Aquaman: Film Review

#Aquaman

A for Aquaman gets an A for effort. 

Visually spectacular with enough action and special effects to keep us glued to our seats, Aquaman is a half-decent year-end superhero movie that is perfectly enjoyable with the family. There is only one problem. We have Marvel.

It seems no matter how much they try, Warner Brothers and DC are just not able to crack what Disney and Marvel have. When we’ve seen amazing special effects, a wide spectrum of superpowers, multiple different characters each with an engaging backstory, addictive plot lines, experienced a whole lifecycle of emotions from #thefirstavenger to #infinitywar, and now waiting for life after death in the #endgame, what is really left for another franchise to give us that can make us jump from our seats.

We feel your frustration DC, but imagination is the only way out. That is once more where this next DC film fails. (see https://books-booze-boxoffice.blogspot.com/2017/11/justice-league-short-film-review.html) 

The story revolves around Arthur, the half human-half Atlantean, who lives among the surface people, refusing to take his place as the rightful heir to the Atlantis throne under the sea. But, when his half-brother stakes claim to be king by waging war against the people of the sea and land, he reluctantly embarks on a journey to find the all-powerful trident to finally reclaim his place as king of Atlantis, bringing peace to both sea and land. 

Aquaman has potential. In creating a superhero where the world is under the ocean, DC has the making of something unique. We see glimpses of that in the film when the people of the sea detest the people of the land for having polluted and destroyed the natural life that the ocean symbolises. In a planet where three-quarters of the area is water, DC has the power to take its fair share against Marvel stories, that live on the remaining one-fourth. Even the liminal spaces between land and water (where the entire story is told) create possibilities that don’t belong in the world of Avengers, who live in the realm of earth and space. 

In true DC style, while Marvel heroes look outside and beyond, the DC heroes look inside and deep within. 

This is the truth of DC. Not a Marvel Cinematic Universe, but “DC Graphic Introverse”

DC is at its best when it does that. We cheered for Wonder Woman, not only because she was the first proper woman superhero, but because of the inner strength of her character which gives her the real power (see my review https://books-booze-boxoffice.blogspot.com/2017/11/the-mans-world-has-not-delivered.html) . We loved Man of Steel, not only because it was Superman, but because of the journey Kal-El has, growing up in a stranger’s planet that he learns to care for as his own.

Alas, Aquaman does not leverage this. The fantastical under-water world is beautifully created and stands out as visually something we have not seen before, but if only they had spent half as much on the storyline as on the CGI. Aquaman’s character is unique - raw and human, but if only his character had half as many layers as his abs. The human vs nature narrative was promising, but if only they had given half as much depth to it as they did to the ocean floor of Atlantis.

Nicole Kidman (as the mother queen Atlanna) still looks hot, and is a delight to see, with a throwback to her long-ago DC appearance as the oh-so-sexy Dr Chase Meridien in Batman Forever 1995. I can still hear Seal crooning Kiss from a Rose in the background! (Down boy!) Willem Dafoe as Vulko gives his usual poker face performance. Amber Heard as Mera, the princess is promising. Patrik Wilson as the bad guy King Orm is not bad either.

However, the more DC movies we watch, the more we want to tell them. Stop trying to play catch up to Marvel and find your own self. Even though it was Nolan, need we remind you that till date one of the most iconic superhero movies of our times was a DC franchise! We can only hope and pray for your sake - may you find the Dark Knight within!