Shazam! Fury Of The Gods Early Reactions Have Critics Praising The DC Sequel
The soon-to-be-retooled DC Universe is attracting a fair amount of attention these days, with fans wondering what direction James Gunn and Peter Safran will take the struggling brand. Would they want to compete directly with the MCU and offer lighthearted fare for the whole family, or would they double down on the dark and gritty as it had done previously? Or perhaps, would they finally figure out how to successfully mix both?
As such, all eyes are on the upcoming "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" movie, which is a direct sequel to "Shazam!" While the film, alongside "The Flash," was created before the decision to rework the DCU, Safran is the producer and the film could be a sign of what's in store for DC's future. The original 2019 movie was praised for its tone and for its general sense of fun, and some wondered if the sequel would be able to capture this lightning in a bottle once again. Now that some early reactions are in for "Shazam! Fury of the Gods," it looks like DC may have a rare hit on their hands, which certainly is a promising sign for what is to come.
Most critics are loving Shazam! Fury of the Gods
Coalescing on Twitter with their initial reactions, several critics and others who have been given the privilege of seeing "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" have already started to heap praise on the movie. John Nguyen of Nerd Reactor wrote, "Shazam: Fury of the Gods is a fun-filled adventure that's a solid follow-up to the first film. There is plenty of humor, action, and heart, and it's always a treat to see the family together again. I wish the movie was longer since there are a lot of characters."
Cinema Blend's Eric Eisenberg also felt the same way and wrote that "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" is a super fun and worthy sequel to the original film. They added that although "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" isn't a movie that will forever change comic book movies, it is still a great film filled with energy and exceptionally likable characters. Shahbaz from The Movie Podcast could barely contain their feelings about the movie, claiming that is the most fun they have ever had at the movie theater, and specifically praised the performances of Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu, and Rachel Zegler as well as the efforts of director David F. Sandberg.
The only complaints seem to stem from Shazam! Fury of the Gods' third act
Many other critics were also big fans of "Shazam! Fury of the Gods," with Jamie Broadnax of Black Girl Nerds writing, "Shazam continues to lean into his silliness and immaturity in this sequel which tells us this franchise will remain to keep these films funny, light and slapstick-ish. The sequel comes with more action, compelling villains and a complicated antihero." Brandon Davis of Comic Book was also pleased with the movie, and said, "It's a really good sequel. The theme of found family delivers great emotional beats. Sandberg sprinkles some horror elements while maintaining the childish joy & charm of the Shazamily. Nothing brand new but highly entertaining! Really enjoyed."
Variety's Courtney Howard gave their take on "Shazam! Fury of the Gods," and stated that this new sequel is a movie that packs a punch, adding that it delivers on all fronts. MTV's Tyrell Charles was a little more critical in his review and said that even though "Shazam 2" is entertaining, it is very much a standard-issue superhero film with a third act that drags on a little bit. Digital Spy's Gabriella Geisinger probably had the spiciest opinion so far by saying that "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" only has a few bright spots and that the third act is a muddy mess. However, most responses have thoroughly enjoyed "Shazam! Fury of the Gods," so it will be interesting to see how general audiences react to this latest offering from DC.