Aquaman
Directed By: James Wan
Grade: A-
Okay, I went to the first showing Thursday night and I swear I’m going to keep this more reasonable than, “Oh my God! Two and a half hours of Jason goodness…”
Needless to say I completely enjoyed Aquaman.
I do tend to agree with what people have mentioned about some seriously corny lines (and delivery.) I thought after the beginning when the action started and the story kicked up they evened out.
Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) wasn’t great. I mean he wasn’t Phasma levels of useless but I was still expecting more and I actually put a lot of the rocky beginning down to the scenes with him in the sub. But I do think it wasn’t the actor so much as the writing.
I also wish (and this is just a personal thing) that they hadn’t revealed so much in the trailers. Mainly I’m thinking of the suit reveal. Like I said- that’s just me I feel like I knew too much going in and would have liked to be surprised in some cases.
Jason was great. I’ve long since said I think he’s the only one who could play Arthur/Aquaman and make it work. Patrick Wilson was really fun as Orm- I did wish he and Arthur had more scenes together.
I also loved Mera (Amber Heard.) I thought they did a great job with her. Loved her costumes and her power looked great. I hate to say badass but… I think very much like Steve and Diana in Wonder Woman it was a very equal relationship and the movie benefited for it.
I thought the effects were very well done. Atlantis looked fully thought out and was rendered beautifully but that only serves to piss me off as this movie isn’t even in the competition for the special effects Oscar.
There were also some really nice moments throughout the film. Like when he’s talking to Orm about how much he wanted to know his brother, Mera in Sicily with the fountain and the roses things along that line that gave the movie some real heart.
Also I’m not usually one for messages in films but this is how you do it. Of course I suppose everyone can and should get behind stop polluting our oceans and live in your own trash heaps surface dwellers. But I thought it was totally well done here and even made sense. Plus the film is so beautiful and not just with its special effects.
Anyway, I have rambled. Big surprise, I loved Aquaman! James Wan and crew created a fun and entertaining spectacle that still captured a great deal of sweetness. Fingers crossed for a sequel 🙂