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Post by The Captain on Apr 17, 2019 9:06:13 GMT -5
The overall tone is Scooby-Doo and Super Friends--more of a wink at the kids, instead of a serious story. Either its a superhero story, or its not. Eh, I've probably read/seen 50,000 superhero stories and I don't think I've read one that should be taken seriously. Then you're clearly doing it wrong, because many middle-aged parents-basement-dwellers apparently take most of them VERY seriously and do so quite vocally on the interwebs  |
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Post by Reptisaurus! on Apr 17, 2019 20:59:01 GMT -5
Eh, I've probably read/seen 50,000 superhero stories and I don't think I've read one that should be taken seriously. Then you're clearly doing it wrong, because many middle-aged parents-basement-dwellers apparently take most of them VERY seriously and do so quite vocally on the interwebs Oh, I do that too! But in my rare lucid moments I think superheroes are pretty goofy. And that is a strength, not a problem. |
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Shazam!
Apr 17, 2019 22:21:00 GMT -5
Post by hondobrode on Apr 17, 2019 22:21:00 GMT -5
Just booked my tickets for me and the girl to go Friday night.
Looking forward to it.
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Shazam!
Apr 20, 2019 9:00:47 GMT -5
Post by aquagoat on Apr 20, 2019 9:00:47 GMT -5
I don't recall an episode of Scooby-Doo where a vengeful son and a load of monsters embodying sin massacre a boardroom full of people...the DC films have humour now, but that doesn't mean they're avoiding scary or dark moments. The overall tone is Scooby-Doo and Super Friends--more of a wink at the kids, instead of a serious story. Either its a superhero story, or its not. Marvel films barely have an individual voice--most follow the same formula: thin story ( The Winter Soldier and The First Avenger being rare exceptions), too many jokes at the wrong times, and a pile of fan service/Easter eggs just to lure you to the next film as if that was the point of the film. DC movies never needed to go on that direction, and when they do--as seen in Shazam and Aquaman, one has to ask, "why see this, when I can get this in Marvel movies?"In other words, if I'm going to see a Star Trek film, I want to see Star Trek, not Star Wars warmed over. So a superhero story has to be serious? Well, we'd better delete 50% of all the superhero comics/movies/TV shows ever made then. Sorry, Adam West. Sorry Taiki Waiti. Sorry, Joss Whedon, we'd better delete all your jokes from everything you've done. |
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Shazam!
Apr 20, 2019 11:42:11 GMT -5
Post by hondobrode on Apr 20, 2019 11:42:11 GMT -5
Saw it last night and it was solid; not crazy great but definitely solid.
Girlfriend went in with average expectations and exited with the same.
It was very good and I like the Marvel Family concept.
One thing they did differently was Sivana's origin, which I really liked.
Great seeing the next upcoming villain too.
Funny story - I was hitting the men's room immediately after the movie like I always do with that big soda during the movie and all. I had on a Superman t-shirt and these two boys about 14 or 15 asked if I saw the movie. I saw them come into the movie and sit at the far end of the row from us. How'd I like it ? I said I liked it. They said they loved it ! Are you going to see the next one ? Enthusiastic yes. From 1 to 10 how would you rate it ? " 1 million !"
7.5 / 10
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Shazam!
Apr 20, 2019 13:11:36 GMT -5
Post by EdoBosnar on Apr 20, 2019 13:11:36 GMT -5
Just got back from seeing it, and I mostly liked it. Not as good as the Marvel movies (but they're in a separate category for me), but quite enjoyable. I absolutely loved the appearance of the Marvel Family at the end. My only criticism would that certain parts of a it (the opening sequence with the young Sivana and the boardroom scene) were a little too dark for what would otherwise have been a very kid-friendly movie.
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Shazam!
Apr 20, 2019 17:21:31 GMT -5
Post by hondobrode on Apr 20, 2019 17:21:31 GMT -5
Yes there were spots where I thought that as well.
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Post by String on Apr 20, 2019 17:38:40 GMT -5
This was a fun, enjoyable film, far better than my expectations. I'm not entirely sold on Johns' new Marvel Family concept just yet but this version of it had warmth and heart to it. I liked that they actually addressed the the orphan angle with Billy with the current status of his true parents.
I thought Mark Strong did okay with Sivana though I will agree that more differentiation between the 7 Sins would've helped. The last scene of the film does raise my interest quite a bit for any possible sequel. What is it with John Glover though? He's soooo good at playing rotten fathers.
I'm just thrilled they gave proper due to Bill Parker and CC Beck in the credits.
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Shazam!
Apr 21, 2019 10:48:49 GMT -5
Post by tarkintino on Apr 21, 2019 10:48:49 GMT -5
So a superhero story has to be serious? Well, we'd better delete 50% of all the superhero comics/movies/TV shows ever made then. Sorry, Adam West. Sorry Taiki Waiti. Sorry, Joss Whedon, we'd better delete all your jokes from everything you've done. That would have helped the unfocused, silly mess that was Avengers: Age of Ultron. |
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Post by Graphic Autist on May 11, 2019 17:43:54 GMT -5
I saw the movie earlier today, and loved it.
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Post by dmmarcus on May 12, 2019 20:47:02 GMT -5
My first post... I’ve been lurking on these forums for a few weeks and I love the wealth of knowledge you guys have about the history of comics. I’ve learned a lot, so thanks!
Regarding Shazam!
I loved the tone. Loved the introduction of The Marvel Family. I went in spoiler free so all of the call backs to the comics worked for me. I don’t see this tone working with the current DC roster of movies, but anything is possible I guess. I remember thinking the same thing when Guardians of the Galaxy came out. It was really hard to picture that fitting in with the rest of the MCU but they did a good job making that work, so...
Anyway, I’m just grateful to have all these superhero movies nowadays. When I was a kid in the 70’s, I would have killed to see the movies that are coming out today.
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Shazam!
May 16, 2019 14:11:21 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on May 16, 2019 14:11:21 GMT -5
Just seen it. Oh dear.
I came into the film with very low expectations, but even so I wasn't expecting a disastrous car crash of these proportions. All across the board, it was absolutely terrible - plot, script, acting, music, SFX, CGI...everything. As I sat there in disbelief at what I was watching, the thought that kept springing into my head was "Superman 3... they actually made a film as bad as Superman 3"; not purely in a quality sense but in the tone, the unceasing attempts at humour which totally failed, the astoundingly awful SFX, particularly the flying effects, the whole look of the thing, which was like some terrible low-budget 70s film... like Superman 3. I just sat there open-mouthed at how relentlessly awful it was.
It's boring. It's predictable. The SFX are laughably bad. The CGI is so bad, even worse than the pitiful level of the other DC films, that I actually begain to wonder if it was a stylistic choice to make the it look so obviously apart from the real parts. The acting of the kids is terrible. The acting of Wizard Shazam was laughably terrible. The acting of the adult Marvel family is terrible. The acting of Captain Dumbass is terrible. The acting of Sivana is... cliched, but does appear to actually belong to someone who is familiar with the concept of acting.
At a guess, I would assume that most of those above who liked this, also liked the 70s Superman films (even 3??), because I kind of get that, it's similar in feel and aesthetic and content. I loathed those films and I truly, madly, deeply hated this. I don't subscribe to the "so bad it's good" trope either - things like Plan 9 From Outer Space aren't so bad they're good, they're just crap; and this is also just crap. Even with the hugely underwhelming trailers I wasn't prepared for something which failed so comprehensively across the board, which was just so, so bad... worse than Aquaman bad; worse than Suicide Squad bad; worse even than Justice League bad!
Yet another DCEU film (if there is such a thing anymore), which fails to even rise to the level of mediocre. I wasn't intending to bother watching this, and I so, so wish I hadn't bothered.
(Rant over)
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Post by Batflunkie on Jul 19, 2019 22:06:15 GMT -5
Just got done with it and honestly, it was fantastic. I initially hated how Billy acted versus the old Fawcett comics (brash, pig-headed, entitled versus calm, collected, and mature) but then I realized that the Fawcett books were written literal decades ago and kids aren't that clean cut anymore, with the exception of Darla. Billy acted just how a modern day kid would act with that kind of power.
I laughed, I almost cried, and I just had a genuine, overall feeling of giddiness towards the film that I haven't felt since probably Karl Urban Dredd or Mad Max Fury Road
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Aug 14, 2019 16:54:25 GMT -5
Watched this on the plane from Dallas to D.C. I didn't have too. The entertainment options were heavy on that flight, along with having my Kindle with me. But what the hey.
Overall it was a decent movie. It wasn't good by any means. But it was a safely mediocre film that cribbed a little too much from Big. I'll likely never feel compelled to watch it again, but I don't feel bad for having seen it.
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Post by Phil Maurice on Aug 15, 2019 17:12:31 GMT -5
I don't feel bad for having seen it. I hope they use your quote for the Blu-Ray, right below Leonard Maltin's.  Some other suggestions: "Largely inoffensive!" and "Filmed completely in its entirety!" |
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