Year: 2018
Director: James Wan
Starring: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Nicole Kidman, Dolph Lundgren, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
Tagline: Home is calling
Starring: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Nicole Kidman, Dolph Lundgren, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
Tagline: Home is calling
Synopsis: Arthur Curry is half human and half Atlantean. When both worlds are in danger, he must find his path as hero and king.
Review
Arthur Curry (aka Aquaman) was one of the best parts in Justice League, so I was pleased but hesitant when I saw that he was getting a solo film. Is it perfect? Nah. Is it a whole lot of fun? You betcha! Unlike the Batman and Superman films of the DCEU (DC comics extended universe), Aquaman is fun, bright, and wise enough to never take itself too seriously.
One thing the DCEU has struggled with has been the "grim dark" nature of the Batman and Superman led films. Wonder Woman went against that trend and was a terrific movie. Aquaman followed the same path. The visuals are bright, colorful, and unlike any movies I can recall seeing. Atlantis is stunning to behold. It's also neat to see underwater fights. I'm not sure how believable those fights are, but then nothing in this film really tries to be too believable.
And that's part of what makes Aquaman so enjoyable. It's fun. It's funny. It doesn't go into the territory of campiness. It's not a parody. But the film does recognize this is a movie about a hero who can talk to fish. So it rolls with that. The closest it comes to being over the top is right before a dramatic duel in the Ring of Fire (<insert Finding Nemo joke here>). As you might expect, a big ceremonial duel for the throne is accompanied by ceremonial drums. And those drums are played by a very large octopus. Because why not? It's a quick, "wait, did I really see that" moment that doesn't overstay its welcome.
Arthur and Mera are also great with the one liners and have a good banter.
I liked the various characters. Jason Momoa (Arthur Curry) proves he is a big enough personality to helm his own film. Amber Heard (Mera) is a fitting partner for him, and it is fun to see her character as a fish out of water. Orm (Arthur's half brother) is a pretty standard villain, but he does have reasonable cause to dislike us surface dwellers. Black Manta is the other villain and he is a formidable foe indeed. I also liked Tom Curry and Atlanna and their relationship.
Oddly enough, this is the second movie during the holiday season that featured actor Dolph Lundgren. In Aquaman he plays King Nereus. In the Rocky/Creed movies he is Ivan Drago.
The film also features one of my new favorite cameos. It's uncredited, and if I hadn't known who it was beforehand, I might not have picked it up. But since I did know, I could hear the real voice within the highly edited ("monsterized") voice of the Karathen. Who voices the enormous, tentacled sea monster? That would be none other than Julie Andrews. And it works. It works so well.
As for the story, it is the typical superhero origin movie. I felt there were enough new elements to keep it fresh though. And, despite some plot holes, the story works fairly well.
Lastly, I enjoyed the music. The soundtrack was good. It was a little different, but it totally fit the tone of the film. And there were a few well-placed songs.
Aquaman is visually spectacular and a fun time at the movies. So grab some popcorn and hang on for the underwater ride. Be sure to stay for a mid-credits scene.
The film is rated PG-13 for typical superhero violence and a number of s-words and a-words.
*** Spoiler Section ***
The final battle is pretty epic. I'm trying to think of another movie with a great undersea battle. Nothing is coming to mind. But Aquaman has people, aquatic ships, sea creatures, sea animals, and a Karathen all going at it. Again, the characters are wholly invested in the battle. But the movie itself acknowledges its own silliness. Name one other movie where someone gets skewered by a narwhal.
I would also like to point out that it sure is lucky nobody ever knocked over or damaged that statue of Romulus over the course of hundreds of years. All the others seemed to have fared poorly, but good old Romulus was preserved.
One thing the DCEU has struggled with has been the "grim dark" nature of the Batman and Superman led films. Wonder Woman went against that trend and was a terrific movie. Aquaman followed the same path. The visuals are bright, colorful, and unlike any movies I can recall seeing. Atlantis is stunning to behold. It's also neat to see underwater fights. I'm not sure how believable those fights are, but then nothing in this film really tries to be too believable.
And that's part of what makes Aquaman so enjoyable. It's fun. It's funny. It doesn't go into the territory of campiness. It's not a parody. But the film does recognize this is a movie about a hero who can talk to fish. So it rolls with that. The closest it comes to being over the top is right before a dramatic duel in the Ring of Fire (<insert Finding Nemo joke here>). As you might expect, a big ceremonial duel for the throne is accompanied by ceremonial drums. And those drums are played by a very large octopus. Because why not? It's a quick, "wait, did I really see that" moment that doesn't overstay its welcome.
Arthur and Mera are also great with the one liners and have a good banter.
I liked the various characters. Jason Momoa (Arthur Curry) proves he is a big enough personality to helm his own film. Amber Heard (Mera) is a fitting partner for him, and it is fun to see her character as a fish out of water. Orm (Arthur's half brother) is a pretty standard villain, but he does have reasonable cause to dislike us surface dwellers. Black Manta is the other villain and he is a formidable foe indeed. I also liked Tom Curry and Atlanna and their relationship.
Oddly enough, this is the second movie during the holiday season that featured actor Dolph Lundgren. In Aquaman he plays King Nereus. In the Rocky/Creed movies he is Ivan Drago.
The film also features one of my new favorite cameos. It's uncredited, and if I hadn't known who it was beforehand, I might not have picked it up. But since I did know, I could hear the real voice within the highly edited ("monsterized") voice of the Karathen. Who voices the enormous, tentacled sea monster? That would be none other than Julie Andrews. And it works. It works so well.
As for the story, it is the typical superhero origin movie. I felt there were enough new elements to keep it fresh though. And, despite some plot holes, the story works fairly well.
Lastly, I enjoyed the music. The soundtrack was good. It was a little different, but it totally fit the tone of the film. And there were a few well-placed songs.
Aquaman is visually spectacular and a fun time at the movies. So grab some popcorn and hang on for the underwater ride. Be sure to stay for a mid-credits scene.
The film is rated PG-13 for typical superhero violence and a number of s-words and a-words.
*** Spoiler Section ***
The final battle is pretty epic. I'm trying to think of another movie with a great undersea battle. Nothing is coming to mind. But Aquaman has people, aquatic ships, sea creatures, sea animals, and a Karathen all going at it. Again, the characters are wholly invested in the battle. But the movie itself acknowledges its own silliness. Name one other movie where someone gets skewered by a narwhal.
I would also like to point out that it sure is lucky nobody ever knocked over or damaged that statue of Romulus over the course of hundreds of years. All the others seemed to have fared poorly, but good old Romulus was preserved.
Quotable Quotes
- "I am Atlanna, Queen of Atlantis." "I am Thomas, keeper of lighthouse." -- Atlanna and Tom
- "Bogey at six o'clock!" "What does that even mean?" "Enemy behind us!" "Why didn't you just say so?" -- Arthur and Mera
- "Wait! Shouldn't we have written it down?" "I memorized it. Didn't you?" "Uh, yeah." "What did it say?" "Something something trident." -- Arthur and Mera
- "You based our escape on a children's book [Pinocchio]?" "It's a book? No, I based it on the movie." -- Mera and Arthur
- "Atlantis has always had a king. Now it needs something more." "What could be greater than a king?" "A hero." "A king fights for his own people. A hero fights for everyone." -- Mera, Arthur, and Atlanna
No comments:
Post a Comment