Review of Aquaman (2018) by Desi L — 28 Dec 2018

Aquaman Movie Review: An Underwater Epic!

After Wonder Woman, Warner Bros. has again a big fish on the hook. Aquaman (directed by James Wan) hit the US theaters this Holiday (Christmas) weekend with a big splash after already hitting close to half a billion $ oversees. Aquaman stars Jason Mamoa in the lead role as Arthur Curry who is half human and half Atlantean. Together with Amber Heard, who is an Atlantean Princess named Mera, together they set out on an epic quest that leads Arthur Curry (Aquaman) to the throne of Atlantis.

Other stars in supporting role are Nicole Kidman (who plays Queen Atlanna - Arthur's mother), Patrick Wilson (Ocean Master - Arthur's half-brother), Willem Dafoe (Nuidis Vulko - Atlantean advisor to the King), Dolph Lundgren (King Nereus - father of Princess Mera), and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Black Manta).

The Visuals.

Aquaman has a lot going on for itself and sets the bar very high for any future underwater movie to come. It is a movie that is truly to be experienced on the big screen. The visual team behind Aquaman has shown what is possible on the VFX front today and it brings the same kind of epic visual feel as Avatar did all those years ago with groundbreaking effects.

Jason Mamoa.

One thing is for sure... Jason Mamoa has a lot to thank to Aquaman and James Wan in particular (more on that later). whoever thought that Aquaman was a joke of a character should only look at Jason Mamoa as Aquaman, as the character is now one of the coolest and most unique characters in the comic book circuit right now. James Wan gives Jason Mamoa a lot of room to give his personal touch to the Artur Curry but still at points keeps Jason Mamoa grounded enough to keep the Arthur Curry character alive. That said, this Arthur Curry is not the one you might be used to from the comic books. Jason Mamoa introduces the world to a Aquaman that is fresh and entertaining in every aspect.

Amber Heard as Princess MeraAmber Heard as Princess Mera.

Amber Heard.

Same as Jason Mamoa, James Wan gives Amber Heard a lot of moments to shine. Amber Heard not only looks gorgeous in every scene, she also kicks some major ass and is every bit Jason Mamoa's equal, if not better. If anyone had said 2 years ago that Jason Mamoa and Amber Heard would be the big selling names to a major blockbuster movie, people would say you've lost it. However, with Aquaman, both Jason Mamoa and Amber Heard are the biggest draws and shine from the first moment they come on screen to throughout the movie.

James Wan.

Jason Mamoa and Amber Heard's talents are on full display and that credit goes to James Wan. Warner Bros, struck gold when Wan agreed to swim with Aquaman. Wan is not only very talented but also brings something new and fresh to the comic book genre and that is exactly what Warner Bros. needed for Aquaman. With Aquaman, James Wan takes the standard (seen too often) comic book movie formula and manages to refresh it and give the audience an epic adventure movie that is fresh and very entertaining.

The Story.

Aquaman follows a simple yet entertaining script without too many plot holes and twists. Sometimes that can come across as lazy but once this case it works as that is exactly what a character like Aquaman needs. You want to be able to get behind the lead characters both in their adventure and in their growing love story. This just proves again that simple movies do work! (Looking at you Batman v Superman - Martha twist).

Should You Watch It?

Yes! and watch it on the big screen! The visuals and screenplay demand this movie to be seen on the big screen. Aquaman is a fun and enter ride that has something for both the comic book enthusiasts and for the common moviegoers who are looking for a fun adventure movie during the holiday season.