There’s an exasperating trend in superhero movies that has reached the end of its shelf life and needs to be chucked. Back in the 2010s, a light touch on the tone seemed fresh and funny, with quippy, ironic dialogue popularized by Joss Whedon's “The Avengers” that felt revolutionary, and snarky, motor-mouthed performances from stars like Ryan Reynolds in “Deadpool” that were downright radical. But one whiff of the "Shazam!" sequel “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” and you’ll find that this overly jokey approach is well past its expiration date.
“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” is exceedingly grating, labored and annoying, and that's in large part due to star Zachary Levi’s utterly confounding performance as Shazam, the superhero alter ego of teenage Billy Batson (Asher Angel). In 2019's “Shazam!”, also directed by David F. Sandberg, there was something rather charming about Levi’s boyish performance, a grown man playing Superman with all the aw shucks wonder of a teenager. In the four years hence, the shtick has grown old, or Levi is simply laying it on too thick, adopting a vaguely urban accent, speech peppered with tired slang (“trippin’”), and an extra-randy attitude.
The biggest problem with his performance is that it’s completely out of step with his younger counterpart, which was an issue in the first film too. Angel’s Billy is a more grounded, even an anxious teenager, worrying about his large, multicultural foster family and his role in it as he gets older. When he Shazams himself into Shazam, thanks to the magic granted to him by a wizened wizard (Djimon Hounsou), the Levi version of Billy suddenly becomes bratty, arrogant and mouthy.
