Shazam: Fury of the Gods (5 Stars)

This is the sequel to "Shazam", made four years earlier in 2019. In the film itself two years have passed. That should have been the real world time difference. The sequel was scheduled to be released in 2021, but it was delayed by the Coronavirus pandemic. It's a shame that time is passing so fast in the film. Billy Baxton is now 17 years old, so by the time the third film is made we will have lost the irony of a child being a super-hero. In the comics his age was never explicitly stated, but he looked like he was 10 years old.

The girls are obvious, but I still have problems telling Billy's three brothers apart in their adult bodies. I've put these two photos side by side to help me in the future. The next time I watch a Shazam film I'll put this page on my phone so I can glimpse at it when the film is running.

I never read the Shazam comics when I was younger, not one, so I have no idea how accurate the depiction of the characters is. If you know more than me, please leave a comment below. All I can say is that cute little Darla transforms into a smoking hot big Darla. I couldn't remember seeing Meagan Good in the past, but after checking her filmography I realised I'd seen her in "Venom", and I was even impressed enough to include a screenshot of her.

The film is about the return of three Greek Goddesses to the Earth, Hespera, Kalypso and Anthea. They're the daughters of Atlas, and they want to turn the Earth into a new Olympus. There seems to be some cultural confusion, because they also plant the Biblical Tree of Life, but who cares? It's a good story.

Of the three Goddesses, Kalypso (Lucy Liu) is totally evil, while Anthea (Rachel Zegler) is good and wants to spare mankind. Hespera (Helen Mirren) is morally in between the two extremes, more pragmatic than the other two. Kalypso wants to kill everyone, but Hespera will let anyone live who doesn't oppose their rule.

Shazam and his family are the only ones standing in their way. In the two years since the first film they've gained a bad reputation in their home town of Philadelphia. They frequently go into action fighting crime, but they're so inept that they've been called the Philly Fiascos. What do you expect from children?

The film has one of the most memorable catchphrases ever:

"Taste the rainbow, motherfuckers!"

The film was a box office flop with a success rate of -0.8. I have no idea why. It's every bit as good as the first film.

Success Rate:  - 0.8

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