Shazam!
Shazam! is a superhero action-comedy film that introduces Billy Batson, a troubled foster child who is granted the power to transform into an adult superhero simply by uttering the word "Shazam!". The narrative explores themes of family, belonging, and selflessness as Billy learns to wield his newfound abilities and confront the evil Dr. Thaddeus Sivana and the monstrous Seven Deadly Sins. The movie blends humor with intense action sequences, aiming for a lighter tone compared to some other DC Extended Universe films. While it offers heartwarming messages about chosen family and heroism, parents should be aware of its significant mature content. The film is targeted at a teen audience, navigating the challenges of a child gaining adult powers.
Concerns
Violence
HighThe film contains extensive and intense superhero action violence, often involving terrifying monsters known as the Seven Deadly Sins. These creatures engage in graphic acts of violence and cause disturbing deaths, which can be frightening for children.
The Seven Deadly Sins, depicted as grotesque monsters, brutally attack people, including a scene where one demon bites a man's head off, though this is not explicitly shown on screen. Dr. Sivana also throws his brother out of a skyscraper window to his death, and the Sins subsequently attack and 'bashing, decapitating and devouring' other board members while they scream in terror. An early scene shows a woman touching an occult symbol, causing her to scream in horror as her body turns to black ash and crumbles.
Profanity
HighThe movie features a notable amount of strong language for its rating, including frequent expletives and some misuse of divine names. A bleeped F-word is also present.
The film contains approximately 14 obscenities, including 'h,' 'a,' and 's' words, and over a dozen profanities, primarily 'OMGs,' but also a strong profanity using Jesus' name. Additionally, a news interview features a Santa character uttering multiple 'f' words that are bleeped out. Other crude terms like 'd--k,' 'prick,' 'douchebags,' and 'sucks balls' are also heard.
Scary & Intense Content
HighThe movie contains significant scary and intense sequences, primarily due to the visual appearance and violent actions of the Seven Deadly Sins. These monsters are nightmarish and contribute to scenes of peril and death, potentially causing distress for younger viewers.
The Seven Deadly Sins are consistently described as 'nightmarish' and 'terrifying monsters' designed to frighten. Disturbing scenes include a woman being turned into black ash while screaming in agony after touching an enchanted door. The film also features the opening sequence where young Thaddeus Sivana's father is propelled through a car windscreen and is seen lying in a pool of blood after a collision.
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
MediumThe 2019 film 'Shazam!' subtly hints at the sexual orientation of the foster brother, Pedro Peña. This subtle foreshadowing becomes explicit in the sequel, 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods,' where Pedro is openly confirmed to be gay, and his coming out is a direct plot point.
In the original 'Shazam!' movie, Pedro Peña's sexuality is only subtly alluded to. However, the writers of 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' confirmed that Pedro is gay and that this was intentionally hinted at in the first film. In the sequel, Pedro explicitly comes out to his foster family, who are shown to be supportive. Additionally, in the sequel, Pedro is depicted showing interest in a picture of a half-naked baseball player in an advertisement.
Romance and Sexual Content
MediumDespite being a PG-13 film with a teenage protagonist, 'Shazam!' includes suggestive material, notably multiple visits to a strip club, and some mild sexual innuendo in dialogue.
Billy, in his adult Shazam form, visits a strip club called 'The Booty Trap' with Freddy out of curiosity. Upon exiting, Freddy asks Shazam if he 'saw any boobs.' Later, the entire foster family, including young children, accidentally teleports into the same strip club, prompting older sister Mary to cover young Darla's eyes. A mild sexual innuendo occurs when the Wizard tells Billy to 'Lay your hands on my staff,' to which Billy responds 'Gross!'
Witchcraft & Occult
MediumMagic is a foundational element of the 'Shazam!' story, with powers derived from an ancient wizard and rooted in pagan mythology. The villain's origin also involves interaction with magical objects and symbols, and the primary antagonists are supernatural entities.
Billy Batson receives his powers from an ancient wizard, and these powers are explicitly referred to as 'magic.' The source of Shazam's abilities is tied to mythological figures like Zeus and Hercules, indicating a pagan influence. As a child, Dr. Sivana uses a 'magic 8-ball' which serves as a conduit to the Seven Deadly Sins, and he later employs occult-like symbols to locate the Wizard's lair. The Seven Deadly Sins themselves are supernatural, demonic entities that grant Sivana his destructive powers.
Substance Use
MediumThe film depicts underage characters attempting to consume alcohol, presenting it in a somewhat comedic light, although the experience is portrayed as negative.
Billy, in his adult superhero form, and his foster brother Freddy, who is underage, enter a convenience store where Shazam purchases beer. Both characters then attempt to drink the beer but immediately spit it out in disgust, indicating they dislike the taste.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumThe main character, Billy Batson, frequently exhibits disrespectful and rebellious behaviors throughout the film, including running away from foster homes, lying to adults, and engaging in questionable stunts and pranks.
Billy Batson repeatedly runs away from different foster homes in his pursuit of his biological mother, demonstrating a pattern of defiance against authority figures. As Shazam, he and Freddy engage in acts of mischief, such as tricking police officers to steal their lunch, and are not shown facing explicit consequences for this rebellion. Billy also performs dangerous stunts to test his powers, including allowing Freddy to shoot him in the face with a handgun, which demonstrates a disregard for safety.
Anti-Christian Themes
MediumWhile the film includes some Christian allusions like the 'Seven Deadly Sins' and a family giving thanks, the core mythology for Shazam's powers is explicitly pagan, drawing from ancient Greek and Roman deities. The movie also features profanity that misuses divine names.
The source of Shazam's powers is attributed to various mythological figures such as the Wisdom of Solomon, Strength of Hercules, Stamina of Atlas, Power of Zeus, Courage of Achilles, and Speed of Mercury, with several being pagan deities, making the origin of his heroic abilities distinctly non-Christian. The film includes multiple instances of profanity, particularly misusing 'Oh my God' and a strong profanity using 'Jesus Christ's name.'
Other Notes
Target Demographic
Ages 13 and older due to frequent intense action violence involving scary monsters, pervasive strong language, suggestive material including a strip club scene, and themes of magic and rebellion. While it contains positive messages about family, the mature content warrants careful consideration for younger viewers.
Additional Notes
Shazam! offers positive messages about the importance of family, particularly chosen families, and themes of selflessness and courage. However, these positive elements are presented within a context of mature themes, including significant violence, intense scary imagery, suggestive content, and frequent strong language, which may overshadow the positive aspects for some younger audiences. Parental guidance is strongly recommended.
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