DC and Warner Brothers' latest superhero venture sees Billy Batson (Asher Angel) cause a whole heap of trouble for Philadelphia's Finest.
Despite being transferred to a new foster home, Billy vows to continue the search for his biological mother.
After beating up two bullies at his new school, he is chosen by ancient wizard Shazam (Djimon Hounsou) to become the new 'Champion of Eternity'.
Helped by his superhero-obsessed foster brother Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer), Billy must defeat Dr Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong) - a slimy physicist hell-bent on obtaining Shazam's powers.
With Aquaman and now Shazam!, DC and Warner Bros. have steered well-away from the 'dark and gritty' tone of their previous entries (Man of Steel, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice etc.).
Featuring a fun lead character, wacky sense of humour, simple origin story, and one-dimensional villain, Shazam! follows the 'Marvel Cinematic Universe formula' to a T.
Zachary Levi (known for long-running spy TV series Chuck) is perfectly cast as the adult version of Shazam - brought forward in times of need.
Balancing wackiness and sincerity, the leading man/character-actor perfectly captures Angel's mannerisms.
Having done the 'bald baddie' role to death at this point (Robin Hood, Kick-Ass etc.), Strong is just fine as Dr Sivana.
In Strong's defence, the character's motivations are only vaguely defined.
Although not ground-breaking, Shazam! still manages to provide big laughs and heart-warming moments.
Pet Sematary
In this re-imagining of Stephen King's original material, Louis (Jason Clarke) and Rachel Creed (Amy Seimetz) move from Boston to Ludlow, Maine with their two children - Ellie (Jete Laurence) and Gage (Hugo and Lucas Lavoie).
After discovering a 'Pet Sematary' on their property, the Creeds begin to experience tragic and terrifying events.
Directed by Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer, Pet Sematary is a run-of-the-mill supernatural-horror flick designed for the masses.
Predictably so, the movie is jam-packed with jump scares, gruesome imagery, and nonsensical decisions made by its characters.
Despite the relatively brief 101-minute run-time, it moves at a snail's pace for extended periods.
Veteran actor John Lithgow provides the standout performance as the Creeds' all-seeing neighbour.
Plot-holes, bland characters, and a limited budget hamper this latest adaptation.
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