DC catches lightning in a bottle with ‘Shazam!’

Of all the promotional materials for “Shazam!”, among the most memorable is that brief clip of the titular character — a statuesque, scarlet-clad superhero with slicked-back hair — performing the infamous floss dance during an apparent moment of boredom.

On Twitter, director David F. Sandberg revealed that doing the dance was movie lead, Zachary Levi’s idea, which the actor corroborated in an interview.

“I was just kind of brainstorming about, ‘What would a 14-year-old be doing right now? How would he behave? What would some of his mannerisms be?’” explained the actor. “This would be relatable; this would be understandable.”

It was just something Zac did. I thought it was a silly dance he came up with until I saw people mention it online. https://t.co/bDSGArUU3Q

— David F. Sandberg (@ponysmasher) December 4, 2018

It’s obvious that a lot of that was incorporated into the finished product — and that’s precisely why this two-hour-long film about The Big Red Cheese is the DC Extended Universe’s best installment so far.

For the last decade or so, audiences have been treated to year after year of interconnected comic book films. Today’s moviegoers have been practically raised on superhero slugfests, many of which explore the idea of unremarkable protagonists in extraordinary situations that push them to act in remarkable ways.

However, “Shazam!” stands out by presenting that all-too-familiar story in a way that this generation of cinephiles hasn’t seen before.

Whenever 14-year-old Billy Batson (portrayed by the charismatic Asher Angel) transforms into his marvelous alter-ego, he doesn’t become a superhero; he becomes a teenager trapped in a superpowered adult’s body. To drop yet another term popularized by today’s youth, this is “adulting” in its most literal sense.

Billy is less interested in doing good and saving lives; instead, he’d rather test the limits of his own powers and exploit the fact that he looks old enough to buy booze and get past club bouncers.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Picture

It’s this combination of adolescent naivete, eagerness, and immaturity that make the Billy/Shazam character so fascinating to watch. In many ways, Shazam isthe most realistic depiction of what many of us would actually do if we had powers.

Characters like Spider-Man (who is perhaps the poster child of relatable superheroes) represent the best of us. Shazam, on the other hand, represents the rest of us.

It is this aspect of the character that makes Levi so perfect for the role. The way he portrays Shazam throughout the film demonstrates that he knows exactly what to do to sell this character. Even though our eyes are looking at a full-grown, muscular man in a ludicrously loud suit, we know that at his very core is a kid who isn’t even old enough to drive.

The dichotomy between Billy and Shazam also creates the perfect avenue for the protagonist to experience substantial development throughout the film. While his physical changes literally happen in a flash, his character growth occurs at a slow and steady rate, in a well-paced story that gives every significant character (including the villain) an opportunity to shine.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Picture

“Shazam!” takes place in the sunny city of Philadelphia — a refreshing departure from the gloomy, dimly lit backdrops of many of the DCEU’s previous films — and utilizes well-timed, self-referential humor to impressive effect. (Think “Deadpool”, but without the fourth-wall-breaking antics, swear words, and crude innuendos.) In fact, this is DC's funniest film yet.

"Shazam!" isn’t without its shortcomings, though. The final showdown managed to be slightly dragging in some parts and surprisingly rushed in others; it could have benefited from tidier execution.

A somewhat bigger problem in the film is the fact that there were hardly any repercussions for Billy’s petty acts of immaturity as Shazam. To be fair, the few times we actually do see any consequences end up playing major roles in the overall narrative. Still, for a film centered around maturity and growth, this seems like an odd oversight.

None of those flaws, however, hold the film back from being an entertaining experience.

"Shazam!" is strikingly good and shockingly refreshing; a sign from the heavens that DC's films have finally found the right magic words to say. — LA, GMA News