Shazam! (2019)

Shazam! deals with growing up in a way that's genuinely uncomfortable at times. But that discomfort is the point. David F. Sandberg never lets you look away, and the film is better for it.

I usually avoid this kind of film but gave Shazam! a chance after constant recommendations. Completely converted. David F. Sandberg transcends genre entirely. It works as pure human drama first.

Every actor brings something to Shazam!, but the lead performance is genuinely extraordinary. The subtlety involved, the way the character changes without announcing it — it's a masterclass.

I've seen Shazam! multiple times now and it just keeps getting better. the light-hearted tone is something rarely matched in cinema. If you haven't watched it yet, clear your evening.

Shazam! ended and I sat with it for weeks. The power without wisdom theme kept circling back. I'd be doing something mundane and the ATM robbery scene would pop into my head. That kind of resonance is rare.

Shazam! is technically accomplished and I understand its place in film history. But it left me cold. The power without wisdom element felt mechanical and I never connected emotionally. Maybe I'll try again.

We watched Shazam! together and spent an hour talking about power without wisdom afterward. That kind of conversation doesn't happen often. The film gives you something real to think about together.

Some elements of Shazam! show their age, but the core of it — power without wisdom, Zachary Levi's child-in-an-adult-body joy — hasn't diminished at all. Films this good age better than almost anything else.

I went into Shazam! knowing nothing — no trailer, no plot summary. I strongly recommend that approach. The chosen family hits much harder when you haven't been primed for it. Go in cold.

I first watched Shazam! as a teenager and thought it was fine. Rewatched at 30 and it hit completely differently. The chosen family undercurrent makes total sense now in a way it didn't before.