Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has already arrived in many countries and, with mere hours to go before Thursday afternoon/evening screenings begin in North America, the review embargo has finally lifted.
We'll begin with the trades. First is Deadline's largely negative verdict which warns fans the movie "struggles with inconsistent character portrayal, subpar CGI, and a lack of narrative direction." They add that, "it’s a film that has its moments but ultimately struggles to find its footing in the expansive ocean that is the superhero genre."
Variety says the Aquaman sequel's "stakes are high, yet somehow not worth holding your breath over," while The Hollywood Reporter praises Jason Momoa but cautions, "For the most part Wan sticks to the video-game aesthetic of his first film. Rupert Gregson-Williams returns as composer and his score encourages audiences to feel emotions the story doesn’t actually inspire. Even the actors seem worn out by the ridiculousness of this sequel."
Surprisingly, The Playlist was impressed and awarded the movie a B-. Wrapping up their thoughts, they note, "On the other hand, the DCEU gets to go out on a high note and in style, even though this lacks substance at times, which is satisfying. James Wan has delivered." Collider awards Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom 2.5/5 and tells DC fans that this "isn’t the wet fart of an ending that it seemed like the DCEU might be going out on, but it also shows that a decade in, the DCEU never quite learned the lessons it needed to."
IGN was less and concludes a 6/10 review with, "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom shines as a buddy comedy, but gets dragged down by shoddy effects and a dull first act." i, meanwhile, goes with 2* and states, "it seems [James Wan], too, drowned in the sea of baffling plotlines. Let’s hope this is the last of these sequels – this franchise was long ago a sinking ship."
Digital Spy isn't overly kind with yet another 2* rating. "There won't be a third Aquaman movie, at least not for some time," it reads, "so it's good that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom doesn't leave you craving another trip to Atlantis." Even our geeky friends at Bleeding Cool point out, "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is a mess in every single possible way, and the fact that it is the final film just makes that messiness all the more egregious and bitter." ]
2* appears to be a popular score for this one, anyway, as Empire calls it "a disappointing send-off that sees the DCEU go out with a squelch rather than a splash."
"Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is certainly not the worst film in the recent DC Universe—but as the follow-up to one of the better ones, we expected more," io9 bemoans before Total Film chimes in with, "After a rocky decade, the DCEU bows out with its most likeable superhero flailing valiantly to recapture its missing mojo."
Discussing Film promises "bombastic thrills, many good laughs, and heart can’t be taken away," while USA Today says that, this holiday season, it's "the biggest lame duck of them all."
These are opinions from a lot of critics who all write very different websites and, unfortunately, the response is clearly negative thus far. These reviews feel considerably worse than those for movies like Shazam! Fury of the Gods and The Marvels, so that Rotten Tomatoes score is going to be worth keeping an eye on. We'll be bringing that to you as soon as it drops!
The DCEU is dead, long live...whatever comes next.