WISE Score
Avg. Tomatometer
A foster kid gets the powers of a god but still has to figure out how to charge his phone and find a family that actually sticks.
790%
71
Shazam! is the rare superhero movie that actually remembers what it's like to be a kid. It trades the typical 'end of the world' stakes for 'end of the hallway' stakes, focusing on a group of foster siblings who realize they're stronger together.
It’s funny, heartfelt, and surprisingly grounded, despite the flying and lightning. Just be ready for a few horror-lite jumps—the director didn't hold back on making the villains look like they crawled out of a basement.
Best for the 10+ crowd. While the humor is very kid-friendly, the 'scary' scenes are legitimately scary, and the foster care themes require a bit of emotional maturity to process. If your kid handled the darker Harry Potter movies, they'll be fine here.
The core of the movie isn't the lightning bolts; it's a found-family story about foster kids looking out for each other. It handles the emotional weight of Billy's search for his biological mother with surprising maturity and heart.
It captures the 'What would a 14-year-old actually do with superpowers?' vibe perfectly—testing abilities for YouTube views, buying beer (and hating it), and charging people's phones with finger-lightning.
It's a PG-13 that leans into director David F. Sandberg's horror roots. The Seven Deadly Sins monsters are genuinely creepy, and a boardroom scene involving them is surprisingly violent for a 'fun' superhero flick.
Offers a great perspective on foster care and the idea that family is a choice, not just a bloodline. It also subverts the 'lone wolf' hero trope by emphasizing that true power is shared.
For a long time, the DC cinematic universe was obsessed with being 'dark and gritty.' Shazam! was the movie that finally broke the fever. It’s a superhero movie with the soul of an 80s Amblin film—think The Goonies or E.T.—where the kids are the ones with the agency and the adults are either the villains or the supportive background players.
What makes it work is the chemistry between Billy Batson (Asher Angel/Zachary Levi) and his foster brother Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer). Their 'superpower testing' montage is a highlight of the genre because it feels authentic. They aren't trying to save the world; they're trying to see if Shazam is bulletproof so they can get more followers on social media. It’s that specific, small-scale focus that makes the eventual heroic turn feel earned.
Parents should know that director David F. Sandberg came from horror (Lights Out, Annabelle: Creation), and he brings that sensibility to the villains. The Seven Deadly Sins are CGI monsters that represent Greed, Envy, Wrath, etc., and they are designed to be unsettling. There is a specific scene in a corporate office that feels like it belongs in a different, much darker movie. If you have a kid who is sensitive to 'monster' imagery, you might want to pre-screen the boardroom scene.
This is a great pick for a family movie night because it actually gives you something to talk about afterward. The foster care elements aren't just window dressing; they are the engine of the plot. It’s a movie about learning that asking for help isn't a weakness and that 'home' is a place where you're chosen. It’s a high-quality, high-energy flick that manages to be a 'real' movie while still delivering the superhero goods.
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