Guy Ritchie's Aladdin Brings A Whole New World To The Classic Tale That Delivers

      

      Disney strikes again with their newest and perhaps boldest attempt yet at turning one of their most beloved animated films to live action with Guy Ritchie's Aladdin. Beginning first with 2014's Malificent, Disney's strategy of turning their most successful animated films into live action for the most part has worked out pretty good with 2015's Cinderella, 2016's The Jungle Book, and 2017's Beauty And The Beast turning out to be massive successes of their own. Taking a two year break almost, the live action Disney films have returned with Tim Burton's Dumbo being released along with Guy Ritchie's Aladdin. Whereas Burton's Dumbo film received heavily mixed reviews and performed modestly well at the box office, more pressure and expectation were placed upon Guy Ritchie's film to deliver a live action adaptation that somehow captures the magic and nostalgia of the original. That was always going to be a huge burden as well as a serious challenge for the cast and crew of the new film as they didn't have Robin Williams to reprise the role of The Genie this time around. The films production was plagued by heavy controversy with Will Smiths casting as the new Genie prompting massive backlash from fans along with the criticism of the films CGI work on his character. The film also was criticized for the revealing of caucasian actors faces being painted to make them look middle eastern as extras in the film. Aladdin's road to the big screen as a live action film was by no means an easy task for Guy Ritchie and his team but for the most part, they succeed in delivering a worthy remake of the original film that pays homage to the past while upgrading the story for a new generation of audiences adding new twists and turns to the story.

      The plot for the 2019 Aladdin remains exactly the same as the original with a young street thief named Aladdin coming across a lamp that allows him to free a Genie that grants him all of his wishes while transforming him into a charming prince in order to marry a beautiful princess named Jasmine whom he met on the streets of Agrabah. While Aladdin and Jasmine meet and fall in love, an evil sorcerer named Jafar becomes hell-bent on obtaining the lamp for his own sinister purposes. With the live-action version of Aladdin, Ritchie keeps the same storyline from the original intact but chooses to expand on the development of certain characters such as Will Smiths Genie while also improving on Jasmines character from the original film, making her more of a central figure in the story. Despite the character changes, Ritchie keeps intact much of the fun spirit, action, and heart of the original while utilizing his own over the top directing style that strangely enough fits the story with some impressive slow motion sequences. The films opening sequence is a nice addition to the story with Smiths character opening up the films narrative with a clever revival of the classic Arabian Knight song. Those moments along with the introduction of Aladdin being chased through the streets of Agrabah as a thief with Abu on his shoulder provide powerful yet effective moments of nostalgia for those who grew up watching the original film. Other great moments in the film that drive home that nostalgia and are terrific to see in live-action are Aladdin coming across the lamp and his introduction in the streets of Agrabah as Prince Ali further helped by Will Smiths impressive musical number. The new key moments that weren't present in the original film but work in the remake are Princess Jasmines Speechless scene which is absolutely stunning to watch (Even if the guards fading out in the scene gives audiences PTSD from watching Avengers: Infinity War). The one biggest sequence in the movie that would either make or break the whole film depending on how Guy Ritchie directed it is the iconic A Whole New World carpet flying sequence. That moment is without question the most anticipated sequence out of the whole film for audiences going into the live-action film and happily enough, it doesn't disappoint. Its beautifully filmed and acted by the main leads with the new scene delivering chills to the audience who experienced it as kids three decades prior, and now are letting their own children experience that moment of magic for the first time. The whole scene almost feels like one big torch passing moment from one generation to another with the way its brilliantly handled.

      In terms of casting and acting performances, the cast for Aladdin for the most part is spot on and genuinely feel like they truly fit the roles. Mena Massoud is perfectly cast as Aladdin turning in a charming performance, that makes him appealing to audiences which is essential to the movies success. Naomi Scott proves to be a great choice as Jasmine with a terrific singing voice, audiences will also like what Disney does with her character. When Will Smith isn't on the screen, she steals the show easily and shares great chemistry with Massoud. As far as audiences is concerned, Will Smith beats the odds as Genie and proves to be a great casting choice and successor to Robin Williams in the iconic role. Smith succeeds not because he tries to copy Williams performance (He doesn't), but that he honors the work that came before him while doing his own thing with the part. His performance literally feels like a cross between The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air and Hitch which makes the combination of the two appealing for the part of Genie. Smith knows the shoes he's stepping into and plays it smart by making the role his own rather as that was his only chance of success. Despite the strong performances of the three main leads, the films biggest disappointment lies with the depiction of the character of Jafar played by Marwan Kenzari who often feels miscast for the part. While his performance itself isn't terrible, its not the Jafar that audiences were expecting going in and isn't sinister enough. One can only imagine what someone like Ben Kingsley, Oded Fehr, or Patrick Stewart who lobbied for the role could've done with the part. Another disappointment was the lack of usage for Alan Tudyk as Jafars parrot companion Iago. Tudyk isn't bad in terms of his voice acting but feels underused for the most part and not effective enough to leave a strong impression with audiences. Nasim Pedrad and Navid Negahban deliver solid performances as new character Dalia and Sultan, breathing new life into their respective roles though both feel as if they were a bit shortchanged in regards to their screentime. Despite the miscasting of Jafar in the main villainous role, the cast as a whole is strong and deliver great performances with the material given to them.

      Written by John August and Guy Ritchie and directed by Guy Ritchie, Aladdin appears to fit as one of Ritchie's films as he excels with characters who turn out to be thieves within their respective storylines much like Tim Burton does great with exploring characters who appear to be outsiders in their respective stories. Ritchie brings the same over the top style to this film that he brought to his Sherlock Holmes films and previous work in general, one can feel his enthusiasm for telling this story as he appears to go to great lengths to make sure the film looks and feels authentic as a live action adaptation of the original. The film is in no short supply of energy and excitement that makes the overall experience even more compelling. In terms of adding more backstory to the film, Ritchie supplies the live action Aladdin with a more feminist-friendly message regarding the character of Jasmine, who wishes not just to be a simply free-minded princess but also a Sultan to her own people with her ready to take on the responsibilities of leadership. With these new additions, the character of Jasmine as a whole feels more fleshed out and developed into the story more fully. The romance between her and Aladdin doesn't feel as forced and rushed but comes more naturally this time around since the writers have more time to flesh out the story. Genies story arc is expanded on with the friendship between him and Aladdin remaining intact with Genies humanity and human side further explored within the story with a rewarding payoff.

      On a technical aspect, the new Aladdin looks absolutely stunning with breathtaking Cinematography, Costume and Art-Set Decoration. The score by original composer Alan Menken still remains one of the films strongest points with the new musical numbers mainly performed by Jasmine being worthy additions. The films editing is good and moves the story along at a fast pace given its two hour running time. There is enough time for the main characters to develop with the middle version of the movie feeling like a spin off of Hitch with Genie coaching Aladdin on how to hook up with Jasmine that gives immediate flashbacks to that film. This is where the film truly works as both the story and characters feel more organic and have time to be fleshed out in comparison to the original. The interplay between Aladdin and Genie is one of the films strongest highlights with the two main actors demonstrating great chemistry and making it extremely fun to watch. The addition of Genies love interest is a clever twist that wasn't in the original but works great here because like the film Hitch, it puts Will Smiths characters knowledge and advice to the test in his own scenario. As far as special effects go, much has been said about the physical appearance of Genie but in all honesty, he doesn't look so bad especially when it could've came out much worse. On a technical note, Aladdin is near perfection and brings the Disney world of Agrabah to life in breathtaking fashion. As far as a Guy Ritchie film goes, this is one of his boldest and bravest attempts and here he pulls it off with the barrels blazing.

      Aladdin 2019 may not please every fan of the original as fans will have issues with some of the films elements such as Jafar's casting and may disagree with Guy Ritchie's choice as director with his over the top style but truthfully its not a bad movie and is full of charm and heart to make it a worthy live action adaptation of a childhood classic. Its entertaining, its flashy, its funny, its heartfelt, and most importantly, its honorable. Smith not only managed to live up to the expectations placed upon his performance as Genie but exceed them on his own terms. The main actors Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott not only deliver terrific performances but demonstrate real talent making the audience hope that this will help push them towards more stronger roles. The costume and set decorations are terrific bringing a genuine feeling of realism to the film. For audiences that grew up with the original film, seeing the original story brought to film in live action mode is a treat and powerful nostalgic experience. Guy Ritchie's Aladdin never loses focus of what its trying to accomplish with bringing its story to life and does so with enthusiasm, passion, and a sense of hope that audiences can recapture some of the magic they felt when they first saw the animated film 27 years prior. For fans of the original film, Guy Ritchie's live action adaptation is worth seeing even if the end result isn't perfect. Bring on Jon Favreau's The Lion King

Final Verdict: SEE IT

Pet Semetary Is A Surprisngly Decent Remake Thats Let Down By It's Terrible Ending

      Making a remake to a horror film is no easy task as no one asks for it, adapting a Stephen King novel into a film while remaking a previous interpretation of it is twice as hard. Riding off the massive success of Stephen King's 2017 film adaptation IT which also was a successful remake of the popular 1990 miniseries, it seems that all the major horror film studios are rushing to re-imagine some of King's most successful work and bring it to the big screen in hopes of achieving a similar result of success. The latest effort is a redoing of his best-seller Pet Semetary while also serving as a remake of the original 1989 film. While the original film despite becoming a classic wasn't a perfect horror flick, it was entertaining and effective enough to be remade while leaving room for improvement for the new filmmakers to modernize the classic tale while providing their own twists and turns to make it scarier. What the audiences got is a surprisingly decent remake that ranks with the 2003 Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the 2006 Wes Craven produced remake of The Hills Have Eyes, the 2005 Amityville Horror remake, and the 2017 version of IT to deliver a solid job at retelling these classic horror tales while adding their own dark and cynical touch to them. However unlike those films, the main problem with the remake of Pet Semetary lies in the fact that the film as a whole is let down by its hugely disappointing end that feels like a classic case of lazy writing.

      The plot for Pet Semetary remains virtually the same as the original with Dr. Louis Creed and his wife Rachel, relocating themselves from Boston to rural Maine with their two young children. What first feels like a peaceful getaway soon takes a dark turn when the couple uncover a mysterious burial ground hidden deep in the woods near their new residence with the power to bring dead things back to life with unintended consequences. One of the main points of the story that connects both the original and the remake is that they both heavily center around the concept of grief. The films within their dark atmosphere tackle issues such as death, life after death, grieving, love, heaven and second chances. Looking at those themes, one would think this is a powerful drama about loss and healing, except it has Stephen King as the writer, whose proven to be a master at providing creepy atmosphere that builds steady suspense. With the issue of grief and the longing for a second chance with the lost loved ones, King provides the consequence for both the characters and the audience desperation to have that second opportunity to cheat death. It is not an easy task to depict grief on film and doing so, the audience needs to have characters that come across as being sympathetic. What the remake does that keeps it consistent with the original is it maintains that level of sympathy with the main characters while emphasizing the grief more in this version. It helps that the Creed family is both likable and relatable making the audience understand their situation and feeling their pain when tragedy strikes while also wanting them to live when terror emerges. When doing a remake to an original film, its always best to honor what came before it while also adding bringing something new to the table. With the new Pet Semetary, roles are switched with the actors delivering fresh takes on the main characters making them compelling and engaging to watch on their own merits.

      In terms of acting, the main cast of Pet Semetary do a damn fine job of bringing King's story to life while delivering their own portrayals of the characters. For the role of the parents, Jason Clarke and Amy Seimetz are perfectly cast here and are no strangers to the horror genre. They do a great job playing a loving couple that both love their children while also wanting whats best for them. Simetz's character Rachel has an established backstory that helps add a creepy atmosphere to the plot with the flashbacks showing her taking care of her sister who was cursed with spinal meningitis, leading to a horrific and early death. The character of Louis played by Clarke experiences his own warning about the environment after witnessing a disturbing image of a man who died in the hospital before he could save him. The two main characters are not only wonderfully cast but the main actors play off each others love, fear, and concerns so well that the audience totally feels their emotional depth while growing concerned about them as things take a horrific turn for the worse. John Lithgow delivers a strong performance as the couples next door neighbor Jud Crandell, a questionable figure that first discovers the families cat ran over by a car and suggests they bury it at a local graveyard where family pets are laid to rest. As the audience already knows from the synopsis of the film as well as the original film and Kings book, the dead don't stay dead for long. Lithgow's performance is not as strong as Fred Gwynnes in the original but he still manages to hit the right notes being both likable, mysterious, and creepy at the same time. The performances from the young actors, particularly Elle played by Jete Laurence is excellent as she helps make the question of death around the family come across as being awkward and chilling. For an actress as young as she is, she does a great job as her character and motives become more drastic throughout the film.

      As far as the films directing and writing are concerned, the directors Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer bring a very dark, uneasy, and moody atmosphere that remains steady and chilling throughout. That atmosphere is emphasized in the beginning sequence with the opening shot to the introduction of the Creed family as the audience gets the feeling that something terrifying is creeping up on them. The action and suspense is handled in a way which allows it to steadily build until its shocking yet disappointing conclusion. The directors of this film give the impression that they know what they want to show the audience and do so with confidence and enthusiasm while cleverly providing new twists and turns that make it different from the original in certain ways. The two do a great job at showing how the heartbreak and desperation of losing loved ones can push people to do unthinkable things while making the Creed families tragedy feel fresh and gut wrenching. They make the case that bringing a story like this back was worth the time and investment despite the audience disapproval of the pairs decision on how to end the film. The big change that the directors made with the storyline was surprising and works, however it led to a conclusion that leaves the viewer scratching their head while feeling majorly let down despite being effective on a certain level.

      The writing by Matt Greenberg and Jeff Buhler is strong while placing heavy emphasis on the themes of grief and death in a mostly satisfying way. They make no effort in showing the imperfection of the parents despite how loving they are and the poor decisions they make come with strong consequences that are rightfully demonstrated throughout the film. On a technical note, the film is visually appealing with composer Christopher Young delivering a genuinely creepy yet effective score that's complimented by Laurie Roses Cinematography. The films pacing moves steadily and is brisk, never feeling like the story is moving too slow but doesn't move too fast either as it builds up its suspense and thrills masterfully.

      Overall the remake of Pet Semetary lives up to its hype as being a faithful re-imagining of the classic source material while turning out to be a better than expected remake of the original. The film is certainly not perfect as its ending almost ruins the strong craftsmanship the filmmakers put into telling this clever story about one families endurance of loss and grief putting them on a pathway towards the ultimate decent of darkness. The film is gory in all the right parts, disturbing in images when it needs to be, holds back on the terror and allows it to be a gripping human drama in between, and nonetheless a creepy yet darkly chilling ride courtesy of one of the great horror masters in literature. Pet Semetary is one of the years strongest horror movies that despite its disappointing conclusion, is worth a watch by fans of the original as well as horror movie fans in general. If they can handle such a cynical and twisted conclusion that almost feels like a betrayal to the rest of the film then this movie is worth their time and enjoyment. The remake of Pet Semetary is not a bad movie, it's just not a great one which is a shame because it had the potential to be.

Final Verdict: Worth a watch though prepare for disappointment with how it ends.

Happy Death Day 2U Is One Of The Rare Horror Sequels That Lives Up To The Original

      One of the biggest shockers for audiences was the surprise smash hit of the first Happy Death Day. Not only was it surprisingly fun to watch but it was also original and creative while adding a science fiction touch to it. The film was essentially a mesh up of Groundhog Day combined with Edge Of Tomorrow that created one of the most unique horror movies of the 21st century, one that takes the slasher genre and literally reinvents it with a darkly humorous sci-fi spin as well as a strong performance from Jessica Rothe in the main role that mirrors Bill Murray's character in Harold Ramis comedy classic Groundhog Day. With the success of the first Happy Death Day, a sequel was inevitable despite being risky given how well the concept of the first film worked. In most cases, horror film sequels struggle to match the bar set by their predecessors with there being few exceptions in the genre. While Happy Death Day 2U doesn't match the quality of the first film, its not far off and does a terrific job of keeping much of what made that film so appealing to audiences intact while continuing the story in a way that's both logical and engaging.

      The plot for Happy Death Day 2U continues the Groundhog Day premise set forth by the first film with the sequel immediately continuing that films storyline with the focus remaining on surviving college student Tree Gelbman (Played by Jessica Rothe) from the first film finding herself trapped within another time loop, beginning another murderous cycle in which she must not only defend herself but also her friends as well as a sorority from a band of murderers wearing baby face masks. What made the story work in the first film was the filmmakers did something that many horror films today either attempt to do but fail or don't bother trying to anymore, they gave the audience characters that they grew to care about and root for. The audience cared about Jessica Rothe's character Tree, both laughing at the absurdity of her time loop scenarios while also appreciating the change and progression the character endures throughout both films. The audience laughed with this character, cried with this character, and became concerned about her safety the further she went into the time loop. It also helped that Jessica Rothe's performance was so sincere and charming as she brought a breath of fresh air to an already fun concept. In all the fun and madness of that film, the thing that made it truly special was the message it carried within the slasher elements that stayed true to the Groundhog Day theme that the repeated time loop can make a person better with the ultimate statement being that everyday is an opportunity to change.

      The themes for Happy Death Day 2U remain the same as the original with the message of both movies combined saying that having the chance to relive your life and change yourself for the better is a special gift. It wasn't the blood and gore of the film that made it special nor its sci-fi tone that made it a hit with audiences, it was its heart that made it a fun experience for horror fans while carrying with it a warm-hearted message. Happy Death Day 2U fully understands as a sequel why the first film worked so well with audiences and tries to imitate the same kind of impact by sticking to the same formula while adding new twists and turns to the plot. The film feels as if its a true sequel to the first as it not only picks up directly after the events of that film but takes all the side characters of the first and pushes them to the center, giving them more development while playing integral parts to the story, bringing both movies together while strengthening the bond. The biggest shocker about the sequel is not how much of it repeats the first film but how little of it tries to with the time loop. The sequel immediately takes off from where that film ends and continues the same wild ride audiences discovered with the first Happy Death Day. Like it's predecessor, it doesn't take itself seriously and is full of energy and laughs that makes it an extremely satisfying experience especially when one goes into it expecting it to automatically be a disappointment because of it being a horror sequel.

      Whereas the first Happy Death Day relied on horror and comedy to flesh out it's clever concept, Happy Death Day 2U keeps those elements but heads towards the science fiction and romance elements of the first film, expanding on both while filling the gaps of that film. The most admirable trait of the sequel is that it has the guts to head in a different direction while keeping all the previous films most successful elements intact to make it truly feel like part ll of the first film. While the switch in genres might catch some of the audience that viewed the first film by surprise, most will appreciate that it tries something different and succeeds at doing so. James Cameron once wrote that the key to making a successful sequel is not only meeting the expectations of the audience but also surprising them. Happy Death Day 2U does its absolute best to meet those standards with Jessica Rothe delivering another strong performance as Tree, showcasing her versatility as an actress with a solid role. In her second attempt at playing the character, Rothe once again nails her part showcasing both physical comedy to moments of pure drama pulling both off beautifully. One hopes that more lies in her future than just playing in horror movies as she shows she has the range and energy to go far beyond.

        As far as the acting goes from the supporting cast, just about everyone from the first film returns and remains equally strong here. Israel Broussard does a nice job playing Tree's love interest Carter, showing that both him and Rothe still have the strong chemistry they had in the first film with sweet moments between them shown throughout the second movie. Rachel Matthews and Ruby Modine are both fun as Danielle and Lori, proving to be just as effective as they were in the first movie. Phi Vu delivers an equally strong performance as Ryan with it being a total surprise that his character goes from being minimal in the first movie to being more prominent in the sequel. In terms of everyone returning to their roles and bringing the same kind of energy and enthusiasm to the parts they played previously, it feels as if no time passed in between movies and everyone was excited to continue the story they began with the first film. Unlike most horror movies, the audience legitimately gets the feeling that they are seeing these characters grow from their last experience despite the stories taking place at virtually the same time frame.

       Much like the original film, writer and director Christopher Landon returns and brings with him the same level of energy and excitement to the project with the sequel feeling like a mesh up of Back To The Future ll meets Scream 2. When both Happy Death Day movies are combined, they manage to come across as being a surprisingly heartfelt and touching story about love, grief, moving on, and redemption masked with the elements of science fiction and horror. One of the improvements made with the sequel is the addressing of the first films main plot hole regarding the reason behind the time loop. In the sequel, its addressed that a group of science majors at school have built a time machine with the intention of slowing down time, instead it ends up looping it. While attempting to wipe out an ill-created dopelganger, the machine resets sending Tree and her friends into another dimension that still loops, changing the sequence of events that appeared in the original while bringing back some of the deceased characters from the first film.

      Whereas most horror sequels fail to reach the standard set by the original film, Happy Death Day 2U does its absolute best job to match it and by doing so does a terrific job while also providing the audience with a few new tricks up its sleeve. The film proudly joins the ranks of Scream 2 and Halloween ll 1981 as being one of the more consistent horror movie sequels that doesn't feel watered down but builds upon the previous films story and expands on it. It can be said however that its less of a horror film than the first and more science fiction this time around, that's not a bad thing as the first Alien and Terminator films worked as horror and sci-fi flicks with their sequels taking the more action-packed routes while staying true to the storylines set up by their predecessors. For some fans of the first film, that may come off as being disappointing as the movie doesn't feel more like a horror movie but to others, it keeps the concept fresh and endearing as audiences will not only be satisfied with this sequel but hope that a third film comes along to wrap up what's arguably one of the most clever and well-blended horror and sci-fi franchises in today's generation. Happy Death Day 2U is a surprisingly awesome sequel that separates itself from most of the generic attempts at being continuations of the first in the genre and truly feels like an extension of the previous story. If one really enjoyed the first Happy Death Day and wonder if the second film is worth watching, its absolutely worth the time and enjoyment to give it a chance. It will surprise you while taking you on a hilarious and heartfelt ride.

Final Verdict: WATCH IT

Shazam Proves That The DCEU Has Finally Found Its Perfect Balance Of Action, Humor, And Heart

      The DCEU (DC Extended Universe) universe up until the release of Shazam has had quite a rocky start with the majority of their films proving to be major misfires with audiences such as Batman V Superman, Suicide Squad, and Justice League. Despite the misfires, the universe has had moments where it truly shines while ultimately giving fans a glimmer of hope that the DCEU will continue to improve with gems like Patty Jenkins Wonder Woman and James Wan's Aquaman, both of which proved to be highly successful with audiences both critically and financially. With the release of Shazam, the hope is that the DCEU films quality and tone will continue to improve and help course correct the previous faults of the universe while continuing the upward trend. Now that Shazam has been released, fans once again have reassurance as well as being provided with another glimmer of hope that the DCEU has found it's own path to success while not trying to duplicate Marvel's formula, which has proven to be a massive success thus far. Shazam is not only a highly satisfying superhero flick (Especially for the DCEU), it carries with it endless amounts of humor and heart while blending both together masterfully making it the second best film in the current slate of DCEU movies right behind Wonder Woman.

      The plot for Shazam centers around a 14-year-old foster child named Billy Batson (Played by Asher Angel) who full of streetwise smarts and possessing a good heart, finds himself being tasked with protecting the world from the seven deadly sins when a magician endows him with the ability to transform himself at will into an adult superhero named Shazam (Played by Zachary Levi). When confronted by a powerful supervillain (Played by Mark Strong), Billy realizes that super strength and speed are not enough and has to rely on his foster family to prevail. The story for Shazam easily separates it from the other films in the DCEU mainly because it's more warm-hearted and goofy in nature. What makes the concept of Shazam a success with audiences is that the film knows exactly what it's trying to be in retrospect and never attempts to be more than just fun and laughs. Gone is the dark and gritty nature of Zack Snyder's Man Of Steel and Batman V Superman and the bizarre style of Suicide Squad, Shazam embraces the charm of the universes hit films such as Wonder Woman and Aquaman while possessing the heart of those films with the visuals taking a backseat to the story. Shazam is a film that proves to be self-aware in which it knows what it wants to be and does so with confidence that it will win over its audience with its innocence in being both fun and heartfelt. One of the main problems with the DCEU, is that it constantly tries to copy the dark and grim tone of Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy instead of trying to stand on its own ground and find its own stride. Shazam almost feels like an antidote to escaping the Nolan style of comic book movies and ditches the serious tone and socially relevant themes for solid fun. The film is just downright entertaining, hilarious, action-packed, thrilling, and big-hearted showing that not every DCEU film needs to have bleakness, darkness, and self-seriousness in order for it to work but that it can work without those things and be as successful like a standard Marvel picture.

      In terms of acting, writing, and directing, the performances from the cast are all believable and fun to watch. Zachary Levi is great here and proves to be a great casting choice for Shazam, he steals every scene he's in and breathes life into the films already strong source material. He's terrific. Mark Strong does a strong job playing the films main antagonist Dr. Thaddeus Sivana who pursues Billy with the intent of stealing powers as Shazam and targets his family into forcing him to surrender his abilities. Asher Angel does a terrific job playing young Billy Batson adding warmth and heart to his role with his performance blending perfectly with Levi's as Shazam complimenting each other. Jack Dylan Grazer does a likeable performance playing Billy's disabled friend Freddie, one of the first people to discover his powers and aid him in his superhero quest to stop Dr. Sivana. Adam Brody does an equally strong job of playing the older superhero version of Freddie much like Levi does with Shazam. Other noteworthy performances are Blood Diamonds Djimon Hounsou as the Wizard who gives Billy his powers, and the foster family members of Billy such as Faith Herman, Meagan Good, Grace Fulton, Michelle Borth, Ian Chen, and Ross Butler. Smallville's John Glover plays a small yet effective role in the film as the father of Shazam main antagonist Dr. sivana, giving the audience a clue as to why Sivana is the way he ends up later in the story.  One thing that all the performances have that make them all effective​ and done so well, is they all have a sense of fun and excitement that's brought to the table as one can tell that each person is legitimately enthusiastic about playing their roles and it shows. Each actor and actress chosen for their parts is both a wise and perfect casting choice.

      As far as writing and directing goes, the script written by Henry Gayden and Darren Lemke is both clever and witty, giving the film a satirical feel to it. The film carries a childish tone to it that tapes into the audience inner child, making them feel as if they're watching a larger than life superhero on the big screen for the first time such as Christopher Reeves Superman for example. Shazam's formula of not taking a guy with a flying cape seriously but having absolute fun with it's concept shows where Zack Snyder got Henry Cavill's character wrong with Man Of Steel. The film places heavy emphasis on themes such as family, abandonment, heroes, purity of heart, revenge, and bravery with the ultimate message of the film being that a family is made up of people who care about each other, whether they are related or not. The film also drives home the notion that everyone has a superhero inside of them and all they need is some magic to bring it out. The movie carries with it a 90's Nickelodeon feel to it that makes it feel right at home with older audiences while tapping into their inner child. In terms of directing, David F. Sandberg does a great job creating a light-hearted atmosphere that's extremely fun to watch, exciting when it needs to be, while having an emotional core to it's story that speaks to the audience, particularly orphans. It almost feels like David F. Sandberg is making the Superman film he never got to direct as he appears to understand the concept of a superhero flying around with a cape much better than Zack Snyder while also managing to capture the appropriate tone for Shazam. As for the film editing, Shazam moves at a steady pace that never feels like it drags out nor slows down. With a running time of 130 minutes, it utilizes every minute of it's running time to flesh out it's story and characters while maintaining a brisk pace that never lets up.

      What is it that makes Shazam a hit where other DCEU movies have failed (Wonder Woman and Aquaman do not apply to that statement)? It's simple, the film is full of heart and never looses sight of what it's trying to accomplish which is to entertain while delivering a hero that audiences can genuinely believe in. The film definitely aims for that old Saturday morning cartoon feel with it's tone and imitates it very well in hopes of drawing it's audience in his nostalgia. The film is essentially lightning in the bottle for DCEU, the casting is perfect, the script is strong, directing is slick for the style it's trying to convey, and the ultimate resort is one that might be strong enough to save the DCEU. With the world becoming more increasingly dark and cynical, Shazam almost feels like a breath of fresh air in the recent trend of comic book movies as it only intends to be nothing short of deliciously fun while having the wonder of seeing a new superhero on screen for the first time, not one that has been done before repeatedly (How many Spider-Mans and Batmans have audiences been subjected to thus far?). The films most noble trait is its innocence in telling it's story, it almost feels like a superhero version of Tom Hanks BIG with the same goofy style and charming moments. Is Shazam a great superhero movie? No, it lacks the depth that other superhero and comic book films have with it's plot and characters but its a very good superhero film and for DCEU, its the antidote it needs to restore faith in audiences that the universe has a future beyond its past missteps. Shazam is full-fledged fun and entertainment that's all heart and charm with enough humor to make its audience feel good while providing a hero they can relate to even if he comes with two different personalities that are split. Without Zachary Levi, the film would not have worked nor been as successful, Shazam is the prime example that sometimes its best to take a step back and reflect on what went right and what went wrong which the DCEU did in the case of greenlighting the movie. Here's hoping that this film continues the upward trend in the universe and convince audiences that the DC world on film is one worth saving and making better so one day it could have what Marvel worked so hard to accomplish. The film is a fun-spirited ride that never takes itself too seriously and that's not a bad thing. Shazam is the years best superhero film next to Avengers: Endgame.

Final Verdict: SEE IT