First 'Shazam!' Reactions Surface Online

Riding high after the success of Aquaman, DC Comics and Warner Bros. are ready for their next [...]

By Joe Schmidt - March 9, 2019 11:23 am EST

Riding high after the success of Aquaman, DC Comics and Warner Bros. are ready for their next superhero film to hit theaters with Shazam! premiering next month.

But does Zachary Levi's star turn in the DC Universe deliver?

Early reactions from entertainment reporters and bloggers are starting to hit, revealing what they thought about director David F. Sandberg's superhero debut with Shazam!

It sounds like many people are praising the dynamic of Asher Angel and Zachary Levi's character, the young Billy Batson who transforms into Shazam by saying the magic word, with his new friend Freddy Freeman, played by Jack Dylan Grazer.

Levi previously spoke about his love of the character, comparing the excitement of being a superhero to the joy Peter Parker has as Spider-Man.

"I've been a comic fan since I was a little kid but I don't know it nearly as well as probably everybody sitting in these chairs," Levi shared with ComicBook.com during a Shazam! set visit. "There are two characters that I can think of in all of comics, including DC and Marvel. And it's Billy Batts and then Peter Parker. Those two, to me at least, you get to go on this journey of, instead of it being, 'Oh, I have to save the world again?' and then whatever that is, it's like, 'I get to save the world again?!'"

Read on to see what else people are saying about Shazam!

-----

Have you subscribed to ComicBook Nation, the official Podcast of ComicBook.com yet? Check it out by clicking here or listen below.

In this latest episode, we talk about the new Game of Thrones trailer, Shazam!, WWE Fastlane & so much more! Make sure to subscribe now and never miss an episode!

Brandon Davis of ComicBook.com

#Shazam is such a brilliant movie. It’s so tremendously fun, and incredibly scary at some points (thanks, David F. Sandberg!). It blows away every expectation and is my new favorite DC movie. pic.twitter.com/DlpymCukTP
— Brandon Davis (@BrandonDavisBD) March 8, 2019

Ash Crossan of Entertainment Tonight

#Shazam was damn near PERFECT in my book. My FAVORITE DC movie (DCEU? What are we saying now?) by far. Pure of heart, incredibly funny, full of in-jokes and references. Brought me a childlike joy to watch. This role was MADE for @ZacharyLevi... & Jack & Asher & the entire cast pic.twitter.com/rVrxjcwvCe
— Ash Crossan (@AshCrossan) March 8, 2019

Erik Davis of Fandango

#Shazam is big, goofy, lovable, and unlike anything DC has done before. Definitely in the vein of Tom Hanks' BIG, but with superhero action & lots of Batman and Superman references. I dug this film so much I wanted to give it a bear hug at the end. DC's movies keep getting better pic.twitter.com/WQJgo61gMg
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) March 8, 2019

Perri Nemiroff of Collider

#Shazam is an absolute delight! Super vibrant, tons of heart & a great fun-loving vibe. The family element is a big charmer & so is the humor that comes with watching @ZacharyLevi explore his new powers. Said this after IT but it's worth repeating - @Jgrazerofficial is a star.
— Perri Nemiroff (@PNemiroff) March 8, 2019

Jim Vejvoda of IGN.com

Zachary Levi was born to play #Shazam He delivers lots of laughs alongside co-star Jack Dylan Grazer. The film packs some big surprises for comics buffs and offers enough mainstream appeal to win over new fans. Shazam’s strengths definitely outweigh its weaknesses. pic.twitter.com/kfFMW01jfO
— Jim Vejvoda (@JimVejvoda) March 8, 2019

Jenna Busch of SYFY Fangirls

Finally allowed to say that #Shazam was fantastic! Full of heart and pure childhood wish fulfillment. It's funny and the tone is exactly right. @zacharylevi is perfect in the role, and so is @asherangel, who I'm convinced is @maisie_williams' brother! pic.twitter.com/DXhp2ZBteR
— Jenna Busch (@JennaBusch) March 8, 2019

Den of Geek

#Shazam is an absolute joy. Both definitely in the DCEU and nothing at all like any DCEU movie so far, it’s funny, warm, good hearted and silly and the cast is terrific. Watch out for our review soon. pic.twitter.com/NNPU5hqNtv
— Den Of Geek UK (@denofgeek) March 8, 2019

Mansoor Mithaiwala of ScreenRant

#Shazam is emotionally uneven, yet absolutely FUN. @ZacharyLevi perfects Shazam, though @Jgrazerofficial is the real hero here. All in all, it's an average superhero movie - but it's one that feels like a breath of fresh air. pic.twitter.com/zwfG1hqidE
— Mansoor Mithaiwala (@MansoorAYM) March 8, 2019

Peter Sciretta of SlashFilm

#Shazam is parts Home Alone, parts Big, a crowd pleasing family-friendly joy-filled wish-fulfillment superhero film which gets a bit over the top and cheesy at times. It’s fun and funny, and I was surprised at how much it wears it’s heart on its sleeve.
— Peter Sciretta (@slashfilm) March 8, 2019

Eric Eisenberg of CinemaBlend

DC is finally building a solid run: #Shazam is a delight! Its familiar origin structure is forgivable because of all the new it brings to the table - primarily it's gleeful, childlike enthusiasm, & heartfelt perspective on family. It's also the role Zachary Levi was born to play. pic.twitter.com/5zXtfFDBGm
— Eric Eisenberg (@eeisenberg) March 8, 2019

Paul Shirey of JoBlo.com

#Shazam is a laugh-out-loud funny romp that captures the innocence and challenge of being both a superhero and a kid at once. It’s clever, fun and heroic with an obvious nod to 80s classics like Big, Ghostbusters, The Goonies etc. @joblocom @ShazamMovie
— Paul Shirey (@arcticninjapaul) March 8, 2019