E's Reviews: Aquaman



AQUAMAN was directed by James Wan and stars Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson (who also stars in Wan's 'The Conjuring' films), Nicole Kidman, Dolph Lundgren, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Temuera Morrison. Arthur Curry learns that he is the heir to the throne of Atlantis and must return to the underwater kingdom and reclaim his birthright before his half-brother, Oceanmaster, declares all-out war on the surface world and become a hero to both worlds.

This is, of course, the follow up to the absolutely terrible Justice League film, and I was kind of wary because of just how bad that one was. I wasn't sure what direction Warner Bros. and DC were going with their film franchises. There was some bright lights that came out of that terrible movie, which I'll probably review some day, and one of those bright lights was Jason Momoa's portrayal of Aquaman. He was funny, charming, and just an all-around badass, so when they announced he'd be the next hero to get his own solo film, I was pretty excited initially. The trailers started coming out and I was still kind of worried it'd be overblown with CGI, or just have a terrible script or something that was left-over from Justice League that would ruin this movie. Thankfully...I was 100% wrong. Aquaman...is without doubt...one of the most fun films to come out this year.

There were very few things in this film I did not enjoy. One of them was a strange montage sequence that I felt didn't fit, but I really liked the actor who played Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), and I understood his motives behind going after Aquaman, but (SPOILER ALERT) a montage featuring a villain? Kind of a weird choice. It was an enjoyable sequence though in the end, so I didn't outright hate it. There were also a few editing choices and time lapses that felt weird, like they didn't flow together right. Amber Heard was an okay choice for Mera, but I couldn't really think of anyone else to play the role, and she did a decent job, I just kind of wanted her to be better because of how the character is in the comics. She also had very little chemistry with Jason Momoa. Maybe I expected more?

The things I did love? The cast is really great (minus Amber Heard, as I mentioned above). Nicole Kidman is amazing in her role, Jason Momoa is fantastic as Arthur! Seriously, the funny and charming badass that he is both as Arthur Curry and as a person shone through and carried this film. The script is filled with fun moments, tons of action sequences that blow your mind, and a lot of great jokes that really hit home. There are also a few dramatic moments that pull a little on your heart strings. The CGI effects Wan used brings Atlantis to life, using brilliant colors and underwater effects that made me feel like I was right there with them. One sequence where they head to this really bad place that I won't spoil, looks downright incredible on the big screen. It really was awesome to see it as it's also one of my more favorite story arcs from the comics.

All-in-all, Aquaman is a great entry into the superhero genre of films. It's got a great cast, good old fashioned fun, and is one of the most entertaining films of the year for sure. Go see it now!

Final Score: 8.5/10

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