Shazam: The Fury of the Gods (2023)

[Drunk Monk]

Greg, you and I see DC films in alternate multiverses. I didn’t find the first Shazam outstandingly clever but it was funny and fresh. I found this funny too, funny enough to be entertained. Comic book movies are always a bit silly. This one was a bit sillier but it worked as a streamer for me (my opinion might have differed if I paid for it beyond my usual streamer fees). I agree that Mirren and Liu were underused, but they both seemed to be phoning it in somewhat. I liked how all the Shazamed adult superheroes still acted like kids. Eugene was a little better, although such a superfluous background character. I enjoyed the DC in-jokes, like the constant destruction of Superman posters. The Greek monsters were easily identifiable, so that worked for me too. I liked the dens ex machina, which was very literal, and the self effacing Justice League v Justice Society, and the Avengers Society made me smile. Perhaps this worked better because I just saw Black Adam, and the whole Shazam concept was fresh in my head (although I’ve never quite understood it). 

Mind you, I’m not saying this was a great film. It was diverting as a comic book movie, which is really all I ask of the genre.

Not D00M recommended but you might was it just to chime into another Gene siskel/Greg ebert debate.