The short answer is that Shazam 2 is a depressingly lousy film.
Shazam! (2019) provided viewers with a story chock full of childlike joy. A simple hero’s journey was undertaken by Billy Batson (Zachary Levi/Asher Angel), one that accurately reflected the character. Shazam 2, or Shazam! Fury of the Gods, manages to strip away all of that likeability, leaving a sorry husk of a moviegoing experience.
How exactly did that happen? That explanation begins with Shazam 2’s script.
We Got A Sequel?
It is possible that screenwriter Henry Gayden wrote himself into a corner following the conclusion of the first film. A continuation of this series was definitely not a guarantee, so a future installment was not actively being thought about. When it came time to create Shazam 2, there were a number of chess pieces to position:
- Are Billy’s siblings going to join him in his fight? Documenting the heroics of six superheroes is surely more challenging than only one.
- What of Mister Mind? The mildly menacing caterpillar seen during the end-credits scene of the first film.
- Who is available to be the sequel’s villain? Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson isn’t keen on his Black Adam character losing fights.
Each of these questions receives an answer, but none of them are entirely satisfying ones.
Shazamily
Billy Batson is not alone in Shazam 2. All 5 of his siblings now possess the power to help him this time around. Each and every one of them are still living under the same roof, employing an “All or None” approach to their superheroics. One of those childlike sentiments that made its predecessor so endearing causes nothing but unnecessary stress this time around. Billy Batson spends the entire movie preaching that his family must work together, only to fight the final battle by himself.
If that failed attempt at a throughline isn’t enough to confuse audiences, Zachary Levi and Asher Angel’s conflicting performances will be. Levi is intentional with holding onto the silliness of a 14 year old version of Billy Batson that no longer exists. On the other hand, Angel has matured as both a character and an actor. He no longer presents the little boy persona that Levi is trying to perform, so the result is a plethora of mixed signals. Angel is telling us to move on, while Levi is telling us to hold on. There is some room present for advanced storytelling that relates to that concept, but is not present in Shazam 2.
Captain Everypower
Fan-favorite character Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer) makes his return, referring to his new superhero persona as “Captain Everypower.” Odd as it may be, Freddy has much more to do this time around compared to Billy.
Freddy’s particular brand of antics may be the only successful carryover from the first film. While still boringly generic, the journey that Grazer’s character embarks on with The Wizard (Djimon Hounsou) and Anthea (Rachel Zegler) provide the only humor-filled moments of the film. A shame when compared to the constant laughs induced by watching the first movie.
The Daughters of Atlas
In the case of the missing Mister Mind, there is no answer. The character shown at the end of the first movie is completely absent from its sequel. A recurring villain from the comics such as him could’ve easily been the sequel’s antagonist.
Instead, the creative team over at Warner Brothers thought they had a better idea. The “Daughters of Atlas,” a group created solely for the movie, were positioned as the opposing force in Shazam 2. Their desire to retrieve the magic within Billy and his family serves as the main conflict for the film. A struggle that can only occur because Billy simply left the Staff of the Gods on the ground. It cannot be said that this is out of character for Billy, but it is a flimsy way to introduce a group of antagonists.
The Wizard Returns – The Rock Does Not
Speaking of the Staff of the Gods, The Wizard becomes entangled in the Daughters’ scheme. An astute viewer may remember that The Wizard met an untimely end during the first film, but just go ahead and forget about that. The on-screen explanation for his reappearance is a matter of inexplicable magic.
The Wizard made a brief cameo in Black Adam (2022), so perhaps he has returned to warn Billy of the threat The Rock poses. This is absolutely not the case, with his presence in the film adding little more than some comedic relief for the audience. If there are any plans whatsoever for a conflict between Shazam and Black Adam, they are not developing within this film.
Atlas Family Drama
All of this nonsense surrounding the Daughters results in some uninspired performances. Hespera (Helen Mirren) and Kalypso (Lucy Liu) fall flat as menacing villains. Perhaps another indictment of the script as a whole, rather than their acting ability. The potential twist of familial mutiny can be easily predicted prior to its occurrence, giving the actresses little to play with.
Anthea is perhaps the most interesting of the bunch, but not for her villainous ways. She enjoys a tad more time to develop through her interactions with Freddy Freeman. In truth, this lends itself to the failings of the Daughters of Atlas as a villainous sisterhood. Anthea is quick to attach herself to Freddy, giving viewers an immediate sense that she will turn on her sisters, and everything will end up all hunky-dory for the Shazam family.
“All or None” Doesn’t Last Long
The film is titled Shazam 2 though, not Shazamily 2.
The Daughters of Atlas conveniently possess the ability to reclaim the powers of Billy’s Siblings. This results in a final battle that only Shazam can participate in.
An apology of a final battle is not enough to redeem Billy’s lack of activity within his own film. It honestly would’ve resonated more had all his siblings once again fought alongside him against the forces of evil. Instead, viewers must watch as their title character that has been given no meaningful development whatsoever fights alone.
Billy chose to bring his family into his fight, resulting in him taking a backseat. It is not until his family exits the scenario that he returns to centerstage. An idea in direct contradiction with the message that Shazam 2 is trying to convey. The family is supposedly stronger as a unit, but while they were fighting together, they lost, but when its only Billy, they win.
Shazam 2’s Failures
Looking back on it, the movie was doomed from the start. The lackluster performance of the DCEU as a whole, continuing now into the release of The Flash, didn’t exactly give it a fighting chance.
If anything was going to redeem this movie, it was going to be the overall quality of the product. Shazam (2019) did just that. Shazam 2 did not.
Lightning in a bottle is hard to replicate.
4/10.
Shazam 2 is currently available to stream on Max.
