Review: 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' falls into the typical sequel trap

"Hold on to saving the world, kid!" I believe the enjoyment of a movie is inherently dependent on when it's released. Some movies don't quite work on first viewing, but upon revisiting a little later, we're often surprised by a movie that's much better than the one we remembered - and vice versa. In 2019, Shazam! was a breath of fresh air in a DCEU (DC Extended Universe) marked by its inconsistency, offering viewers a lighter environment and more charismatic characters. However, any enthusiasm for Shazam! Fury of the Gods was low for the last few months of anticipation… Could this sequel surprise me one more time?

Short and straight answer: no. Director David F. Sandberg and screenwriter Henry Gayden return for this second Billy Batson/Shazam adventure, starring Chris Morgan (of Hobbs & Shaw, 47 Ronin, Furious 7, The Fate of the Furious ) contributing to the script. Unfortunately, Shazam! Fury of the Gods falls into the trap of many original superhero movie sequels: it takes what worked in the first movie and abuses all of those aspects excessively, damaging the tonal balance and removing the authenticity of a story that remains stereotyped and predictable from the first minute.

I didn't expect this storyline to deviate from the genre's typical premise and development, nor to become a heavy, complex, and emotionally overwhelming family drama. The original Shazam! works because it never forgets what kind of movie it is - it never loses the idea that nothing should be taken (too) seriously. Sensitive themes are approached with respect, but the viewer is never fooled into believing the film is going to turn into an intense and complex character study.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods fails to maintain this same balance. The traumas that plagued Billy's life create an interesting narrative about the fear of losing another family and having everyone abandon him, despite the sequel repeating many points that the original had already covered. This more sensitive topic was enough, but there is an attempt to turn it into "something more", introducing an unexpected and less positive relationship between Billy and Rosa (played by Marta Milans), who is his adoptive mother. This particular subplot never gets enough attention and is resolved in such a simplistic and unwarranted way that it ends up accidentally diminishing the relevance and hurdles of situations like this.

While the length of both films is roughly the same, the sequel feels much longer as its first two acts are void of moments with real energy and heart. Shazam! Fury of the Gods is so generic that even the opening action sequence is just a cheap repeat of a crumbling bridge. The middle part wastes a lot of time on MacGuffins, pointless expositions, and villains with paper-thin motivations. Like all the other characters in the film, the villains only benefit from the superb performances of their actresses.

Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu draw on their experience to elevate their roles, but it's Rachel Zegler who really impresses with her massive charisma that jumps out on screen. All of the young actors have their moments, as do their adult versions - with the exception of Grace Caroline Currey, who plays both versions of her character, one of many plot points that receive no explanation. However, Zachary Levi still clearly stands out as the original Shazam. The actor can interpret this character with his eyes closed, just like Jack Dylan Grazer also does in the role of Freddy Freeman.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods gives the latter a lot of screen time, placing him in a romantic teen storyline, which ends up raising another issue. If in the original film, Freddy is still tolerable, in this sequel the character is almost unbearable. The light, silly comedy that marked the first movie already had levels of cringe in its jokes. However, the vast majority of them fall flat in this sequel, which brings out the most irritating part of Freddy's personality. The aforementioned tonal balance spins out of control, making several moments stand out as forced and too...