Saturday, May 11, 2019

Aquaman: an enjoyable superhero film from the DCEU


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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