“Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” is a classic superhero film. Directed by David F. Sandberg the movie is filled with comedy, camaraderie and general amusement. “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” follows Billy Batson (Asher Angel) and his foster family, as they balance their teenage life with their adult superhero alter egos. Shazam (Zachary Levi) and his team are left to battle a trio of wizards that have entered Earth in hopes to save their superpowers and the world.

While there are many positives to this sequel, it’s one that fails to capture the magic of its predecessor. Prior to working on the Shazam franchise, Sandberg directed horror films such as “Lights Out” and “Annabelle: Creation.” His filmmaking style is can be seen in Shazam as he brings in horror-esque elements to the villains of the film.

Released on March 17, “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” grossed a disappointing $65.5 million worldwide on a $125 million budget in its opening weekend. This was not surprising as the movie had little marketing and a major cameo spoiled during the film’s promotion.

The acting in this film is well done for the most part. Zachary Levi’s impeccable charm as Shazam was a pleasant surprise as compared to the first film. Additionally, seeing actors such as Helen Mirren and Rachel Zeglar in a comic book movie was particularly fun to watch. 

Throughout the film, there is an underlying theme of family and the importance of being there for each other. Billy Batson and the other members of his foster family come from different backgrounds yet there is still a nice camaraderie and friendship between each of them. Watching Shazam and his team learning to work together as a real family was extremely touching, and something that isn’t often found in  many comic book films.

As expected, the comedy in this film was just as witty and entertaining as the original. With two hours of non-stop jokes and funny remarks, moviegoers will definitely be entertained from beginning to end. 

The CGI in this film holds its ground, however, a majority of it was easy to point out. Still, while the movie doesn’t feature too much CGI and green screen, what was used was effective enough for the needs of the film.

The downside to “Shazam! Fury of the Gods,”  is that the film doesn’t have a distinct factor that makes it stand out in the comic book movie genre. As is, the film feels like any other big, expensive comic book movie that comes out each year. While the movie does have its emotional moments, it isn’t a deep character study or an exploration of the human mind by any means.

With that being said, I see how this movie could have a broad appeal to average moviegoers. Not everyone expects or wants a deep, thought provoking journey. Viewers may just want to watch a fun, energetic and fast paced roller coaster ride of a film, and that is exactly what ¨Shazam! Fury of the Gods¨ is. 

Although “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” doesn’t do anything to reinvent the comic book movie genre, it is worth a watch. Viewers can look forward to a high quality action film and a lot of comedy sprinkled throughout. Between the laugh out loud comedy, the fast paced action and the overarching theme of family, “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” is worth the trip to the theater.