After the game-changing Wonder Woman, questionable Batman v Superman, the excuse for a film Suicide Squad and the more recent abysmal Aquaman, DC has finally pulled a winner out of its bag.

Despite Marvel usually bringing a superior cinematic offering, DC does have Superman, who’s always been a very strong character and Henry Cavill definitely does him justice. I always try to look for the positives in their films even if the flaws outweigh the good qualities.

Shazam! reminds everyone what’s so great about superhero films – teaching kids about responsibility and taking care of the people you love. It’s a movie for children, featuring children as the main cast. That’s also why it’s a lot more relatable. Who hasn’t dreamed of a similar fate to Billy’s when they were young? Being “the chose one” is a very common arc in both film and literature, but it does work.

Strangely enough Shazam! is also known as Captain Marvel, not to be confused with Marvel’s most recent Brie Larson-led feature. It was exactly due to trademark conflicts that DC had to re-brand the character. The name is actually a combination of the six “immortal elders”: Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury.

Zachary Levi brings the charm of Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool, minus the profanities, but definitely the superhero physique. Many people actually questioned the realness of his muscles, but it’s obvious that he worked extremely hard and it shows on the big screen. His costume looks more like a leotard than any of the other almost armour-like pieces out there, so it would be incredibly unforgiving if he hadn’t risen up to the challenge. I do have to say that the white cape is a bit silly, but they’ve kept it close to the comics and most viewers would appreciate the authenticity.

I’ve been a fan of Zach’s comedic talent ever since Chuck. Nevertheless, his ability to embody the pure child wonderment and kindness is what truly shines in Shazam!. He’s also vulnerable and scared, which would be any kid in his character’s place. Billy’s adorable foster family and his friendship with his adoptive siblings are quite endearing too.

The baddie Dr. Sivana, played by Mark Strong was one of my disappointments in the film. He was a bit overly-dramatic and animated for my liking. His origin story was good, though I felt they could have spent slightly more time on his difficult relationship with his terrible father, which lead him on the road to villainy.

There were quite a few cheesetastic moments in the movie including the original Shazam! wizard and some of the jokes, as well as the blatant Superman and Batman plugs. However, there were also moments that were less bubblegum and more black forest gateau, if you know what I mean. The added darkness is a distinctive DC touch, but it was rather sprinkled in small doses around the film, unlike the majority of its superhero predecessors and that was just the right amount for a box-office hit.

One of the best bits about Shazam! was its ending, which wasn’t something I’ve seen in any other comics-inspired movies. I wouldn’t want to spoil it for anyone, but I would say that I’m really excited about the opportunities it brings and the casting choices are great. I can’t wait to see what’s next and I’m happy for Zach’s big break.