A man in orange and green spandex rides a seahorse. Sometimes there are dolphins involved. Or maybe he is water-skiing with the help of a pair of flying fish. Throughout recent memory, these were the images evoked by the name of Aquaman. So it speaks volumes when, rather than shy away from the comic roots of the character so frequently mocked, Director James Wan debuted the hero in live action in all of his outlandish glory, complete with a scene in which he rides a seahorse into battle. And it is awesome.
Aquaman, the latest installment of Warner Brother's troubled DCEU, is at its finest when it is basking in the glory of the world that Wan has created. Marvel wowed the world be creating the Afro-Futurist nation of Wakanda earlier in 2018. But Atlantis takes superhero world-building to a whole new level. Brilliant VFX bring to life a vibrant, colorful underwater world, full of memorably designed cities, ships, costumes, and even a drumming octopus.
This creates a visually stunning spectacle. Whenever we explore the kingdoms of the sea, there are a million gorgeous creations to capture our eyes. The city of Atlantis itself is, of course, the highlight. The bright colors and other-worldly designs (Especially the excellant manta-subs) form a world unlike any other. In close second for most memorable visual moment is the encounter with the Trench, and beautifully terrifying scene in which Wan expertly combines the superhero world with his stellar horror resume for haunting effect. The final battle is also a scene for the ages. Worthy of standing alongside such epic conflicts as LOTR, it is a heart-racing experience that will get even the most apathetic movie-goer to the edge of their seat.
I would be remiss to dwell upon the technical aspects without discussing the costumes. Designer Kym Barrett has created perhaps the most comic accurate collection of suits in any modern superhero movie. Arthur, Orm, Mera and Black Manta all don armor that amounts to a visual feast for the eyes. Orm's subtlely animated mask is just an extra touch adding to the brilliant display. The entire cast enjoys the same attention to detail, receiving exquisite designs that distinctly identify what part of this new world we come from.
As we move away from the technical spectacle, things become far less shiny. However, there are several members of the cast who truly stand out. The DCEU has been solely lacking in quality villains. Aquaman more than makes up for that with not one, but two great enemies. Yahya Abdul-Mateen's role as fan favorite nemesis Black Manta is mostly set-up, but he delivers with a powerful presence that leaves the audience eager for more come the inevitable sequel. Patrick Wilson gets the focus as Orm. I already discussed his exquisite final suit, but beneath it is a stellar villainous performance from the long-time Wan collaborator. I am excited to see what the future holds for his character. These two are at last the villains DC fans have been waiting for. Also of note are Temeura Morrison and Nicole Kidman. Together as Arthur's parents, they craft a touching love story that ultimately becomes the heart and soul of the film.
I am afraid I cannot share the same praise with the leads, however. Jason Momoa and Amber Heard certainly look their parts. On a surface level, they excellantly emobody Arthur and Mera. However, their acting, both individually and together, leaves much to be desired. They certainly aren't helped by a script that meanders from being just passable to being downright abysmal. On a surface level, the two stars are able to muster enough charisma to look cool and inspire cheers, but beyond the action sequences, their performances leave a great deal of room for improvement.
Aquaman is, in conclusion, the definition of a mixed bag. It is the type of movie that is the hardest to grade. It excells so well in some parts while falling short in some. And when those weakest links are the script and the lead actors, then you have some pretty big problems. However, at the end of the day a movie must be viewed as a whole. On the strength of the visuals alone I would absolutely declare it worth a trip to the theater. This is a movie made to be seen on the biggest screen possible. While there is major work to be done before the sequel washes in on the tide, for now Aquaman is just the shot of epic popcorn-butter adreneline the collapsing DCEU needed.