Aquaman (2018)

Title: Aquaman

Year: 2018

Genre: Action | Adventure| Fantasy

Runtime: 143 min

Director:  James Wan

Starring: Jason Mamoa, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson

 A PALE COPY ABOUT THE UNDERDOG FROM THE OCEAN

First out; Man of Steel (2013) which was a decent origin story about Clark Kent and Superman. Then, sadly Batman V Superman (2016) that ended up being a catastrophe compared to the first one. After that we’ve had Suicide Squad (2016), Wonder Woman (2017) and Justice League (2017). Aquaman, did although have a cameo in Batman V Superman and a role in the last mentioned one: Justice League. After a few entries in DC’s so called “Extended Universe” that has sadly been a pale copy of Marvels cinematic Universe but far more rushed and stressed.

 Wonder Woman was NOT that good and was filled with plot holes all over but is still a strong entry in an already failing series of superhero movies from Detective Comics. Aquaman was fairly introduced as a hardcore character in his last film. There, he had barely no substance and the only real connection to the previous movies is a conversation about how he defeated Steppenwolf. Thereafter, there is no other connection to the rest of DCEU.

James Wan merits from movies often shown in the horror-genre, where the creepy and unsettling factors is a main part of the story. He uses most of his knowledge from the horror-genre and tries to balance it with comedy and unnecessary cringed moments. He tries, like Patty Jenkins, to come up with an origin story but the storyline doesn’t come on as a new one. Not at all. That’s not how things works. Although, whatever you might think about this character, it for sure embrace its true nature and brings some great clarity to the character.

Wan has practically ignored everything connected to the DCEU and what it means and runs a forgettable plot with mediocre characters with great performers and some unfinished visual effects. This is much because, during the first minutes of this movie, you’ll already be told what’s going to happen. There is so much exposition and explaining in the beginning of the movie. It doesn’t allow the story to evolve in a nature way where get to learn things along the way. No, instead you get to learn everything in a fifteen recap with all the histories and rules about Atlantis, that might make you tiresome of this.

The story is quite simple. Arthur Curry aka Aquaman is the rightful heir to the throne. He doesn’t want to be king but is forced to be it along the way. He has a jealous half-brother who wants him dead because he killed their mother after he was born. The mother wasn’t dead and managed to escape the creatures that was supposed to kill her, but she couldn’t escape for twenty years… because she was waiting for the rightful king. From the very beginning, it’s described that Arthur is the king to the throne. The thing that stops him is his will to do it. He refuses to do it in the beginning… why? Mostly, because he doesn’t want to but he’s, like I wrote before, forced to do all of this.

Aquaman tries, obviously, to do the best and rescue as many innocent people he can. But in the beginning, where a son of a Pirate sees his father get killed by Aquaman’s stupidity, Arthur doesn’t care. He let the father die, and still doesn’t care that he has a mortal enemy; Black Mantra, after him. This is confusing. He doesn’t seem to care either that his both home worlds are in grave danger, as his brother tries to fulfil a direct war against him and his people above the surface. Most things in this movie, just happens within Deus Machina. Things follow a thin red line, but everything is already played out and told beforehand which make the entertainment less fun.

The special effect shifts on and off, sometimes, it really good and it draws you in within the cinematic fantasy world where imaginary creatures comes to life. Everything is floating around decent and nice when they’re in the ocean but during the sequence in Italy, everything goes wrong. It looks and feels wrong with the visual effects. I don’t know what it’s, but that sequence does for sure not look realistic. Many more scenes and sequence doesn’t feel quite right.

Jason Momoa tries not that hard in this movie. He gets everything served to him. He mumbles most of his screen time and other characters does most of the work for him. He characterizes as a lazy and arrogant and at the end of the movie, there is nothing new to the character. He doesn’t evolve that much as a character. He looks sometimes weirdly in the camera, for unknown reasons. Amber Heard who plays Mera, show a more essence to Aquaman and her realm as she’s changed as a character at the end.  Dolph Lundgren, Willem Dafoe and Patrick Wilson is stable supporting characters. Wilson appears although sort of bleak as the villain as he’s the rightful king but not the worthy.  Arthur is worthy because… he is older than King Orm (Wilson) and the rightful heir to the throne.

Most of the DC Movies that they releases showcase that they’re truly desperate for this. They’re truly desperate to tell something that reminds the audience that they can copycat MCU too. This movie has a red line, pale character but some cool and fun moments. Aquaman is by far the best movie DCEU has brought on for years, it beats Wonder Woman, as it rightful should.

Whatever it’s, if DC decided to have good directors in the future, they might even make this series work… Hopefully… It helps with IMAX.