In keeping with DC’s model, character development takes a back seat to special effects. And so we’ve got, among things, armies of sea creatures waging war underwater in such florid aquatic spectacles that it’s probably safer to view in sunglasses. We’ve also got multiple settings: the desert sands of Africa, the cobbled streets of Sicily, the seaside bars of Massachusetts and the palatial ruins of Atlantis itself, “somewhere at the bottom of the Atlantic,” all of which are staging grounds for enormous, explosive sequences at the hands of director James Wan (Saw, The Conjuring).
As an origin story, which this film ought to have been — notwithstanding Aquaman’s introduction in 2016’s Batman V Superman and his appearance in 2017’s Justice League — it sucks. We’ve got a single, pre-title-card scene of no more than 90 seconds. It’s young Arthur Curry, getting bullied in an aquarium and then calming a shark down with an outstretched hand. The other fish converge — it looks as if Arthur is controlling them through the glass — and the children gape at their classmate’s power! Later on, we’ve got some “training” flashbacks in which a teenage Arthur learns cool fight moves from an Atlantan vizier, whose name is Vulko, (Willem Dafoe).
Most of the names are just as ridiculous and hard to make out. King Orm? King Atlan? King Nereus? One of the villains, whose B-storyline awkwardly threads with what is, ultimately, a King Arthur retelling, is a pirate who assumes the very stupid moniker “Black Manta” (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II). It corresponds with his very stupid outfit, which includes a helmet in the shape of Family Guy’s Stewie Griffin’s head and allows him to shoot laser beams out of his eyes.
Incidentally, what’s up with Atlantis? Do any of these sea people have jobs? Where are all these insane high-tech underwater guns coming from? Where, for that matter, are all the women? As best I can remember, there were only two, one of whom, Queen Atlanna, (Nicole Kidman), was banished after she deigned to reproduce with a human man — hence, Aquaman; and the other of whom is nicknamed Mera, (Amber Heard), a princess who may or may not be Aquaman’s half-sister, but is certainly betrothed to King Orm (Patrick Wilson), Aquaman’s half-brother, and is also of course Aquaman’s romantic interest.
She looks distractingly like a live-action Little Mermaid. At one point, in a representative stab at humor, she takes a big bite out of a bouquet of roses after sniffing it. Get it, she’s a fish out of water!
The whole narrative may be read as a video game. There are silly minor tasks — Solve the puzzle! Capture the trident!; various levels and boards; and even a final boss — “The Karathen,” voiced by none other than Julie Andrews.
All that said, Jason Momoa is not only a stunning physical presence but is gruff and charming in the lead role. He instantly elevates Aquaman above the likes of the abominable Batman V Superman, which was not only bad but somber to boot. Momoa may or may not be taking things seriously, but his occasional levity — even in the confines of a bad script — beats the dour constipation of Ben Affleck’s Bruce Wayne.
Aquaman opens in wide release tonight.
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This article appears in Dec 19-25, 2018.
Well, it’s number 1 in the box office on holiday weekend. Care to post a retraction Sam ?
Being number does not mean it is a quality film.
Alas, I disagree with his assessment of Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne but agree with the general premise that DC has yet to deliver a quality comic book film.
This is by far one of DC best films in awhile. 3D and the graphics in general were done well. The storyline was great and it had action basically throughout the whole film. Go see the movie and quit comparing DC to Marvel. Everyone knows their movies have been great. I enjoyed this film from beginning to end.
I thought it was way better than everything else DC has turned out except WW. It could have been great if they had cast someone else instead of Amber Heard as Mera. She was such a huge role but such a drab personality. If Mera was played by Emma Stone, Anna Kendrick, Zendaya, Deborah Ann Woll, Kylie Bunbury, or someone that could at least fashion a genuine smile and have fun with the role many of the scenes with Mamoa and Defoe could have been way better. Or even the opposite and cast Sonequa Martin-Green, Katherine Moennig, Julie Jones, or Kelly Hu they could have stuck with the tough chick Scarlett Johansson as the Black widow character type they were attempting and actually sold it (Trying to look like her only made it more noticable that she wasn’t tough.) Not to mention Nicole Kidman (even being the goddess that she is) was the last pick out of at least 100 super-bad-ass women that should have been cast in that role. I feel that either the casting director or the regular director didn’t believe in strong women as characters.
To be honest, this reviewer makes very clear that they have never read the comics (not that I really expected them to). The paragraph trashing the character’s names and Black Manta was all from the comics, not the film director/writer.
That being said, this movie was far better than a lot of the movies DC has been crapping out these last 10 years as they frantically try to catch a lower rung on the MCU power ladder. It was way better than Wonder Woman, but still below average in my opinion.