If Nintendo seem slow to the uptake in finally mining their prized Mario empire for big screen franchising, there’s no doubting the memory of 1993’s Bob Hoskins led Super Mario Bros. flop spurred hesitation. It figures. Time, however, heals all wounds and today’s target audience may even be the children of parents born after that film’s release. Moreover, in the hands of the studio behind Despicable Me and The Secret Life of Pets, the Japanese gaming giant can breathe easy. Chris Meledandri and the Illumination team have yet to drop the ball at the box office. Not once in thirteen years and twelve films, two of which bested the billion dollar benchmark. That’s no mean feat and a track record The Super Mario Bros. Movie has no chance of breaking.
Many years have come and gone since Courtney Solomon – not to mention dodgy effects, dreadful acting and dismal writing – murdered Dungeons & Dragons at the multiplex. In spite of the two home video sequels that somehow limped out of its legacy, the film remains a remarkably risible tribute to a game of perhaps unparalleled cultural significance. Only now, two decades later, can the memory of Solomon’s effort be banished to the outer planes. Only with the release of Honour Among Thieves, which is, by all accounts, a tour-de-force of infectious blockbusting fun.
Much has changed across DC’s Extended Universe since Shazam! first bolted into cinemas. A pass the parcel of creative control has seen Marvel’s murkier cousin shuffle between soft reboots and directional alt rights. As things stand, Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck are out, while Gal Gadot and Jason Momoa sit patiently on the bench. Robert Pattinson and Joaquin Phoenix, by contrast, enjoy a league of their own. When it comes to Shazam, the judge’s gavel has yet to fall and there’s little optimism in the jury. It would be a shame if Fury of the Gods marked the final bow for Zachary Levi’s lovably insecure supe but the battle for retention won’t be easy. It’s hard to see so second rate a sequel mirroring the success of its peppier predecessor nor enjoying anything like the audience adoration.
The Film Blog 