Shazam! Fury of the Gods

Unlike many of it’s kind, “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” is a more successful follow-up than many lackluster sequels of its genre.

During a time when disappointing sequels have become rampant throughout cinematic universes, especially within the super hero genre (I’m looking at you Marvel), its no small wonder that “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” manages to stand out among the rest, despite a few missing key elements. Although it still has the spirit, humor, and lovable characters of its 2019 predecessor, “Fury of the Gods” also lacks some of the depth that permeated the first film, but it’s still exciting and compelling.

As was to be anticipated, in this film we explore how Billy’s family is adjusting to their newfound powers, and what that means for them and their city. 

One of the movie’s successes is continuing to showcase the hilarious and likely repercussions of living in a city where teenagers are inexplicably given superpowers. This in particular allows for several tonally familiar and comedic scenes wherein we get to see our characters apply boneheaded solutions to life threatening situations. These moments of levity are often used to showcase how acquiring these powers has effected Billy’s relationships with his now super siblings. 

As is the case with many sequels, this film attempts to tactfully continue Billy’s previously established character arc, in addition to the rest of the Shazamily.

Where the heart of the first story was rooted in Billy’s journey to find and build a family rather than just being born into one, “Fury of the Gods” is noticeably less dedicated to giving its narrative and characters breathing room to further develop their depth and complexity. At the beginning, we are introduced to the idea that adding these powers to the family dynamic has started effecting Billy’s now established relationship with his siblings as they begin to change and branch out. 

Although choosing this aspect of Billy’s character to carry the emotional backbone of the film seems promising at first, it is soon undercut by an increased focus on exciting action scenes that include goofy teenage boy antics and the characteristically quippy dialogue that bolstered the first film’s identity. Despite these few short comings, “Fury of the Gods” still maintains that familiar sense of humorous authenticity by using those same traits to showcase just how much Billy has come to truly love his family. 

Along with the introduction of new family dynamics, naturally comes an introduction of new villains. In this sequel our heroes are forced to face the Daughters of Atlas trio who hold an ancient grudge against the titular promethean wizard Shazam, who initially granted Billy with his powers, and the Earth in general. Hespara and Kalypso, played by Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu respectively, undoubtedly make an impact from their ancient Grecian armor clad entrance in films opening scene. 

One of the most exciting things that these new villains bring to the table, aside from their incredible on screen presence, is the possibility of future tie-ins to Greek and other popular mythologies. Although their introduction and narrative throughout the plot opens the door for the future involvement of famously mythological concepts and characters, the only things these villains are missing is a more fleshed-out origin and motivation.

Where Dr. Sivana provided a humanizing element to a cruel yet interesting villain for our protagonist to contend with in the first film, here the Daughters of Atlas serve as more of an “evil force” to overcome than as a compelling and engaging villain that needs to be understood before he can be fought. 

Overall “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” was a delight to watch. Fans of the first film are likely to be reminded of and enjoy the new and quirky transitions between Billy and his super hero counter part. Director David F. Sandberg succeeds at creating dynamic and interesting to watch combat scenes that take full advantage of Billy’s ability to become Captain Sparklefingers on command.

Regardless of its minor flaws, “Fury of the Gods” does a much better job than most sequels at retaining its core identity and avoiding self parody. It is precisely because of these reasons the film is so entertaining and well worth the time of DC and super hero fans alike.