The DCEU films have been hit and miss for me. I enjoyed Man of Steel (2013) and Wonder Woman (2017) while having a hard
time watching Batman v Superman: Dawn of
Justice (2016) and Justice League
(2017). So, when Aquaman was
announced, I was skeptical and wasn’t in a hurry to see it. The film opened in
the USA on December 21, 2018 and went on to gross over $1.1 billion worldwide.
It is the highest grossing DCEU film and highest grossing film based on a DC
character, surpassing The Dark Knight Rises
(2012). Recently, my husband and I were given the opportunity to watch it, so
we decided to give it a try. Aquaman
was directed by James Wan and stars Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry/Aquaman, Amber
Hera as Mera and Patrick Wilson as King Orm. I was surprised by how much I
enjoyed this film.
The film opens in 1985, Maine as lighthouse keeper, Thomas
Curry (played by Temuera Morrison) recuses Atlanna (played by Nicole Kidman)
during a storm. Atlanna is queen of Atlantis and is running from an arranged
marriage. They fall in love and have a son, Arthur, who can speak to marine
life. Too soon, Atlanna’s location is discovered and she is forced to return to
her kingdom. Fast forward to the present, several months after the events of Justice League, Arthur has developed the
nickname, Aquaman, as he recues others at sea. Meanwhile, his half-brother,
King Orm is attempting to unite the kingdom, claim the title of Ocean Master
and attack the surface for their atrocities at sea. Mera knows King Orm as
Ocean Master would bring terrible consequences for the ocean and the surface
that she seeks out Arthur and urges him to find the Trident of Atlan and
reclaim his rightful place as king. The trident is a magic artifact, once
belonging to Atlantis’s first ruler, and gives the bearer the throne of
Atlantis. Through a series of clues, they journey to the deepest parts of the
ocean and the center of the earth. Arthur meets Karathen, a mythical leviathan
and keeper of the trident. He must prove his worth to obtain the trident and
claim control of over the seven seas and defeat Orm.
What I liked about this film, first was Jason Momoa as
Arthur. Although I do not find him as attractive as many women do, he was
perfect for the role of Arthur. Especially once the traditional Aquaman uniform
was revealed, Momoa makes a usually mocked character, look like a formidable
opponent. Second, one of my favorite line is Queen Atlanna’s response to
Arthur’s question about what can be greater than a kind. She replies, “A hero.
A king fights only for his own nation. You fight for everyone.” It acknowledges
that Arthur fights for both sides of his heritage: his home on the surface and
everything in the ocean. Third, Patrick Wilson as Orm. Wilson plays a terrific
villain. He is very convincing as a man who will do anything to see his plan
play out. Lastly, the soundtrack was a great addition to the film. From “Ocean
to Ocean” by Pitbull to “It’s No Good” by Depeche Mode, the music was powerful
for its scenes and added drama to the movie as music should.
There was little that I didn’t like about this movie and if
I didn’t like it, it could be overlooked. For instance, there were aspects of
Arthur and Mera’s journey to the trident that ignored science. However, it is a
superhero film about a man who can speak to marine life. Scientific accuracy
really isn’t a strong argument to dislike the movie, as many critics tried to
use. I could see why buy seriously it’s a superhero movie, scientific facts are
usually stretched. Second, there were times when the dialogue was very juvenile
and failed as a joke. In one scene, Arthur and Mera are in the Sahara desert
where they find an Atlantean artifact. When Mera realizes they need water to
activate it and takes sweat from Arthur’s brow, Arthur responds, “Show-off. I
could’ve just peed on it.” Really? Disgusting. However, I realize that the
demographic that this movie is written for may have enjoyed this joke. And
maybe not but it was a joke that I thought was inappropriate and wasn’t
necessary.
In conclusion, Aquaman
was surprisingly enjoyable and a movie I would watch again. It had all the
elements of a good superhero story as well as an action film. The special
effects were good. The battle scenes were enjoyable. I liked Jason Momoa as
Aquaman and the overall story. While there were points in the story that were
inaccurate and dialogue that seems inappropriate, I still enjoyed this movie.
The DCEU has a long way to go to match the caliber of the MCU; however, if they
look at the success of Wonder Woman
and now Aquaman, they could be a
strong competitor. I recommend Aquaman,
even if you haven’t seen the rest of the DCEU films, you can enjoy Aquaman.
Aquaman is now available
on DVD, Blu-ray and
various streaming services
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