Today’s quick review: Aquaman. The illegitimate half-human son of the Queen of Atlantis, Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) now protects the seas as the hero Aquaman. When his half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson) threatens to unite the undersea kingdoms and launch a war against the surface, Mera (Amber Heard) convinces Arthur to fight his brother and claim the Atlantean throne. But to do so, he will need to recover the legendary trident of Atlantis’ first king.
Aquaman is a superhero action movie based on the DC Comics character. Jason Momoa reprises his role as the titular hero, a half-Atlantean whose strength and ocean-based powers make him a formidable warrior. Aquaman features a likable protagonist, an adventurous tone, an elaborate world, and a ton of CGI-fueled action. The movie does not aspire to anything sophisticated. Instead, it delivers just what it promises: fun, bold action on a large scale.
Aquaman excels at spectacle. The underwater world of Atlantis is rendered in gorgeous, glittering detail by advanced CGI. The action ranges from hard-hitting, physics-defying, one-on-one fights to full-blown warfare between the undersea kingdoms. The action is backed by a fast-paced story with just enough heart and just enough humor to keep everything moving smoothly. The icing on the cake is Arthur himself, who’s blunt, easygoing, and loyal.
As far as story is concerned, Aquaman is broad but not deep. The movie covers a lot of ground in a short amount of time, including Queen Atlanna’s (Nicole Kidman) love for a lighthouse keeper, flashbacks to Arthur’s training under Zuko (Willem Dafoe), the origin of Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), undersea politics, and a jam-packed, globe-trotting adventure. Its emotional beats are simple but well-chosen to tie the movie together.
Aquaman does have a few flaws that keep it from joining the best movies in the genre. The movie’s crowded plot means that not every development gets the attention it deserves. This doesn’t hurt the movie’s consistency or sense of adventure, but it does make it a whirlwind of a watch. Likewise, the film’s visual style is solid overall, but here and there the costume choices and CGI physics don’t work as well as they should.
Watch Aquaman when you’re in the mood for unabashed spectacle and feel-good action. Aquaman doesn’t attain the same plot complexity or thematic richness as the best superhero movies, but its broad scope, strong action, and all-around quality make it an excellent choice nonetheless. For another solid pick from DC that has more emotional depth, try Wonder Woman. For the animated equivalent, try Justice League: Throne of Atlantis.
7.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it the same for sheer, simple fun.