“Shazam! The Fury of the Gods” is already in theaters. Without departing from the humorous side, the film slightly boosts the emotional transition of a character who fights against the worst enemy anyone can have: the incomprehensible adolescence.
In the midst of this intersection, where childhood and maturity come together, this hero searches for a place in the world but also in his tribe, while trying to understand himself. Obviously, the recurring outbursts and clumsiness of his age -despite looking like a man when he transforms- will bring him severe problems. Especially in front of a planet that expects much more from him and pressures him to be better.
Without being the singing voice that unites and guides his team, this young man spends the entire film trying to prove himself. While he, desperate, he tries to raise his voice in front of other equally distracted peers.
And it is precisely this desire to be taken into account seriously but without the necessary maturity to deal with risks, which marks its main problem. In addition, the situation splashes another handful of young people just like him with a gift that they have no idea how to manage. Along the way, each token will take her place on the game board.
the family is respected
While this occurs in the plot, humor -from jokes related to popular culture- will raise laughter in the cinema. A condition that gave the character sympathy in the first one and that is enhanced in this one, without losing the only thing that brings personality and grace to the very existence of Shazam. That is applauded.
And so, together with their protagonist, these teenagers face various existential issues while shouting the name that transforms them. Highlighting the particular case of Grazer, Billy's clumsy friend who also faces his first teenage love. Also, the desire to exploit his power to achieve fame and recognition, regardless of whether that means falling and getting up countless times.
In higher, more pretentious wet dreams, Billy's hormones will also heed this call, but without putting him in the spotlight.
For the rest of the young people with powers, their personal history will be more irrelevant. And it is that being too many there is no space more than to show specific cases. Like the one who hides his homosexuality and fears rejection from his family.
In the midst of all the adventure, with some degrees of forced sensitivity, the film also bets on the discourse of the family, its construction and importance in social dynamics.
More of the same
What does not deserve applause is the effort to generate chaos from three villains without constant cohesion. With a different project in mind, each one does what provokes them and that makes the story convoluted.
As is known, these three sisters come back to life to search for the broken staff and recover powers that they consider unworthy in the hands of humans. That precisely that was given to Billy and that he later shared with his brothers. But that from the first scene it is shown out of control because without a guide, neither good nor bad, they are capable of completing missions.
During the conflict, monsters, dragons, magical trees and even unicorns will entertain the viewer. But surely with high-caliber actresses like Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu and Rachel Zegler one would have expected something less cartoonish and more profound. When they are together, something is missing, as if only Zegler believed the role while the other two build their characters from the most rancid cliché.
