Shazam!

My only previous reference to Shazam! is the 70s morning TV series that Michael Gray and Les Tremayne starred in with two different actor playing the adult Captain Marvel. It was shot on a shoestring budget with Gray and Tremayne wearing the same clothing every episode.

No budgetary expense here was spared in Shazam! the movie. We get some background on the teen Billy Batson who is in a group home in Philadelphia and wants to find his parents. He's not a bad kid, but a mischievous one who is the troublemaker for the adults at the home.

One fine day he's contacted from an alternate world and given the power of a superhero. Which he's fine with, but not sure how to use. Asher Angel is Billy and the adult superhero he can transform himself to is Zachary Levi. Watching Levi as the adult is like watching Adam Sandler. Maybe the producers tried for Sandler originally.

Things go great until he runs into a super villain Mark Strong. It seems back in the day when Strong was a kid he entered the same realm, but was rejected. Now he's back having aligned himself with demon forces.

Shazam! for all its technical wizardry is a show for kids of all ages. By the way no name for the superhero is decided so you will not hear Captain Marvel.

That comes in a sequel I'm sure.