting satire. (I mean who else ever actually had an episode about actual Fashion Police.)

I love stories that can make me both laugh and think.

[darkmark (RIP)]

Too bad we can't post SUPERSNIPE stories here.  They rock!