While The Marvel Cinematic Universe capped off their first decade with the incredible Avengers: Infinity War earlier this year, their rivals at DC have less to celebrate. Five years behind their competitors, almost every entry in the DC Extended Universe has been met with indifference except for last years Wonder Woman. Can one of the less fashionable DC heroes turn things around?
Aquamans first adventure sees Jason Momoa play Arthur Curry, the son of Atlantean royalty (Nicole Kidman) and a human lighthouse keeper (Temuera Morrison). With his mother torn away from him when he was young, Arthur stays away from the underwater city of Atlantis, ignoring his claim to their throne. That is, however, until Princess Mera (Amber Heard) convinces him to confront his maniacal half brother Orm (a hammy Patrick Wilson), a would-be Ocean Master intent on destroying the surface world.
Brought to life by Saw director James Wan, everything about this action adventure is over the top. From Arthurs deep sea duel with Orm, to a laser battle through the streets of Sicily, to a mysterious character being voiced by Julie Andrews, nothing about the film is subtle. Yet, while the dialogue is cheesy and the focus is on action, the film is a lot of fun to watch. Even at nearly two and a half hours, the break-neck pace of the story makes the time fly by and while none of what transpires is particularly deep, it leaves a smile on your face.
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Jason Momoa slips effortlessly into the part, finally finding a lead role that makes the most of his on-screen charisma. Smirking his way through even the most dire of circumstances, hes decidedly less serious than Batfleck or Henry Cavills Superman. His co-star Amber Heard is just as impressive, enjoying many badass action moments and providing a serious counter balance to Momoas laid back attitude.
Elsewhere, Willem Dafoe has a small but important role as Arthurs mentor, mainly there to explain whats going on while Aquaman fights.
Kidman and Morrison are impressive as Arthurs parents, putting some heart into the opening scenes despite some dodgy CGI de-aging. On the downside, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II feels a bit wasted as villain Black Manta, giving his all to a side plot that doesnt get the time it deserves.
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In the larger DC cannon, Aquaman feels nowhere near as fresh or polished as Wonder Woman. Taken on its own merits, however, the film is two and a half hours of spectacular action, and a story that never takes itself seriously. It may not give Marvel any sleepless nights, but this watery adventure seems destined to be a crowd-pleaser.
MORE: Jason Momoa is all kinds of extra as he twerks in sparkly pants for SNL
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