What does it take for one to step up and exceed their limits? “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” is a film that explores that question, along with the themes of heroism and adulthood.

“Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” produced by New Line Cinema, DC Studios and The Safran Company, was released on March 17 by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film is a sequel to the first “Shazam!” film released in 2019. It was directed by David F. Sandberg and it features Zachary Levi in the interesting role of Billy Batson, who is trusted with the powers of the wizard Shazam to protect the world. The compelling plot and intriguing theme of the film captured my attention and made it enjoyable to watch.

Billy Batson has to use the powers given to him to defeat the daughters of the Titan Atlas (Derek Russo), Hespera (Helen Mirren) and Kalypso (Lucy Liu), who want to avenge their father’s death. The two daughters take possession of Shazam’s weapons and plan their attack by stealing the powers of heroes and the golden apple from the Tree of Life. After a series of dramatic encounters, Billty faces Hespera and Kalypso in an epic final battle.

The soundtrack of the movie was impressive and captured the suspense of the film. The music was composed by Cristophe Beck, who is behind the scores of “Ant-Man” and “Hawkeye.” The soundtrack included songs like “This Must be the Place” by Sure Sure and “Holding out for a Hero” by Bonnie Tyler. The fast beats and dramatic melodies of these songs contributed to the quality and flow of the film.

The return of older characters was a compelling aspect of the movie. The connection to the mythological Titan Atlas, as well as the return of characters such as Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer) and the Shazam Family gave me a sense of nostalgia. These characters were important for the development of the film’s theme.

The movie had amazing visual effects with a variety of colorful scenes, with the final battle between Atlas’s daughters and Billy being one of the best. The contrast between the darkness of the scene and Billy’s sudden bolts of lightning created a spectacular scene. The suspense of the moment was perfectly captured by the actors, who did very well at showing the desperation and fear of the scene through their focused facial expressions and powerful lines.

The theme of the film was one of my favorite aspects. The film explored the topic of heroism, through the main character of Shazam. Throughout the plot, Billy was not sure if he could handle the responsibility of his powers and his duty to protect the world. However, he did not hesitate to use his skills for the best. Billy’s acts of heroism stood out to me and made me reflect about what makes one reach their limits and step up.

“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” was a film with vibrant scenes, epic battles and a strong lesson. I appreciate the suspenseful plot as well as the important theme the film explored.