Aquaman doesn’t quite hit the heights of Wonder Woman, but doesn’t sink to the depths of Justice League. It can’t really be called a good movie. At all. But it’s definitely an entertaining one; there’s a difference, and it usually comes down to the characters, or rather, the actors playing said characters.
Jason Momoa is an immensely likable guy; even when delivering the corniest of lines, he does it with a mischievous smirk, seemingly in on the joke with the audience. Love interest Amber Heard is fun and sassy, sporting the reddest hair that has ever appeared on screen.
The film starts slow; there’s a lot of backstory to explain, and it’s done through flashbacks and an unholy amount of exposition. Aquaman’s parents and their forbidden love, his lonely childhood, an enemy from the comic books is quickly introduced, while the main enemy of the film waits his turn, and Aquaman’s mentor waits in the wings for a chance to speak.
The plot scenes are a lot like video game cutscenes, but at least the action is pretty spectacular. No shaky cam or quick cuts here – every fight scene boasts a beautiful long take, the camera gliding around the chaos like a serene drone, while plaster walls burst and enemies are torn to pieces.
This is an action film that treats its story and mythology like a backdrop, never using it for anything but to get from A to B. While Aquaman is reluctantly dragged around, openly unwilling to take part in this high fantasy nonsense, this low-carb blend of Avatar and Lord of the Rings, he interrupts the stuffiest scenes with his stoner-bro shtick, usually by saying “that was awesome.”
The underwater scenes are kind of strange; they’re essentially the same as on land, except with a wavy blue filter and slight audio distortion. It’s not too distracting, but there are times when you can almost see the green screen.
I had a major problem with the visuals in this movie. Or at least, some of them. Most of them. You know those dreadful porcelain figurines so beloved by old ladies? Well, Atlantis appears to be carved out of it, with sequins and shiny plastic decorating its unfortunate citizens.
The legendary sunken city is downright hideous, like a civilization built from Dollar Store Christmas decorations, glitter coating every surface. Restraint is not a word that exists in the Atlantean vocabulary, that’s for sure. That being said, when we leave Atlantis, some of the visuals are (surprisingly) downright spectacular.
One scene where our heroes venture into the demon-filled deep trenches of the ocean is gorgeous, like a moving painting, while their time spent in Sicily is one of the prettiest sequences, and one of the best actions scenes too, involving Black Manta.
But the inclusion of Manta intrudes on the central conflict between Aquaman and his brother, the King Joffrey-esque “Ocean Master.” We get distracted from Arthur’s Arthurian family drama by Manta’s forced family drama, which feels squeezed in, one of those annoying “just wait until the sequel” villains that does little but establish himself as a threat for next time.
And annoyingly, Manta’s brief, pointless appearance completely overshadows Ocean Master, who isn’t particularly charismatic, or interesting. It is, admittedly, a really cool action scene though.
By the time the third act rolls around, the film descends into an insane CGI-fest, with almost too much occupying the scene to take in. It is good, detailed CGI with strong creature design, but it’s overwhelming; the small-scale fight scenes feel much more intense.
The film ends with Aquaman firmly established as one of DC’s strongest heroes. His story might not be sophisticated, but it seems to know what it is, and most importantly, Jason Momoa knows. Rather like Venom, the weak elements are held together by a strong central performance, a likable, charismatic center of an otherwise forgettable foray into the deep.
If only Justice League had come after these films …
