Aquaman (2018) Review

 

Aquaman (2018)

Aquaman follows Arthur Curry, who is called down to Atlantis to claim the throne and prevent a war between his brother, Orm, and the surface world.

It’s so unfair to even look at this compared to ZS’s Justice League, but I will guiltily die on the hill that I enjoy this movie to death. It takes breadcrumbs from JL and makes this massive underwater world that is stunning, colorful, and absolutely gorgeous, that draws on some serious science fiction elements in that scenery, as well as the score.

*As with most superheroes, the themes of parents and how their actions determine the fate of their kids is important here, ultimately pitting Arthur against his own brother and I like that if even for a minute, Arthur does revel in the fact that he’s always looked up to and wanted to meet his brother. Orm is right in many ways too, just not in his actions. He is right to despise the surface for all they have done to the ocean, and right to hate Arthur in some ways too. He’s a compelling villain for it.

As with Aquaman, they killed it. The story is albeit a bit hokey and the acting is a bit lax, but I love, for once, how they changed his character so drastically. Gone is the blond, surfer dude who is the butt of every joke, and in his place is a Polynesian, long-haired badass who amplifies each scene with his swagger and natural leading qualities that make such an all over the place adventure so damn fun. I mean, he even makes riding seahorses cool!

We get a wide ranging cast starring Willem Defoe, Amber Heard, Temuera Morrison, Dolph Lundgren, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Nicole Kidman, Patrick Wilson, and Jason Momoa. Wilson as Orm is one of the DC’s most underrated villains in my opinion and I really like his multifaceted portrayal here. Momoa draws a lot from the good parts of his character in 2017’s JL, being a super cool Aquaman who’s a little rough around the edges.

Aquaman, directed excellently by James Wan (a shocker to me), is a beautifully extravagant throwback to the adventurous sci-fi movies of the 80s that is by no means perfect, but chocked full of so much heart and passion, turning one of DC’s lamest heroes into an instant favorite.

8.8/10