Aquaman Review

In the view of the general moviegoer, the DC Extended Universe has been a place of one high and many lows. The solo success of Wonder Woman did little to help the success of Justice League, and after a year away the DC Extended universe has returned with a solo film about Aquaman. The biggest question is, can DC let go of its previous failures and make a great film about one of its more joked about characters? The answer is mostly.

Aquaman tells the story of Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa), previously introduced in Justice League, as he is recruited to prevent a war between the surface world and the ocean world. Jason Momoa is a joy in the film, bringing pure energy to the role while also continuing to prove he was a great fit. On Arthur's journey we meet his allies Mera (Amber Heard) and Vulko (Willem Dafoe) and his enemy King Orm (Patrick Wilson). Heard begins her role very subdued, but as the film goes on she grows more likeable and seems to get into the character more, and Willem Dafoe plays his role well, give a performance you expect form Defoe. Patrick Wilson does a very good job playing King Orm, filling the character with the sense of superiority over others and making a character that the audience loves to hate. His motives can feel a bit preachy at times but even without it he still creates a good villain.

A special mention in given to Nicole Kidman and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, playing Atlanna and Black Manta respectively. These two play their rolls well, but suffer the same fate as a few of the other actors in having weak delivery in a few lines.

The story is mostly good. It fits neatly into what a superhero origin story is while allowing the character to exist in being known. I found the main characters to at least be interesting, and I also enjoyed how the film related Arthur's story to the story of his parents. A few criticisms I have is that the main chunk of the plot involves a pseudo-treasure hunt, which can feel like taking the characters from one set piece to the next, but there is enough variety in the locations that it's not grating. The lines also can occasionally be fairly awkward and could have used some polish.

One of the biggest questions about the film leading to its release was how the film would work majorly underwater. I'm happy to saw that the effects are near perfect. The special effects make the world seem to be fully believable and I was happy that the world was used to its full effect as well as making the characters speak clearly underwater, a noticeable upgrade form Justice League. One of the greatest things is the world of Atlantis and the other kingdoms. These places are beautiful. They evoke the combination of futuristic technology, mixed with a fanciful blend of underwater life that makes the who place astounding.  While we don't see much of the other kingdoms of the ocean, each of them evokes their theme well and seem like they theoretically could exist.

James Wan is the director of the film and for the most part he does the job fairly well. He knows how to create shots that are well done and give a sense of awe, as well as creating excellent fight scenes that look like almost one shot. One criticism I do have is that peppered throughout the film are numerous slow-motion sequences, ala Zack Snyder, and while some of them are done extremely well and give some of the most beautiful shots in the film, many of them are unnecessary and are overused to the point it’s a bit distracting.

In the end Aquaman is a step in the right direction for DC. It brings the viewer into a new world and makes it looks beautiful in the process. The story, while having a few missteps, works as an introduction to the characters that make up the world as well as making a good story. It suffers here and there with a few creative choices and lines, but in the end the film is a great superhero story and a definite positive for the future.