Shazam! Fury of the Gods abandons its predecessor. The comedy in the first Shazam! had self-aware honesty and purpose. This sequel is fully cliche so its insincere humor only undermines tension. The original developed its protagonist throughout but this sequel forces an unearned arc without groundwork. Meanwhile, the villain conflict is generic, bloated, and avoidable. There are obvious exposition dumps, contrived plot points, superficial lore, abundant McGuffins, flimsy motivations, awkward fan service, a messy climax, and deus ex machina. Most of the acting is one-note and Levi is especially shallow. Consequently, the film feels artificial, inconsequential, predictable, and unsatisfying.
Technically, Fury of the Gods is bland. Its cinematography uses movement and framing, yet is often cluttered and unattractive during combat. The editing provides action, but the momentum is fumbled. It has nonfactor music, generic production designs (with blatant product placements), and distractingly excessive CGI effects. Conversely, the cast is deeper, and the sound design is both plentiful (due to magical action) and symbolic (with echoes, stings, and emphasis). Overall, Fury of the Gods isn't painful, but it's wholly disengaging and forgettable. Genre fans might like its familiar formulas but most viewers will wonder why it stepped away from the original's strengths.
Writing: 4/10
Direction: 4/10
Cinematography: 5/10
Acting: 5/10
Editing: 5/10
Sound: 7/10
Score/Soundtrack: 5/10
Production Design: 6/10
Casting: 7/10
Effects: 6/10
Overall Score: 5.4/10
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