Released: December 2018
Director: James Wan
Rated PG-13
Run Time: 143 Minutes
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Genre: Action/Fantasy
Cast:
Jason Momoa: Arthur Curry/Aquaman
Amber Heard: Mera
Patrick Wilson: Orm/Ocean Master
Willem Defoe: Vulko
Nicole Kidman: Atlanna
Dolph Lundgren: King Nereus
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II: Manta
Temuera Morrison: Tom Curry
It’s been a couple of months since I’ve reviewed a brand new theatrical release film. My apologies. My day job and other aspects of Real Life got in the way. Everything seems to be working out right now, so I hope to be bringing more to you. With the films coming out this year, both theatrical and direct-to-video, it’s going to be a busy year. Anybody who knows me will know that I’m a huge fan of comic-book movies. From Superman and Batman to The Avengers, I get a kick out of these films that bring so many well-known superheroes to life. Some films have soared, while others have stumbled. Regardless, there is no stopping the machine that is the comic-book movie. I’ve been a fairly staunch supporter of the DCEU(DC Expanded Universe) films, despite the universe stumbling out the door. Man of Steel got a fairly decent reception, but Batman V. Superman and Justice League got wrecked critically. Wonder Woman appeared to be a huge step in the right direction. So, where does Aquaman stand?
Aquaman tells the story of Arthur Curry, a man who was born when his human father fell in love with Atlanna, the queen of Atlantis. After the climactic battle with Steppenwolf at the end of Justice League, Arthur finds himself roaming the seas to help people in trouble. The film opens when a group of well-armed pirates hijack a Russian submarine only for Arthur, the Aquaman, the intervene. Later, in the under-water city of Atlantis, Arthur’s half-brother Orm has assumed the throne of Atlantis with the intention of bringing war to the surface world. Princess Mera, manages to convince Arthur to return with her to Atlantis and attempt to stop the war before it begins. The story is pretty straight-forward and fairly typical of a superhero film. This is the same kind of story that we’ve seen in many other comic-book movies, but what makes this one different, is the fact that it’s Aquaman. Yeah, the story is pretty simple at its core, but it’s still a fairly compelling narrative at times. It does go where you think it will go, but it does it with so much joy and so much fun that it’s hard NOT to get invested.
One of the biggest selling points of Justice League and Batman V. Superman before it, was the casting of Jason Momoa as the titular Aquaman. Jason Momoa is one of the coolest actors in the industry today. He is an exceptional actor and he definitely brings a very strong presence to whatever he’s doing. Jason’s casting as Aquaman is perfect casting in the same way that Robert Downey, Jr. was perfect casting as Tony Stark in Iron Man. While Jason was known for Stargate: Atlantis and Game of Thrones, I suspect that his role in Aquaman will become one of his most iconic roles in his career. He’s fantastic. He obviously has the physical build for the role, but he also makes the character incredibly human and relatable, even though Arthur isn’t completely human. Amber Heard is wild as Mera. Not only is she drop-dead gorgeous, but she can hold her own with the boys in the action scenes. Her chemistry with Momoa’s Arthur feels very organic, human, and sometimes hilariously antagonistic. Patrick Wilson plays King Orm, and here is one of the weaker characters of the film. I’m not saying that Wilson did a bad job, far from it, it’s just that the character feels very cliche at times as the villain who wants the thrown. Honestly, I would’ve liked to have seen more of Yahya Abdul-Mateen’s character of Black Manta as a central villain. Don’t get me wrong, both characters have a personal connection to Aquaman, but it’s Manta’s hatred of Aquaman that feels more authentic. Dolph Lundgren has a pretty decent appearance as King Nereus, Mera’s father, as he kind of hesitates to join Orm’s quest to destroy the surface world. Lundgren is always a fun one to watch, whether or not he’s playing a good guy or a villain. Willem Defoe actually plays a good guy for once in a comic book movie. What can I say about Defoe? He’s fantastic. What makes the performances so enjoyable, is the fact that the actors absolutely know what kind of movie they’re in and they just roll with it. There’s a lot of over-the-top posturing, speeches, and men being manly men.
This movie moves really quickly. It’s not a boring movie and it will keep your eyes attached to the screen for the entire run-time. Before I get to the action, I have to say that Aquaman is one of the most beautiful movies I’ve seen since James Cameron’s Avatar. There are a lot of shots on land that are simply stunning. The open desert as well Sicily are incredibly captured, and make you want to visit those places. In case you haven’t figured it out, Aquaman is a visual-effects heavy film. There is a lot of CGI here, but it’s utilized in a way that actually makes it feel like livable world. The under-water sequences, including Atlantis itself are simply stunning. The colors are extremely vibrant and they pop out as if to say, “look at me!” The first few DCEU movies had this kind of grit and grime that tried to make the films seem more edgy than they needed to be. None of that is here. The action sequences are some of the most interesting I’ve seen in a comic-book movie. The under-water fight scenes are well-choreographed and visually impressive. The fights between Orm and Aquaman are some of the highlights. Then you get some seriously epic battle sequences towards the end of the film which are mind-blowing at how well it came together. The special effects gurus at Industrial Light and Magic for bringing such a fantastic under-water world to life.
While the film is mostly fantastic, there are a few niggling issues here and there that I’m not really a big fan of. There are a number of uses of “de-aging” CGI that have been used periodically, and some of those effects are not very good. Also, the film does run a little too long at 143 minutes. I think a trimming of a few scenes here and there could’ve really tightened up the pace a bit. Ultimately, though, the positives out-weigh the negative in nearly every category.
Is Aquaman a silly movie? Yes. Yes, it is. Is it cheesy? In the best possible way. This is a movie that knows what it is and what it wants to be and just goes for it. Everybody who worked on the film clearly had a vision in mind and had a blast doing it. They wanted to make the best possible comic-book movie they could, and I think they succeeded very, very well. Man of Steel, Batman V. Superman, and Justice League were taking the DCEU down the wrong path, in my opinion. Wonder Woman and Aquaman are trying to make things right again, and I think they can do it. With Shazam! coming in a couple of months, I believe the DCEU could be back on track. Will it ever eclipse Marvel’s MCU? Not anytime soon. It’s been a very long time since a comic-book movie made me feel like a kid again, and Aquaman did just that. This movie is an absolute blast.
My Final Recommendation: 9 Laser Sharks out of 10. This one has to be seen on the big screen.