Review of Aquaman (2018) by Andrewburge — 24 Dec 2018

Let's be real. Aquaman is probably the lamest most mock-able superhero ever, something which I feel James Wan was well aware of because this film is one of the most coolest-looking, over-the-top extravagant pieces of nerd masochism I have seen in a long while. There are people riding sea horses and sharks equipped with laser beams!

But in order to reduce the mockery of this "fish-man", Wan gave Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) a really manly personality. He is chill, sarcastic and its easy to connect with him through his human personality, a perfect contrast to the Arian Atlanteans. I also like the way in which this film succeeds in justifying the motives of their villains: particularly, The Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II). Sure, the revenge plot is a bit cliche like a few things in these film, but the fact that we actually see Aquaman leaving his father to die and not just hearing it through the prism of the villain, gives a certain power to it. I actually felt a bit bad for the poor guy.

One thing DC does not manage to pull off perfectly, though, is the identity of their films. There are parts in which it is truly dark and dramatic, and nearly every action scene starts with an unexpected over-the-top explosion. These moments are sometimes interrupted by funny comments and situations a-la-Marvel, but not all stick. And even if most do, they do not manage to blend together. Rather than being part of a continuous plot flow, DC stops the flow to tell a joke or two, then they get back to it.

While I could do with a few less fish look-a-like ships, I love just how abrasive and in-your-face everything is. For all its modern and visual awesomeness, this film has an old-school personality. There is a bit of predictability and lack of depth and identity struggle, but through it all, it can be really enjoyable.