Shazam! Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Shazam! Blu-ray Movie Review

The original Captain Marvel.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III July 13, 2019

Though it was only moderately profitable (at least by comic book movie standards), David F. Sandberg's surprisingly great Shazam! is easily one of DC's best films in recent memory. Our story follows frequent runaway Billy Batson (Asher Angel) on the streets of Philadelphia, whose regular run-ins with the law are only outnumbered by his amount of foster parents and failed attempts to contact his biological mother. Billy now lives with Rosa and Victor Vasquez (Marta Milans and Cooper Andrews), who already have five foster kids living under their roof including superhero fan Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer). Everything changes once Billy is summoned to the "Rock of Eternity" by ancient wizard Shazam (Djimon Hounsou), who's seeking someone pure of heart to take his place. It was the same opportunity given to dozens of other kids during the last few decades -- but none were worthy, including Dr. Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong), who now dedicates his adult life to stealing the wizard's magic for himself. Nonetheless, Billy is chosen and, as the full-grown Shazam (Zachary Levi), has almost unlimited powers and is psyched to try them all out.

There's an awful lot to like about Shazam!, both the title character and the film itself. Zachary Levi, best known as the lead in NBC's long-running series Chuck, plays the red-spandexed Shazam as a great big kid and this helps to support the film's refreshingly light tone. He shares many scenes with young Freddy and they're wonderfully charming: from trying out his as-yet-untapped powers to dealing with a pair of school bullies, they way these moments unfold feels grounded in a way that most films in the genre aren't. Of course, this is also due to the film's more realistic spin on its subject matter: sure, Shazam! occasionally goes for broke in typical comic book fashion, but a large portion of its story feels more like Big with the fantasy element cranked up just a little bit more. The adventure predictably switches gears during its second half as Dr. Thaddeus Sivana narrows his search for the wizard's new successor -- and while I'll admit this portion of Shazam! can't quite maintain the same level of appeal, it still makes for a fun (and occasionally dark) family adventure. Not surprising, given the director's last two films were Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation.

As a total package, Shazam! feels like even more than the sum of its surprisingly modest parts. This film represents a clear improvement from last year's Aquaman, which similarly attempted to revitalize an almost 80-year-old character that hadn't been cool in decades, while avoiding some of the pitfalls that film sank into. Shazam! feels lightweight instead of plodding, self-aware instead of pandering, and genuinely fun and exciting instead of occasionally enjoyable. Neither is it stuffed with too many supporting characters or overcooked, exhausting CGI effects, and it even manages to successfully shift its tone a few times. In fact, the only obvious problem here -- aside from several jokes that don't land, as well as a few very small and very awkward supporting performances -- is that Shazam! feels somewhat hampered by its own backstory. I'm not implying that the creative team should have jettisoned the superhero's origin completely, but almost every visit to the wizard's domain seems to have slightly less impact than the last.

Still, these are minor complaints for what I'd easily consider to be the best DC movie since Wonder Woman (if not better), and perhaps the most pleasant surprise in its genre since Guardians of the Galaxy. There are more action-packed superhero movies out there, and even some with more interesting characters, but Shazam!'s heart and charm are what ultimately sold me on a character I never really cared about before watching it. This is simply a good time at the movies and a great entry point for those who normally don't like this kind of stuff...but at the same time, Shazam! should also please open-minded fans who can rattle off each and every thing they changed about the title character's 80+ year history. Luckily, Warner Bros.' outstanding Blu-ray combo pack is a crowd-pleaser as well, thanks to its top-tier A/V presentation and a nice mix of quality extras. It's a truly well-rounded package worth picking up.

Shazam! Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original 2.39:1 aspect ratio (rounded up slightly to 2.40:1 on the packaging), it's no surprise that Shazam! looks incredible on Blu-ray. It's the rare modern superhero movie that doesn't rely solely on visual effects -- and when it does resort to CGI elements, they're well-integrated and, by extension, don't stick out for the wrong reasons. Not surprisingly, then, the majority of Shazam! aims for a slightly idealized version of everyday life: brightly-lit schools, the Vasquez family's large but cozy foster home, and even clean subways, but amps up the heightened realism considerably during its more magical, otherworldly moments. The camerawork follows suit with smooth, stable compositions that shift towards amateur hand-held cinematography during the "stunt test" sequences; perhaps the best compliment I can give Shazam! is that it's extremely easy to follow almost every step of the way.

From start to finish, Shazam! maintains pleasingly consistent visuals that serve up terrific image detail, strong textures, eye-catching color palettes, and extremely deep black levels that rarely fall victim to crush. Digital noise reduction and compression artifacts were not detected along the way, but I was easily able to spot some rather harsh banding during a few VFX sequences; perhaps the most glaring was a quick shot of young Freddy touching Shazam's chest emblem, which I've included as one of the 25 screenshots. But that's almost expected for the format, so for that reason I expect the forthcoming 4K disc to smooth out some of the film's rare visual rough edges (not to mention boost its already-strong colors via HDR grading). For the most part, I have absolutely no complaints about this 1080p transfer and neither will you: Shazam! is simply a great- looking movie and Warner Bros.' Blu-ray does it justice.

Shazam! Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Likewise, the default Dolby Atmos track provides all the sonic weight and power you'd expect from a superhero movie. Obviously, everything's dialed back quite a bit during the "regular" moments, but that's completely fine: when Shazam! kicks into gear, it really pushes the limits of every available channel. Front panning effects are quite common, while the rear channels also get a hefty workout during some of the more action-oriented sequences and magical effects. LFE is similarly strong during these moments, as well as unexpected times such as talking statues in the wizard's domain and Freddy's repeated attempts to figure out his big brother's new-found powers. Height channels are used logically and to great effect on several occasions, such as the bullies' free-falling truck and a second-half bus accident that leaves dozens of passengers dangling from a highway overpass. Similar to its visual presentation, Shazam!'s Atmos mix swings for the fences but, within its own boundaries, everything feels as natural and organic as possible.

A redundant Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks is also included (thankfully, it's not the default), as well as lossy dubs in French and Spanish. Similarly, optional subtitles are offered during the main feature in English (SDH), French, Spanish, and several other languages. These subtitles are white and nicely formatted within the 2.40:1 frame.

Shazam! Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• The Magical World of Shazam (26:56) is a better-than-average featurette that covers most of the expected areas and a few lesser-traveled ones. Featuring comments by key cast and crew members including David F. Sandberg, producer Peter Safran, writer Henry Gayden, director of photography Maxime Alexandre, actors Zachary Levi and Djimon Hounsou, costume designer Leah Butler, and visual effects producer Cari Thomas, there's a decent amount of ground covering including the page-to-screen transition, casting, stunt work and visual effects, lighting, cinematography, physical training, shooting in Toronto, and much more.

• Super Fun Zac (3:13) - A slightly more in-depth look at Zachary Levi's casting and on-set antics, this short piece is half gag reel and half promotional featurette but still definitely worth a once-over.

• Deleted & Alternate Scenes (37:27 total) - This collection of scenes (which includes "Wizard Prologue", "Alternate Beginning", "Billy on the Subway", "Alternate Intro to Group House", "Alternate Dr. Crosby and Dr. Sivana Interviews", "Billy Sneaks Out", "New School with Darla", "Sivana Christmas Party", "Shazam and Darla Tea Party", "Alternate Lightning with My Hands", "Additional Montage Beats", "Freddy Hung from Locker", "Alternate Carnival Fight", "Freddy Flies by Airplane", "Family on Thrones", and "Alternate Ending Family Beats") also features optional introductions by director David F. Sandberg. Some are slightly unfinished with missing effects and music, but there's a lot of worthwhile little moments here (and a few duds, of course).

• Gag Reel (3:16)

• Who is Shazam? (5:42) - Participants from The Magical World of Shazam talk about the history of "Shazam" (Captain Marvel) and Dr. Silvana including various comic books, his popularity during the 1940s, the TV show, the franchise's staying power, and how the film tied some of these various elements together.

• Carnival Scene Study (10:22) - A short but thorough breakdown of the climactic ending sequence including special effects, practical stunt work, deviating from the original script, working with huge (and dangerous) background props, shooting certain scenes on a controlled sound stage, and more.

• Shazamily Values (6:06) takes a look at the younger actors and their experiences on-set, which included light moments and opportunities to grow as young actors. Within the film's framework, it's a good fit.

• Exclusive Motion Comic: "Superhero Hooky" (4:05) - Although the artwork is pretty sweet and all of the cast members with lines reprise their roles, the limited animation of this post-movie adventure often does more harm then good. Still a neat little piece that's worth checking out, even if it's just a glorified deleted scene.

Shazam! Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

David F. Sandberg's Shazam! is the rare modern superhero movie that seems to get everything just about right: it maintains a (mostly) light tone while throwing in a few well-placed darker elements, establishes great characters that interact well with each other, doesn't overstay its welcome, and avoids loading up on overcooked special effects. I'll admit to not being overly familiar with the source material, but I enjoyed myself a lot and that's something I rarely say about films in this genre. (Perhaps its closest companion in overall scope and success is Sam Raimi's first Spider-Man, which I similarly enjoyed.) Though not without a few speed bumps, Shazam! is clearly a best-case scenario for any modern-day adaptation of a superhero who debuted before the world's first color TV was built. Warner Bros.' Blu-ray offers a great amount of support all around, including a near-perfect A/V presentation and over 90 minutes of good to excellent bonus features. It's highly recommended for fans and first-timers alike, unless you're ready for 4K.