AQUAMAN Review

Aquaman (2018)

A Review By Ben Hunter

3.5/5 Stars

GET TO THE POINT BEN!

An entertaining commercial action flick that helps to keep the DC ship above water for the long voyage (pun intended). 

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A kingdom fallen under. A princess torn away. A love that once was and was to never be. A king to never be. But to become something greater … a hero. 

Arthur (Jason Momoa; Game of Thrones, Justice League, The Bad Batch) is a product of a love that once was. His mother Atlanna (Nicole Kidman) was betrothed to the new king of Atlantis and fled in disapproval. Washing up on the shores of “the surface dwellers” (where regular Earthlings live), she’s nursed back to health by Thomas Curry whom eventually the two fall in love and give birth to Arthur. Atlantis comes calling as they are a strict people. Atlanna is forced to return and they cast her into The Trench. Before leaving, she entrusts Nuidis Vulko (Willem Dafoe) to train Arthur in the ways of Atlantis as to know where he comes from. 

Under Vulko’s guidance, Arthur becomes skillful and talented but wants nothing to do with Atlantis when he learns they executed his mother for mating with the surface world and he being the product of such love. He develops a chip on his shoulder towards his home. His father still wakes up everyday and waits by the shore for his long lost love. 

Jason Momoa as Arthur, the Aqua-Man!

It’s now a year after the events of Justice League (2017) ironically both in the story and in real life. Where Steppenwolf (the villain from Justice League) attempted to forcefully control Earth. Arthur helped The League but still wants nothing to do with Atlantis. Now, the city is overrun by his half brother Orm who embellishes the fact that surface dwellers wage war and destruction beyond belief, so it’s only a matter of time before that affects the world below. He must unite all the forces of the water as a result and become the ultimate power, The Ocean Master (his real goal). So his betrothed, Mera (Amber Heard), realizes the danger her people are now under and flees to find the only one who can legally challenge Orm and rightfully take the thrown, his half brother … who wants nothing to do with Atlantis. 

Strap yourself in for an adventure as Mera tries to convince Arthur, who’s been nicknamed by surface dwellers he’s helped over this year as “The Aqua Man”, to help his people and discover what it truly means … to be a hero!

I have to say, this was A LOT better than I expected! With Justice League destroying the shared universe for DC (basically what Marvel is doing), and Aquaman, Shazam, Green Lantern, & Wonder Woman 2 hanging in limbo, I had all but written off DC completely. Don’t get me wrong, I fell off the bandwagon awhile back and now I’m just hoping for something coherent and entertaining. But my point is with all that said, I was happy with this one. No it’s not Oscar worthy or should be anointed our new savior as is the case with Black Panther (though I, brace yourself, liked it better than Panther). And let’s be frank, it would be exactly that if it were an all Hawaiian/Samoan cast. So let’s keep things in perspective. It wasn’t the dawning of the return of DC as that’d be like winning the lottery at this point, but nevertheless, they’ve at least kept their head above water (by going under it into Atlantis). Its box office numbers will ensure this. 

Amber Heard as Mera in Aquaman (2018).

In this day and age, technological advancements allow for an underwater story to be told as water is EXTREMELY DIFFICULT to film and create within. Steven Spielberg completely removed himself from the Jaws sequels because of this (and thus went everything else for Jaws). So I’m glad that money was well spent to create some believable CG for this adventure. I can spot bad CG a mile away and would’ve happily pointed out such in this case. So, I can happily say it didn’t mostly look like a video game (only slightly and only at times for maybe difficult shots to fill in the gaps here and there). 

One of the biggest qualms I’d say I have with this is Black Manta, the other and unnecessary villain. Ultimately, when you revisit his scenes, he’s not needed … at all. And the actor who plays him (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), does a very campy, slightly corny, and very generic and cringeworthy performance that makes you want him to go away altogether. Orm (Patrick Wilson, a very much more seasoned and better actor) is arguably the next Loki from Marvel but for DC (Tom Hiddleston’s character, the brother of Thor). He’s got the same M-O. An angry brother who’s jealous that he didn’t receive the same love as the hero we all know and adore. At the end of this story, there’s more room to expand this relationship and that of the world of Atlantis. So many more avenues and money makers for WB can be explored. So squeezing Black Manta (the father of AquaLad, Aquaman’s sidekick in the comics) into all of this was too much if poorly executed or nicely done but probably still too much if done right. Save him for another time. I remember Thor (2011) going much more smoothly which was a film that was in this same situation. Maybe take some of this freed up time to explain why breaking an Atlantean battle staff in combat signifies the end of the fight? I’m still agitated in my seat by thinking of this. 

I must say though, with the avenues we can take this, they jumped over A LOT of material! I would’ve preferred to start with origins and work our way to where Arthur is at the time of Justice League. There was enough material there for a full movie to get us to that point and feel like we’re just scratching the surface with this character and we can’t wait to explore all of it! He’s got key articles pertinent to this character, and reached a point in his journey that’s taken years to reach in comics, and seasons in TV. Spacing this out would’ve been much more beneficial for everyone, those taking our money and us giving it. 

But what could be greater than a king? ... A hero!

But director James Wan’s horror background (Saw, The Conjuring, Annabelle, Insidious) really played its part to help construct a meaningful adventure, especially with creatures and setting the tone with locations. Even though there were stanch contrasts as said tones didn’t know what movie they were creating at times (I thought this movie was a romantic comedy for a brief moment). 

Overall, the writing wasn't as crisp, but Jason Momoa is a really likable dude which makes up for as much as it can. But this is all a product of it still hurting that DC has chosen to copy what Marvel’s doing as they think that’s the only way to make superhero films. When the door was basically blown off the wall and the bricks for the yellow brick road laid out neatly from within their own studio confines with Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. So under yet another layer of restrictions to view all of this, I had a lot of fun experiencing this one. Even shed a slight tear the first time (the magic wore off once I knew what to expect). Still good enough though for future viewings as an overall commercial success. 

Aquaman (2018) 

Action/Adventure, 143 Minutes, PG-13

“Aquaman”, Created By: Mort Weisinger & Paul Norris

Story By: Geoff Johns & James Wan, and Will Beall

Screenplay By: David Leslie & Johnson-McGoldrick, and Will Beall

Directed By: James Wan

Cast: Jason Mamoa, Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Dolph Lundgren, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Temuera Morrison, & Nicole Kidman