Three Reasons Why Shazam Is The Better Captain Marvel Movie

I liked Captain Marvel but I really enjoyed Shazam. Given the proximity of the movies’ release dates as well as their doppelgänger name origins, I am compelled to compare the two.

Here’s why I give Shazam the slight edge.

Reason #1: Lead Actor (Performance)

Zachary Levi is simply better than Brie Larson in the titular superhero role. Although Larson is the superior dramatic actor, with a more sterling film resume, Levi checks all of the boxes, with an assist from his younger alter ego Billy Baxon, deftly portrayed by Asher Angel.

Reason #2: The Humor

Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films are known for their top-notch humor and banter. And Captain Marvel delivers in this department. Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) have especially good comic chemistry. However, Levi is the more natural comedic actor, and the Shazam plot is inherently light-hearted and comedic in nature — due largely to the fact that Billy Baxon is a smart-ass teenager.

Reason #3: The Main Baddie

All great comic book movies have great villains, but most importantly, they often include villains who are complex, and at times, empathetic to the audience.

In Shazam, the main baddie Doctor Sivana (portrayed by Mark Strong), has a troubled, neglected childhood like his superhero rival. In many ways, he’s a victim, who becomes a bad guy through the sum of his childhood trauma. From Erick Killmonger in Black Panther to Loki in the Thor franchise, scarred childhoods are hallmarks of great villains.

In Captain Marvel, the film does a great job of misdirection. The Skrulls initially appear to be the villains to Captain Marvel and her Kree cronies. But we soon find out that her Kree cronies (led by the manipulative Yon-Rogg played by Jude Law) have been misleading her all along.

Both films have multi-layered villains, but Doctor Sivana gets a slight edge in the bad guy department.

Besides sharing names, both films share compelling villain backstories and their fair share of laughs. But despite its mixed bag of financial results in comparison to Captain Marvel, Shazam is the better film.

Score one for the DCEU, not that I’m keeping count. 😉