Customer Ratings & Reviews

This is a nod to the original Captain Marvel, not the new Disney version. Fawcett Comics was one of several successful comic book publishers during the 1940s. Following a trial in which DC Comics sued Fawcett Comics for breach of copyright, claiming Fawcett's Captain Marvel was too similar to Superman, the latter stopped publishing Captain Marvel in 1953. In the late 1960s Marvel comics gained the trademark "Captain Marvel" with their first series created by Stan Lee and Gene Colan. This character is an alien military officer of the Kree Imperial Militia, sent to observe the planet Earth as it is developing technology to travel into space. Mar-Vell wearies of his superiors' malicious intent and allies himself with Earth, and the Kree Empire brands him a traitor. Later after being revamped by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane the exiled Mar-Vell finds he can temporarily escape by exchanging atoms by means of special wristbands. He is given superpowers, and his Kree uniform is replaced with a form fitting costume. The process of the young man being replaced in a flash by the older superhero was a nod to the original Fawcett Captain Marvel, which had young Billy Batson saying the magic word "Shazam" to transform into the hero. This film is a revamped origin story with some twists as to the 1940's & 1960's story lines. It has lots of comic relief, mainly because it plays on the large learning curve being given a modern teenager who has instantly become an adult superhero.

Shazam! is an incredible film, the TRUE and original Captain Marvel, and except for the butchered Justice League, this is yet another in the lineup of excellent DC films. I am so thankful to Warner Bros. for continuing to support the 3D format and for Best Buy for carrying it! Steelbooks are great and 4K is awesome, but 3D is the way to go for this and most other films where it is available. I, and countless others, have had to resort to importing 3D films as studios love to support 3D everywhere but the States, so it was great to see this here. Shazam! is the most fun of the DC films and has a ton of heart while still maintaining the classic, and needed, "darkness" and far more adulthood of the DC universe films. I cannot wait for an eventual Shazam! 2, and if you have a 3D setup at home, this is a must own.

Fun superhero film - wish DC would continue a cohesive universe... this movie is loosely tied to the most recent DCU films (won't spoil how), but he would fit right in if they made a proper tie-in. It's a bit of jokey tone at times, but that fits the alter ego of the teen who transforms into a powerful superhero who is a man - it caters heavily to a younger audience not unlike the Holland Spider-Man films. Aquaman also came out within months of this film, but the release of a current iteration Wonder Woman film set in the 80s was pushed back into a couple of years from now, and there is uncertainty about how Batman and Superman will be handled going forward. This is all to say that it's a shame if DC doesn't continue with a cohesive movie universe, because the dynamic of this fun/awkward teen trying to act like an adult alongside those serious characters would have been a unique interplay they could have explored, not just for laughs, but for coming-of-age type storytelling. The 3D is pretty good, and always a proponent of 3D content for the home!

Great set of a great movie... With this edition, you get the Blu-Ray, the standard DVD...AND the Digital option ! The movie--'SHAZAM!' is a light, fun Superhero origin with a 'newbie' hero learning what being a hero is all about At the core of this is the poignant story of an orphan trying to find his place in the world, and realizing that the concept of FAMILY goes farther than biological connection. The fun comes from a boy suddenly being transformed into a superhuman adult. Yes, it`s 'Big' with super powers, and the film knows this, even making a direct allusion to the classic movie.

When I first saw the commercial for this movie, I was upset because they turned 'Captain Marvel' into a big joke, but it actually turned out to be a pretty good movie after all. And yes, I called him 'Captain Marvel' because that's his name. 'Shazam' is the name of the wizard he got his powers from. Most new people to the character are unaware of that, and try to correct me when I call him 'Captain Marvel', but that has always been his name since I was a kid (I'm over 30 now). It would have been nicer to see his character act the way he does in the DC Animated movies, because he always tried to hide the fact that he was a kid, especially from the Justice League, but this movie makes it so obvious that he's a kid in an adult body. I get the idea behind it though, and I get that DC wanted to appeal to kids, instead of making another really DARK movie like the 'Man of Steel' and 'Dawn of Justice', which I still don't really like for various reasons. ...This movie was actually good though. I'm interested in seeing what part 2 is gonna be like.

Spoiler free. Shazam feels like a marvel movie ,and not in a bad way.Usually DC movies warrant a darker tone than their marvel counterparts as the DC universe explores more mature characters ,worlds and stories , but with shazam the opportunity for a more playful movie had finally presented itself. the movie is funny , heartwarming ,exciting , a tad predictable but ultimately an enriching experience. Contrasting heavily with the dark and melancholy vibe of previous DC movies besides maybe Aquaman. The characters are well placed and develop accordingly in the show , there are rarely moments that feel out of character unless intended. A really strong and surprising effort from DC!

Shazam is at its core, Big (the Tom Hanks movie) but with Super Powers. Billy Baston lost his mother as a young child; at age 14, he refuses to stay in foster homes because he's convinced he'll eventually find his mother. After performing a heroic act, Billy is transported to meet with a Wizard. He's granted powers, so whenever Billy says "Shazam!," he transforms into an ideal adult and super powered version of himself. Zachary Levi is great as the adult-sized version of 14-year-old Billy. Jack Dillion Grazier is funny as Billy's resident sidekick/superhero expert. The wonderful Mark Strong is the villain, Dr. Silvana. The film is based in the DC Comics movie universe. Shazam! was first published as "Captain Marvel" in 1940 just a few months after Superman. After years of litigation, Fawcett Comics stopped publishing "Captain Marvel" and let the Trademark lapse. Marvel comics grabbed the name, so years later, when DC Comics revived the character, they had to change the name to the magic word, "Shazam!"

The DC movies do not have the same reputation as the Marvel movies. It is an axiom. One just have to look at the small handful of DC movies; however, the handful of awesome DC movies are better than most Marvel movies, and Shazam is one of them. I loved this movie. It has a solid, well-told story with great acting, especially from Zach Levi. He was phenomenal. Mark Strong did a solid job as the villan. The story is not a dark story as people associate this brand with and it has it heart-felt moments and good sense of humor spread throughout. Unlike some Marvel movies, the humor here is not forced into the story and it comes out naturally. I purchased the 4K edition and the movie looks wonderful. The image is crystal clear, the color pop and the black levels are awesome. I am fortunate to owe a television with Dolby Vision and it makes a difference. I am biased. I love this movie and I highly recommend it.

Let's be honest here: the DCEU didn't get off to the best start. Man of Steel was too dark a story for Superman (or at least too dark for the first movie of his in this new continuity), BvS was a bit of a slug to get through, and Justice League...well....the less said about that, the better. It's not that these movies are necessarily bad (not to the level of Fox's Marvel movies, certainly), it's the missed potential of these films that stings the most. With Wonder Woman, however, things started to change (even if it felt like merely a tonal outlier at the time). Then we got Aquaman, and now with Shazam!, it's clearer than ever that there's a conscious effort to steer away from the dim, dismal tone that Zach Snyder set forth in his movies. This movie stays faithful to the comics, and is a fun addition to the DCEU. The movie aside, the extras (and there are quite a few) are all top-notch, and as always, the steelbook case is quality.

Shazam! was a fun movie. It didn't take itself too seriously but also didn't delve into being hokey. While it takes place in the same universe as Man of Steel and Justice League it definitely feels like it's its own thing. The tone is completely different and there is no real connection in storyline. The plot isn't exactly groundbreaking. It feels familiar. Comparisons to Big, starring Tom Hanks, are warranted. It has a late 80s/early 90s fantasy feel to it, along the lines of The Goonies and Hook. From the trailers I got the feeling it was going to be a movie for young children, but the action and language maybe push it into something for older children; maybe 10 and up. My only sort-of issue with the movie (which is totally superficial) is that during promotion they made it a point that Zachary Levi bulked up a lot for this role, but his physique is very obviously molded into his suit. I purchased the 3D version, which probably wasn't all that necessary. The 3D effects had a few good moments in the film, but nothing all that memorable. As a 3D collector it was worth the extra few dollars, but if you are a casual fan of the format then I would suggest not bothering.

Growing up in the 80's I was a DC fan, all about Superman and Batman. Sadly though, DC movies that have been made the past few years have been subpar, especially when compared to the Marvel world and movies that have been created around the Avengers/Marvel universe. With that being said I have enjoyed some of the DC movies that have been made recently and am still a DC fan, just have not blown away by any of their films over the last few years. I went in to the theater to see Shazam with not much expectation, however, it is a pleasant addition to the DC lineup. This movie is worth watching at lease once, or even numerous times as in my case. I had not heard of Zachary Levi previously, but he is fantastic as and I couldn't imagine anyone else playing the part. Shazam is funny, heartwarming, action packed, and entertaining. A must see, IMO, for comic book fans of all ages.

Shazam is a modern adaptation of the classic DC comic book hero Captain Marvel, originally published by Whiz Comics in 1939. This movie version is primarily based on the "New 52" relaunch written by Geoff Johns in 2013. Teenager Billy Batson is transformed into an adult superhero by saying the magic word Shazam. Just as the hero Shazam is truly a child in disguise, this is a comedy disguised as a superhero movie. The director was strongly influenced by the Tom Hanks' comedy classic film Big. While Zachary Levi plays the titular hero, the true star may be his sidekick and new stepbrother Freddie Freeman, played by Jack Dylan Grazer. Their scenes together are the best in the film. With the exception of scenes showing the exterior of a strip club and the fight scenes, this movie is fun for the whole family. Any minor adult humor and language will probably go over their heads. The included 4K digital copy code expires after 9/30/2021 and may be redeemed through the Movies Anywhere service. The packaging of this release is the standard black, plastic case with cardboard slipcover.

This lifelong comic book fan must admit, I was never a big fan of the original Captain Marvel, or Shazam, as he has become known; until recently, I have always been a diehard Marvel Comics guy, and I long considered that other Captain Marvel to be a corny character from a long gone era, one whom DC Comics kept trying to breathe life into repeatedly ever since they bought the rights to him in the early 70’s. To me, this square stiff couldn’t hold a candle to Spider-Man and the members of the Fantastic Four; at best it was a comic book for little kids. But times do change, today, I find myself buying more DC titles than Marvel, and the Rebirth version of Shazam managed to draw my interest, and as someone who tries never to miss a live action comic book movie, there was no way I was going not see the live action SHAZAM!

The Dolby Atmos track provides all the sonic weight and power you'd expect from a superhero movie. Obviously, everything's dialed back quite a bit during the "regular" moments, but that's completely fine: when Shazam! kicks into gear, it really pushes the limits of every available channel. Front panning effects are quite common, while the rear channels also get a hefty workout during some of the more action-oriented sequences and magical effects. LFE is similarly strong during these moments, as well as unexpected times such as talking statues in the wizard's domain and Freddy's repeated attempts to figure out his big brother's new-found powers. Height channels are used logically and to great effect on several occasions, such as the bullies' free-falling truck and a second-half bus accident that leaves dozens of passengers dangling from a highway overpass. Similar to its visual presentation, Shazam!'s Atmos mix swings for the fences but, within its own boundaries, everything feels as natural and organic as possible.

I've been one of the maybe thousands of DC fans who've been extremely disappointed in how they've handled (or mishandled) the rollout of their DC Universe of movies. The worst offense of all is that they, for some reason, gave hack Zack Snyder the keys to the kingdom. His "vision" (if he's solely responsible) made a nauseating, revolting, offensive, grim, sloppy, narratively stupid, unwatchable mess of the cinematic versions of our heroes. So, I was overjoyed when "Wonder Woman" was rightfully directed by Patty Jenkins and was a witty, thrilling, emotional, heroic, fun epic. And I can say the same thing about "Shazam!". It's all of those qualities I just described about "Wonder Woman". It's a family-friendly movie (with the usual PG-13 elements), and at the center is a hero we can maybe all relate to and root for. It has a heart-warming theme about family and finding a place to belong. This one's a real winner.

Look I had no intention of seeing this movie. And I love comic book films. I hated Aquaman, liked Wonder Woman though that movie has even gone down a little in my eyes. Justice League was ok, Suicide Squad and BvS were ok/not great. So this movie looked awful and despite me being a Bigger DC fan, I didn’t feel like I owed it to DC like I would Marvel to see the new movie. Saw this because of the reviews and you know, I loved it. It was fantastic. The story and the chemistry between the kids were all great, especially Billy’s backstory. Without spoiling anything, I feel this movie could even almost act as a PSA of sorts for foster homes. Highly recommend picking up the movie or at least seeing it as it is very, very fun.

Shazam is the word Billy Batson says to become the world's mightiest mortal. The irony is that he can't mention his superhero name without turning back to his younger self. This is one of the running jokes of the movie, with sidekick/buddy Freddy trying to invent heroic names for Shazam. Of course, the greater irony is that this character was known in the 1940s and early '50s as Captain Marvel. DC comics sued the publisher, Fawcett, and although Captain Marvel outsold Superman for a while, Captain Marvel comics eventually settled the lawsuit. DC gained the rights to the character but didn't renew the name. Hence, Marvel created the alien Captain Marvel, first as a man, then rebooted as a woman in the current movie. Shazam captures some of the fun of the older Captain Marvel series while reinventing the characters for a new age. This works on some levels, but not on others. For example, Shazam is a bit like the Tom Hanks character in Big - a teenage boy in a man's body. But this Shazam/Billy Batson character is a bit of a wise guy and a cynic. He's been abandoned by his mother as a young child and shuttled to a bunch of foster homes. Family means nothing to him. Oddly enough, he's chosen to become Shazam, because the old wizard with the same name finds Billy pure of heart, or at least having enough redeeming qualities to prove himself worthy of a superhero. Thereby lies my problem with the film. Despite the fact that Shazam has the wisdom of Solomon, there are too many scenes where Billy acts like a stupid, selfish, jerk. His superhero destroys Billy's school books, rips off soda machines, poses with tourists for selfies (and expects payment). Some of this might have been amusing, but it goes on for too long. That leads me to discuss another situation with Shazam that makes it a good movie, but not a great one. Dr. Sivana, the original Captain Marvel's arch villain, has a backstory and, eventually, powers to rival the Shazam character. (Again, harkening back to the older Sivana, the character was the world's wickedest scientist but a bit of a screwball, who invented zany schemes to defeat/destroy Captain Marvel. This Dr. Sivana, however, is an evil wizard who uses seven deadly sins (shown as demons) to destroy and dominate as well as using the monsters for his ultimate goal to destroy Shazam and obtain his the hero's powers. But if this happens, the demons will destroy mankind. Hasn't the otherworldly evil unleashed on earth been used in enough movies? In this version of the story, he is summoned but rejected for the role of the great hero (and treated poorly by his family), which makes him become an arch villain. He's completely without charm or humor, touches which would have tempered the darker nature of the film. (Think Loki, or Nicholson's Joker.) A number of scenes, particularly one, shows the demons literally tearing people apart. It's much too violent and grim in contrast to the kid-friendly, light-hearted nature of most of the film. The demons seem to be generic gargoyles that have appeared in other fantasy movies. It might have been more interesting to show the Sins, (Lust, Greed, Envy, etc.) in the forms they represent. These creepy creatures will make younger viewers uncomfortable. The twin themes of the film are family and friends are the most important values in our world. Ultimately, Billy/Shazam realizes that and becomes the hero he was meant to be. His friends play an important part in directing Shazam to become noble, which is the heart of the movie. They are boys and girls of different ages and ethnicities and include Freddy, who has a mobility challenge, and another kid who may have an emotional or learning disability. That rainbow coalition never appeared, unfortunately, in the older Captain Marvel comics, which had some embarrassing black and Asian stereotypes. The third part of the movie captures the warmth and humor that should have been blended more evenly in the first two "acts". There are subplots concerning bullies and Billy's attempts to find his birth mother that detract from the focus of the film. Cutting 15 minutes might have made Shazam more cohesive. Overall, I would suggest seeing Shazam on cable or taking it out of the library and decide if it is your thing.

I've read Captain Marvel coms since I was a kid. Yes, The orig Cpt Marvel. While SHAZAM! is a great action word for super powers, the word itself reminds me of Gomer Pyle. So we cannot possibly call this superhero SHAZAM. Anyway, this movie is fantastic. It's lighthearted and funny just like the original comics. It is a great character driven movie with teen angst, family drama, bullying, you name it. I wasn't too sure about Zachary Levi and his padded suit. But he is actually perfectly cast. Not sure about how Sivana changed from the comics I read. I know he becomes more Lex Luthor-like later on. I like the mousy version, the Sivana Family versus the Marvel Family. Anyway, great movie.

The last few DC steelbooks I've purchased (Justice League, Wonder Woman, Aquaman) all had comic-style art on the case, which really made the cases special and tied the films back to the comics. Unfortunately, Best Buy really missed the mark on this case and completly abandoned the style. While it's still a functional case, it doesn't fit at all with my previous collection of DC movie steelbooks. So that was a let down. The movie itself is a ton of fun, with great performances by Zach Levi and Mark Strong. I loved the relationships between the kids and Zach and it felt truly entertaining, much like Aquaman and even Wonder Woman. Let's ignore the garbage that was Man of Steel, Batman v Superman, and Justice League. These solo films finally feel like DC is getting on solid footing with these characters and can hopefully build to something much better in a group story a few years from now.

I’m not the biggest fan of all the various super hero movies out there. I’ve seen and enjoyed most of the MCU movies, but I don’t make it a point to see them all in the theaters. I’m also not the type to get all bent out of shape about the quality of DCEU movies versus the MCU movies, but I can say that most of the DC movies have been of lower quality than their MCU counterparts. They generally aren’t as “fun” to watch and don’t leave me feeling anything for the characters in them.All of that is a long preamble for me to say that none of this applies to Shazam. This movie was a whole bunch of fun- funny when it needed to be with all the action is needed as well.