Young Billy Batson (Asher Angel ) is given a magic word "Shazam" that turns him into a super-human adult (Zachary Levi ), but while he's learning to master his new found super-abilities, the seven deadly sins incarnate (Mark Strong ) is hunting for him. The film starts interestingly enough, focussing on the villain's back story but then takes it's time getting to the 'Shazam' moment. Initially, there are a few fun moments as the now supercharged teenager and his foster-brother Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer) figure the caped-marvel's powers but then the story goes nowhere until the obligatory super-villain shows up. After a few generic CGI-fights, the scene is set for the climatic 'twist' (broadly hinted at earlier in the film). Even by superhero standards, the original Captain Marvel (see for example the 1941 serial 'Adventures of Captain Marvel') pubescent-adult transition was a strange premise, but the current film doesn't really do much with the concept beyond play it for laughs. There is a noticeable disconnect between Billy's personality as young, brooding Billy and as goofily-heroic Captain Marvel (in all but name) that really undercuts the premise (the Captain seems much more of an all-powerful version of Freddy). There is a go-nowhere backstory about Billy's mother (perhaps setting up something in the inevitable sequel) and the foster family (made up of a group of 2-D stereotypes) is pretty cloying. Despite some moderately grim imagery at the start and the relatively brutal massacre in the boardroom, the film is light-weight, colourful kid's wish-fulfilment fantasy (resembling a live-action anime film (I was reminded of the pre-to-post pubescent 'Sailor Moon' characters) more than a D.C. Universe super-opus). Although decades past the target audience, I generally like these kinds of films but this one had little to offer beyond silly (and repetitive) yuks for younger viewers.