Aquaman (2018) Movie Review

Synopsis:

Half-human Arthur Curry, called Aquaman (Jason Momoa), must recover the ancient trident of King Atlan. On his journey, he must contend with the villainous mercenary, Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II). He must also contend with his half-brother, Orm Marius (Patrick Wilson).

Review:

Aquaman made a very brief cameo debut in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016). With that in mind, DCEU fans anticipated Aquaman’s solo film.

Director James Wan puts Jason Momoa’s charisma at the forefront of the adventure. Other supporting characters also join him.

Aquaman’s characters have reasonable development, though they are less of a focus.

Aquaman's supporting characters include Amber Heard's Mera and Willem Dafoe's Vulko.

Despite having a support role, Willem Dafoe delivers a good performance as Vulko. As expected, he's one of the film’s most competent actors.

Amber Heard’s Mera is far less consistent in her performance. As a whole, she has a rather uncharismatic on-screen presence.

Her interactions with Jason Momoa’s Arthur also lack believability.

This includes juvenile humor and a rather bland ‘romantic’ connection between them.

Aquaman's villainous characters are good foils to Aquaman. This is despite them not being as impactful as they could have been.

One of those is Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Black Manta, who brings an aura of menace to his mercenary character.

From the outset, Black Manta is a ruthless individual who takes no prisoners.

Black Manta’s comic-accurate appearance should please many long-time DC Comics fans.

This is despite Manta’s helmet in this film looking cartoonish in retrospect.

Arthur’s half-brother is Orm Marius, later dubbed Ocean Master. As a whole, he's a competent main antagonist.

He's also complemented by Patrick Wilson’s performance.

During the first half, though, Orm is a rather stationary character. In Aquaman's first half, he's stuck narrating Atlantis’s history to the audience.

He’s a more active antagonist in the second half, where he plays a part in the film’s climactic action sequence.

During this action sequence, he also dons his comic-accurate Ocean Master helmet.

Aquaman’s action sequences include sweeping angles, with very few quick cuts.

These action sequences are also impactful. This could include depicting Aquaman and Orm’s superhuman abilities.

They also showcase Black Manta’s high-tech weaponry and gadgets.

This film’s action falters towards the end. It relies on a big-budget CGI spectacle rather than personal conflicts.

Arthur’s final one-on-one confrontation with Orm is more personal. This is a welcome departure from the CGI-heavy battle that took place beforehand.

Aquaman's visuals have many pleasing moments. These are the film's vibrant colors and the unique designs of the Kingdom of Atlantis.

There are some moments, though, where it is evident that the background is not real. As a result, this can make for a mixed viewing experience.

Aquaman’s story, whilst easy to follow, is simplistic in its execution. It instead relies on tired narration and off-putting humor.

As an example, it relies on often tired narration to convey its messages.

Also, the story attempts to cover the potential dangers of polluting Earth’s oceans. It's made clear that the film has no clear reason for doing so.

It’s a topic that didn't have to be in the film, considering it had no lasting impact on the story.

As a whole, this film's story is simplistic, with pacing that falters on occasion.

Despite this, Aquaman's story is easy to follow without overwhelming the viewer.

Aquaman's soundtrack by Rupert Gregson-Williams conveys a variety of themes.

These include Aquaman’s heroic melody to the foreboding music of Ocean Master. Black Manta's theme, as with Ocean Master's, is also foreboding.

Rupert Gregson-Williams's soundtrack hits the right notes. With that in mind, his music should please most fans of this film.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, Aquaman is a film that contains good action sequences. It also has some vibrant visuals.

Aquaman’s visuals should please most viewers, aside from some of the fake-looking backgrounds.

This film's performances are also above average. Jason Momoa provides some charisma, and Willem Dafoe demonstrates his usual acting abilities.

Aquaman’s antagonists, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Black Manta and Patrick Wilson’s Ocean Master, are also above average.

Their comic-accurate appearances should also please DC Comics fans.

Amber Heard’s Mera is less consistent. As a whole, she is the film’s most uncharismatic performance.

Her scenes with Arthur are devoid of any connection, harming the film’s plot in the process.

Aquaman’s story, whilst easy to follow, is simplistic in its execution, relying on tired narration and off-putting humor.

This film’s message of polluting the Earth’s oceans is also unnecessary. As a result, it feels preachy rather than having any true impact on the plot.

Rupert Gregson-Williams’s soundtrack provides many good moments. Each of his character themes stands out.

Aquaman is an above-average experience for DCEU or DC Comics fans. It is also recommended for those who seek entertaining action with unique visuals.

Sam’s Action Reaction score:

Characters - 6.5/10

Story - 6/10

Action - 7.5/10

CGI and visuals - 7.5/10

Soundtrack - 7.5/10

Overall score: 7 out of 10