Shazam 2019

     Billy Batson lives in Philadelphia and he was abandoned as a child.  One minute he was with his mother and in another minute he can’t find her?  He has been placed in many homes by Child Services but he runs away.  Unusually, Billy is selected by the Wizard Shazam to be his new champion.  He has the ability to instantly become an adult superhero by speaking the name Shazam or go back to a teen?  Billy explores his new powers with his friend Freddy but he soon learns he has a deadly enemy!!  Thaddeus Sivana was rejected by the wizard and he has accepted the power of the Seven Deadly Sins.  Sivana wants Shazam to transfer his powers to him.  Sivana is making it very difficult for Shazam to say NO??
     Shazam is a DC Comics based superhero comedy.  Billy is the main character and he is 14 years old.  There is LOTS of fantasy action violence, a few deaths, scary scenes, monsters, gun use, chases, pursuits, crashes, property destruction and big fights.  Kids are also bullied, there are abandonment issues and physical disabilities.  But, there are positive messages about the importance of family, generosity, courage, teamwork and standing up for other people.  I could not get into this film??  It must be for teens young enough to believe what is happening and old enough not to be afraid of some of the scenes?  Not enough adult and too much teen!!  
132 min, Action directed by David F. Sandberg, written by Henry Gayden and Darren Lemke with Zachary Levi, Mark Strong, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Adam Brody, Djimon Hounsou, Faith Herman, Meagan Good, Grace Fulton, Michelle Boreth, Ian Chen, Ross Butler, Jovan Armand, D.J. Cotrona, Marta Milans, Cooper Andrews, Ethan Pugiotto, John Glover.

Note:  Imdb 7.1 out of 10 with 198,562 reviews, Rotten Tomatoes 90% critic (385) 83% audience 15,586, Roger Ebert 2 1/2* Nick Allen, CommonSenseMedia, Sandie Angulo Chen, age 12+, 4* out of 5*, 4* positive, 4* role models, 4* violence, 2* sex, 3* language, 3* consumerism, 2* drinking drugs & smoking, RollingStone 4*out of 5*, India Times 4* out of 5*, Amazon 4.3* out of 5* with 3360 reviews, Metacritic 71 out of 100 with 53 critics (43 positive, 8 mixed, 2 negative), 7.6 out of 10 user scores 893 positive, 153 mixed, 68 negative), Letterboxd 3.5* out of 5* with 149 reviews.

Special Note:  Shazam is an acronym formed from the names of the gods that grant powers.  Wisdom of Solomon, strength of Hercules, stamina of Atlas, power of Zeus, courage of Achilles ad the speed of Mercury.