Movie · 2019 · Action, Comedy, Fantasy · 2h 12m · PG-13 · English
Curator score: 3.0/10 (1.2M ratings)
Just say the word.
Overview
A boy is given the ability to become an adult superhero in times of need with a single magic word.
Ratings
Curator score: 3.0/10
IMDb: 7.0/10
Letterboxd: 3.01/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
Metacritic: 71
TMDB: 7.0/10
Director
David F. Sandberg
Production
New Line Cinema, The Safran Company, Seven Bucks Productions, DC Films
Cast
Zachary Levi, Mark Strong, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Adam Brody, Djimon Hounsou, Faithe Herman, Meagan Good, Grace Caroline Currey, Michelle Borth, Ian Chen, Ross Butler, Jovan Armand, D.J. Cotrona, Marta Milans, Cooper Andrews, Ethan Pugiotto, John Glover, Landon Doak, Wayne Ward
Where to watch
Max
Curator Review
Verdict
A bright, kid-first superhero comedy with genuine heart, a strong family angle, and enough spectacle to keep the action moving. It’s uneven in places, but the charm, sincerity, and playful tone make it an easy recommendation for viewers who want a lighter comic-book movie.
Best for
families and older kids
viewers who want superhero movies with humor and warmth
fans of origin stories about found family
people tired of grim or overstuffed comic-book films
Skip if
you want a serious or emotionally heavy superhero drama
you dislike broad comedy and juvenile humor
you prefer tightly controlled plotting over loose, crowd-pleasing energy
you’re allergic to sentimental coming-of-age storytelling
Overview
Shazam! works best when it leans into its simple, almost old-fashioned wish-fulfillment premise: a kid gets to become a superhero, and the movie treats that fantasy with affection instead of irony. The result is a comic-book movie that feels unusually accessible, especially for younger viewers, without completely shutting out adults.
Worth noting
Its biggest asset is tone. The film is playful and warm, with a found-family emotional core that gives the jokes and action some shape. Zachary Levi’s performance sells the body-swap comedy, and the movie keeps returning to the idea that heroism is less about power than about belonging and responsibility.
Bottom line
It’s not especially elegant, and some of the villain material is more functional than memorable. But as a breezy, sincere, crowd-pleasing superhero adventure, it lands more often than it misses. If you miss the era when comic-book movies could be goofy, earnest, and a little messy all at once, this is an easy one to enjoy.
Top Letterboxd reviews
David F. Sandberg (0.5★) · 6125 likes
How could he catch a bus by the windshield?! Worst movie ever!! The average bus weighs between 25,000 and 40,000 pounds (11 to 18 metric tons). Not only would his hands go straight through any windshield (or any metal parts of the bus for that matter) but stopping that much mass in such an abrupt manner would turn the bus into an accordion and the passengers would be mush. And why did we hear a loud bang when he caught… more How could he catch a bus by the windshield?! Worst movie ever!! The average bus weighs between 25,000 and 40,000 pounds (11 to 18 metric tons). Not only would his hands go straight through any windshield (or any metal parts of the bus for that matter) but stopping that much mass in such an abrupt manner would turn the bus into an accordion and the passengers would be mush. And why did we hear a loud bang when he caught… more
andrea🌹 (5★) · 3545 likes
between this and spider-verse i'm beginning to think the only way to save the comic book movie genre is to give it back to the people it belongs to: kids
James (Schaffrillas) (4.5★) · 2200 likes
I can't believe they got Sans Undertale to play the villain in this movie
davidehrlich (4★) · 1722 likes
From “Watchmen” to “The Incredibles” and most of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there have been any number of movies set in a world where the general public knows about the existence of superheroes. The common folk in these films refer to such enhanced (and sartorially flamboyant) individuals as “mutants” or “paranormals” or “Avengers,” but the terminology doesn’t really matter because the basic dynamic is always the same: Regardless of whether they’re thought to be threats, saviors, or something in between,… more From “Watchmen” to “The Incredibles” and most of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there have been any number of movies set in a world where the general public knows about the existence of superheroes. The common folk in these films refer to such enhanced (and sartorially flamboyant) individuals as “mutants” or “paranormals” or “Avengers,” but the terminology doesn’t really matter because the basic dynamic is always the same: Regardless of whether they’re thought to be threats, saviors, or something in between,… more
2002 · Action, Science Fiction · 2h 1m · PG-13 · Curator 7.3/10 (3.3M ratings) · Where to watch: Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, fuboTV, Netflix Standard with Ads
An accessible origin story that treats superhero power as a coming-of-age metaphor.
2004 · Action, Adventure, Science Fiction · 2h 7m · PG-13 · Curator 8.2/10 (2.8M ratings) · Where to watch: Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, fuboTV, Netflix Standard with Ads
Keeps the human-scale sincerity while deepening the emotional cost of being a hero.