AQUAMAN: THE PROTECTOR OF THE DC?

Hey guys, I know it’s been a minute since I did a review and I am totally gutted I didn’t get to put out Creed 2 and Robin Hood reviews, it’s been a busy while, but I’m, how should I say it…back with a splash! Aquaman the DCEU’s third solo outing is finally here, and as I always strive to do, here is my undiluted opinion on Arthur Curry’s deep sea adventure. Let’s dive in!

THIS REVIEW IS SPOILER-FREE
What's a deep sea adventure without a sunken ship?
Before it hit other parts of the world Aquaman had already been making a killing in Asia, (where it was released a week earlier) and for good reason. DC have gotten a grip, it’s not two handed just yet, but it’s a bold, firm one-handed grip steering the ship of the DCEU into more accommodating waters. Aquaman was helped by a great cast, an elaborate but ultimately simple plot and fantastic aesthetics which all brought a mythical underwater civilization to life. Like this year’s other regal superhero; Black Panther, Aquaman seldom felt like a superhero movie and more like an epic fantasy. The similarities between the movies is also there for nitpicking, if you’re that concerned about finding them, but that’s just comics, many superheroes share similar circumstances.

Aquaman picked up after the events of Justice League (JL), although this is mentioned barely in passing, it suggests DC haven’t exactly wiped that fiasco from the DCEU chronology. Jason Momoa reprises his role as the half-human half-Atlantean, Arthur Curry; an outcast who belongs neither here nor there, but who is the bridge between humans and their deep sea relatives, and is joined by fellow JL returnee and Atlantean, Princess Mera (Amber Heard) and a host of other fantastic actors.
Atlantis: Your next holiday getaway
James Wan is known more for creating scary, dark and desolate worlds from his work on the Insidious and Conjuring series, however the world he created in Aquaman is nothing short of breathtakingly beautiful, Wan and his team concocted a visual feast as they brought the underwater civilization of Atlantis to life. A tricky feat, but one they managed to execute on most occasions. Curiously the CGI seemed dodgy in situations when it seemed easier not to, but who notices that stuff? As with the director, the acting personnel are an asset to the film, with Momoa, Heard, Wilson and co. all putting in convincing performances. The romance between Arthur and Mera was sometimes cringeworthy, reminiscent of something out of a 90s Disney cartoon. It is confidently the least impressive part of the movie, complete with stolen glances, awkward hand holding, cheesy mood music, and capped with (in my opinion) an unfeasible and wrongly timed first kiss.

Patrick Wilson brought his A-game into bringing Arthur Curry’s half-brother to life, conveying Orm’s arrogance, strength, pain and fragility with much charm.  Orm’s hate of the surface world is inherited and stems from the loss of his mother, which he blames Arthur for. I secretly hoped that elements of Justice League: The Throne of Atlantis would be borrowed, specifically the treatment of Queen Atlana and Orm – who murders his mother; an irredeemable act which would cement his treachery and vile villainous nature, but then again that might not have been in good taste with the family friendly, popcorn movie that James Wan was going for.
Sibling rivalry, you gotta love it
Despite Yahya Abdul Mateen’s commanding execution of the character I thought Black Manta was a bit underutilized and linear. His sole motivation of revenge left him as no more than a sideshow, a distraction, an itch up your swimsuit which showed at the most inconvenient moments, a contemptuous role, for one of Aquaman’s biggest foes. However, every big manta was once a small manta and having his origin story in this film would mean we can skip that in a sequel and concentrate on other matters.

Aquaman was reminiscent Richard Donner’s Superman, with its innocence; not of the characters but of the film. Donner’s Superman was the first Superhero movie on the big screen, and in that, it had no real precedent, no notable yardstick, you would hate it or love it, but you wouldn’t forget it. It simply delivered within the context of the universe it existed in, if Christopher Reeves’ Superman was the first superhero to fly in space, Momoa’s Aquaman was the first superhero to talk underwater.

My biggest issue with Aquaman is probably how it had no real consequence,  I know that’s beside the point of a popcorn movie but almost everyone comes out unscathed, the casualties are anonymous save one, and there seem to be no real consequences for anyone’s actions since things turn out fairly well in the end. It might have been nice to see some weightiness, even if just a little, some of that infamous DC darkness we all hear about.
The Money Shot
Aquaman is definitely a huge step in the right direction by Warner Brothers and DC, which should hopefully open the door for more interesting titles down the road; this would involve treating these characters as distinct parts of the whole, engaging dynamic directors who would respect the source material, and allowing them to realize their visions unshackled. It also further highlighted the error of releasing a team up movie before these characters got the opportunity to endear themselves to the audience. Arthur remains the high on adrenaline hothead he was in JL but now you get some sense of why he is the way he is, and how horribly wasted the character was in JL. This movie would have also served as a seamless fit in a chain of solo stories before the big team up, but hindsight is 20/20 and I digress.

Despite its super cheesiness at times, Aquaman’s other elements come together quite well to send us on a sprawling epic adventure from the depths of the seven seas to the Sahara that we’ll never forget. It’s also safe to say that no one will be laughing at Aquaman now, but he’ll be laughing plenty to the ocean bank.

Reject Rating: 7/10

Comments

  1. Seen the movie and think you rating is fair enough. Would give it a 3.8/5. Cheers

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    1. I think so too. Lol. Thanks for reading, don't forget to share if you enjoyed it.

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