LEGO DC: Shazam! - Magic and Monsters Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.0

LEGO DC: Shazam! - Magic and Monsters Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman June 24, 2020

It's difficult for any DC character to rise from the colossal shadows of Batman and Superman, but DC has been working hard to highlight some of its other characters in its recent string of live-action films showcasing Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and most recently Shazam, the latter a classically designed Superhero whose secret identity is not a billionaire playboy or mild-mannered reporter but rather a little boy. The story dynamics stem from that disconnect between child's mind, adult body, and unusually potent powers, and that trichotomy takes center stage in Shazam! - Magic and Monsters, a LEGO direct-to-video outing that follows the title character's search for acceptance in the superhero world but the reservations he encounters when faced with the prospect of revealing his true self to his own personal heroes and role models.

As the newest, and perhaps most polite, Superhero on the block, Shazam (voiced by Sean Astin) finds himself not only taking pride in his powers but also in awe of an opportunity to work with the Justice League when the nefarious Mr. Mind (voiced by Jonny Rees) sends his minions to cause chaos and bring him back some grub (but no peas!). The League saves the day and Shazam takes the opportunity to ingratiate himself to his fellow heroes: Superman (voiced by Nolan North), Batman (voiced by Troy Baker), Wonder Woman (voiced byGrey Griffin), Green Lantern (voiced by Cristina Milizia), and The Flash (voiced by James Arnold Taylor). Shazam is invited to join the Justice League, but under condition that he reveal his true identity, which he refuses to do, believing that if the other team members know he's just a little orphan child named Billy Batson (voiced by Zach Callison) they will reject him outright. But when the Justice League is caught in Mr. Mind's trap which turns them all into children, it's up to Shazam to save the day and revert them to their true Superhero selves.

“I just wanted to belong, to not be alone,” a vulnerable Shazam/Billy confesses to Batman at a key point in the film. There's a current of acceptance, of wanting to be needed, of finding a place and purpose in life that runs through the whole story. Identity has always been at the core of the superhero genre, even if action and special effects have lately overtaken the central concepts of social reflection within the context of unusual power. Here, the message manages to find substance while still being tailored to younger audiences, and never feeling watered down. It's effective as a central narrative plot point. It meshes well with action, which is appropriately robust but obviously kid-friendly in execution. As the film dabbles in gray areas within the narrative focus, it's very straightforward in terms of excitement, offering a basic good-versus bad dilemma while shaking things up just a little bit mid-movie, giving Shazam the opportunity to help save the day while building the foundations for both the comfort zone he needs to find if he's to reveal himself to his new friends while also giving the Justice League opportunity to see the world of youth-meets-superhero from his perspective.

LEGO DC: Shazam! - Magic and Monsters Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Shazam! - Magic and Monsters features a 1080p, 1.78:1-framed Blu-ray image that is similar to other recent LEGO animated DTV outings. The picture generally satisfies for detail and color, offering stable, clear textures and vibrant hues throughout. Close-ups showcase the fine definition of the LEGO pieces. They are not all smooth but rather many show natural bumps and textures, though certainly some elements are naturally smoother than others. Various environments are likewise clear and revealing in their complexities, notably various city shots around the film. Colors leap off the screen with impressive vibrance and command. There's not a lot of intimate nuance and tonal gradations but the bold splashes on character models and world details alike bring the colorful world of LEGO to life with more than sufficient depth and expression. Unfortunately, banding is in plain evidence throughout, oftentimes to distracting visibility (a shot at the 18:30 mark represents just about the worst of the banding) but sometimes just barely visible. Additionally, hints of aliasing appear here and there, particularly across various overview cityscape shots. These problem areas -- and the banding in particular -- certainly limit the image's potential, a shame because it's terrific beyond. Still, it's infinitely watchable and given the content the target audience probably isn't going to care all that much, if at all. Videophiles beware, but most will enjoy the movie's look where it counts the most.

LEGO DC: Shazam! - Magic and Monsters Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Shazam! - Magic and Monsters' DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack delivers a well-rounded, energetic and expressive listen. The track demonstrates excellent spacial command, offering robustly placed music and widely engaging action effects throughout. As to the former first, notes enjoy excellent fidelity and extreme font side stretch along with a hearty, but balanced, back end support structure. Action elements follow suit, delivering, for example, quickly moving vehicles through the city and potent gunfire in the opening moments. When Billy transforms into Shazam, or vice versa, there's a nice, full, thunderous effect. General action chaos is handled well, with the mass of elements never jumbled but rather well defined and nicely discrete. The full stage engages with confidence, supported by a rather impressive low end extension. It's a robust listen that compliments the action, and the underlying humor, quite nicely. Dialogue is clear, well prioritized, and holds steady in the front-center channel.

LEGO DC: Shazam! - Magic and Monsters Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Shazam! - Magic and Monsters includes one episode of "Teen Titans Go" and two episodes of "Unikitty!," but the prize inside is an individually wrapped, unassembled Shazam LEGO minifig (note that there is also a release without the toy which, at time of publication, is actually more expensive). The Blu-ray additionally ships with digital and DVD copies and a non-embossed slipcover. Both the Blu-ray and the minifig ship inside a larger outer non-embossed box.

• Teen Titans Go! "Little Elvis" (1080p, 11:01): The Titans interact with and learn about Shazam. They must ultimately deal with the seven deadly sins.
• Unikitty! "Spoooooky Game" (1080p, 11:20): Unikitty and friends are lured into turning game night into a night of terror.
• Unikitty! "Pool Duel" (1080p, 11:17): It's the deep end vs. the shallow end for swimming pool supremacy.
• Trailers (1080p, 1:27): A single trailer for LEGO DC Batman - Family Matters.

LEGO DC: Shazam! - Magic and Monsters Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Shazam! - Magic and Monsters delivers typical kid-friendly fluff that covers the importance of confidence in one's own identity. Of course the story manipulates things to allow Shazam to be more comfortable sharing his youthful secret identity, and for the Justice League to be more accepting of who he is, and it does so with plenty of action and laughs in typical LEGO fashion. Though obviously nowhere near as good as the big boy theatrical LEGO films, this one's plenty entertaining and should satisfy younger audiences for its look, sound, and accessible story elements. The blu-ray delivers troubled but overall acceptable video, excellent lossless audio, and a few supplements. Recommended.