The premise continues from the first film as Billy (Asher Angel) had shared the power of Shazam with his brothers and sisters. Unfortunately (or fortunately) they are just a bunch of kids. Instead of saving Philadelphia, they somehow make the situation worse even though they successfully rescue people. Also this attitude is the one that actually produces the conflict in Shazam! Fury of the Gods, post the event of the first film.
We are introduced to new characters in the presence of daughters of Atlas — Hespera (Helen Mirren), Kalypso (Lucy Liu) and Anthea (Rachel Zegler). They have a mission to restore their world, which has been affected by the stolen power schema of the Wizard (Djimon Hounsou).
I believe Fury of the Gods is a family-themed film that is packaged with superhero stuff. It revolves around the main character dealing with his brothers, sisters, mother and father. On the other side, the villains have their own family issues too.
It is fun to watch and gives the film a character. Making me see it as a well-written script. But somehow this has a double-edged sword. Yes, we have a conflict to resolve now. Yet when we think deeper, the villains are not quite evil considering their motivation.
So in the end it’s similar to the MCU in which for most of their films and series feature villains who do bad things not because they are evil. feature villains who do bad things not because they are evil, but because they are disappointed or upset and want to make a difference in their own way. Maybe except for Kalypso, which brings a stereotype middle child who is always angry.
Another thing that I want to point out is how genius the casting of Kalypso is. She is played by an actress who is like immortal in real life. She is 54 but more like 34. The fact that Anthea is aged about 6,000 years in the film, Lucy Liu is a perfect portrayal of a goddess since I saw it for the first time in the film.
The film brings many enjoyable elements to the table, such as a Fast and Furious joke that references the family theme, Billy constantly asking his superhero name, which is called Captain Marvel at some point in the film, and the post-credit scene in which Billy suggests The Avenger Society as a name for the organisation he is recruited to.
As enjoyable as Fury of the Gods is, unfortunately, there is no clear resolution between the daughters and the Wizard as to why he stole magic and why they move on just like that in the present. It seems like the story is supposed to have a fairy-tale-style “happily ever after” ending from the beginning. How can they just forgive a guy who stole a part of their lives, especially when this is a core issue from Hespera, Kalypso, and Anthea’s side, which is highlighted throughout the conflict in this film?
To sum up, although Shazam! Fury of the Gods has its flaws, it is still an enjoyable film. With its well-written script and neat pacing, it is definitely better than a recent superhero project that feels like a Frankenstein project — Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
