Aquaman & Shazam - Trailer Reviews

DC, for the first time in a LONG time, unequivocally won San Diego Comic Con. Dropping 2 highly anticipated trailers in Aquaman's and Shazam's, the newly minted Worlds of DC seems to be back on track after stumbling with Batman V Superman, Suicide Squad, and Justice League.

These two trailers got me very excited for what's to come from DC/Warner Brothers, so I thought I would quickly breakdown my highlights and lowlights from each trailer.

To begin, Aquaman's visual style is exactly what I hoped for. Land is dark and dingy, while Atlantis looks bright and bustling, a whole new world buried deep under the sea. It's a safe bet that we'll get sweeping wide shots of the lost city, similar to Black Panther's Wakanda.

The scene in which Arthur first talks to sharks to save him from the bullies totally reminds me of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, when Harry talks to the snake. This leads me to my biggest complaint with this trailer: it feels safe. While it does a good job establishing what the film is, who Aquaman is and why we should care, it doesn't do enough to really drop my jaw.

Jason Momoa is likeable, and I think he will end up being the standout from this cast. Patrick Wilson is always great, and Black Manta (played by Yayha Abdul-Mateen II) looks like an imposing third act villain. I hope both Orm and Manta get enough screen time to fully realize those characters, as 2 villains PLUS the heroes origin story sounds like a pretty packed movie to me.

Now on to my favourite trailer to come out of SDCC, Shazam. A few years ago when DC first announced the Shazam film, I had low expectations. The DC movie universe seemed too dark and serious for what should be a light, fun character like Shazam. Thankfully, DC seems to have nailed the tone for what I think could be a sleeper hit, much like Guardians of the Galaxy was for Marvel.

Asher Angel hits the right note of sympathetic jerk, and Jack Dylan Grazer (my favourite from last year's IT) is a perfect upbeat counterbalance. Also, is that an Aquaman t-shirt Grazer is wearing at 0:20 into the trailer? Freddy Freeman appears to be a big superhero fan, but I find it funny that within the canon of DC, there is merchandise created for the Justice League.

Once Zachary Levi comes in as Shazam, this trailer really ratchets up. Playing a pre-teen is a tough line to walk: too childlike and it's campy, not childlike enough and it's too serious. It seems Levi was born to play this role however, finding that sweet spot in this trailer. Also, for anyone who watched Chuck, holy cow did Levi hit the gym for this role.

The back half of the trailer is downright fun, with Shazam testing out his super powers. I cannot wait to see the full montage in the film. We only get a glimpse of the villain, Dr. Sivana in this trailer, though a few things to come to mind from his appearance. First, I would not expect much from the villain in this film. I think Sivana will merely be an obstacle designed totally for Shazam to fully realize his powers. I don't expect a great battle or any standout villain moments. I am actually ok with that however. The second thing that comes to mind from seeing Sivana is that I am actually glad they are saving The Rock as Black Adam for another time. Let's establish Shazam, and then down the road we can see him face a true test like Adam.

If these two trailers did not get you excited for DC's upcoming slate, I don't know what will. Aquaman looks quality, and Shazam looks hilarious. If these are any indication, DC is in good hands.