Rate and review A Q U A M A N

[tek]

The movie was fun with great visuals. here are some random thoughts. I loved Kidman and the cute dog at the start. That dog is a star! Also I really bought and felt the scene where Aquaman is reunited with his mother. That was really cool and emotional. The opening on the submarine was a great intro for the swagger of the character. I did not totally buy the romance between Aquaman and Mera, it developed a little too quickly for the big smooch moment as Mera seemed to be more about the quest/family than love, but I will roll with it . I preferred the brother as the main villain to the Manta thing, but he was useful in the story. I agree with others that some of the soundtrack numbers made me chuckle as to their fitability to the scene. I wonder if they will try to develop the personality of Aquaman over its sequels, though he had a nice arc of not wanting the crown and then owning it when he passed that final task. he was the king. some of the historical exposition was difficult to understand or keep up with as the sound was overpowering and it was hard to hear, so I missed a bit of it Overall it was worth watching on the big screen. Jason can grow with the part if he is given more opportunities. I think he is Aquaman now and though some like making comparisons as to level of acting etc, he did enough to claim the character in my eyes.

 

[Willi Berg]

I'm curious too, but (in the comics) have any of the JL members been invited to Atlantis?

In the "Throne of Atlantis" storyline, from which this movie takes a lot of inspiration, the Justice League help Aquaman in Atlantis fighting Ocean Master as he plans to invade the surface world.

In the animated series, when the JL go to Atlantis to help Aquaman, they are imprisoned by Orm and Mera frees them.

 

[Grommers]

As a DC fan, this movie was a little worrysome for how safe they played it.

There wasn't anything really unique about these characters, and although it showed good use of Aquaman's powers, the story was bland. MCU bland.

Good notes are it can really build off of this...bad notes if this is the direction the DCEU is going.

I still liked it a solid 7/10, it's re-watchable unlike (most)MCU and JL for me, so thats a plus..but I imagine this won't stand the test of time on being the quintessential aquaman movie.

Now, I get the feeling there was little to no studio interference in this movie, which is a plus...as I imagine nobody knew how to even try to tackle an aquaman movie, and Wan himself said he was given free reign.

This bodes really well for the sequel, as I'm thinking all the new techniques he learned/used, he'll be able to apply again, and perhaps focus a bit more on the characters and make them more interesting. Particularly Mera.

Black Manta could potentially be one of the biggest badasses in the DCEU, the origin story is there, they just need to give this guy some more screen time, as well as ground him with a son (Aqualad)

 

[Willi Berg]

As a DC fan, this movie was a little worrysome for how safe they played it.

There wasn't anything really unique about these characters, and although it showed good use of Aquaman's powers, the story was bland. MCU bland.

Good notes are it can really build off of this...bad notes if this is the direction the DCEU is going.

I still liked it a solid 7/10, it's re-watchable unlike (most)MCU and JL for me, so thats a plus..but I imagine this won't stand the test of time on being the quintessential aquaman movie.

Now, I get the feeling there was little to no studio interference in this movie, which is a plus...as I imagine nobody knew how to even try to tackle an aquaman movie, and Wan himself said he was given free reign.

This bodes really well for the sequel, as I'm thinking all the new techniques he learned/used, he'll be able to apply again, and perhaps focus a bit more on the characters and make them more interesting. Particularly Mera.

Black Manta could potentially be one of the biggest badasses in the DCEU, the origin story is there, they just need to give this guy some more screen time, as well as ground him with a son (Aqualad)

I agree that they played it safe. But they had a lot to prove going in: the reception of BvS and JL, the reputation of the DCEU, and also that Aquaman is not a joke. Add to that establishing an underwater city, in terms of believability and effects.

So it doesn't have the emotional impact that the Wonder Woman movie did, or rise above any typical superhero movie cliches. But it delivered action and entertainment. I am glad that it ultimately worked.

But I do want more from an Aquaman movie. All those concerns can now be set aside to focus more on the story. I do think that Wan, if he continues as director, will continue that extravagant look of this movie, the lightness and colours. And why not- it's a big fantastical fantasy world. But I hope there is much more to the plot.

 

[signalman]

AQUAMAN gets a solid 'B+' from me.
Had about everything I could possibly want in an Aquaman film.
Great visuals of Underwater Kingdoms.
Well define villains, Ocean Master and Black Manta.
Good chemistry between Arthur and Mera.

Well Done Cast and Crew.

 

[harlequinade]

Took my mom today, she loved it! She was confused how they managed to make it look like they were swimming and she commented it must have been uncomfortable hanging on those wires so much lol

Us when Jason was on the screen:

When "Permission to come aboard?" happened:

My mom when Jason effortlessly took those pirates down while shirtless:

My mom when Manta stabbed him but Arthur was fine:

When Arthur woke up shirtless and in chains:

Me when Ocean to Ocean played:

Us when Arthur got hurt in the fight:

Me when Arthur was talking to Mera and saying he was worried she could get hurt:

Me and some lady in our row when Atlanna hugged Arthur:

When Mera kissed him:

I'm going again on Friday

 

[Karelia]

I'm going to hopefully take my best friend tomorrow night. That will make it my third viewing. Last time I saw a movie three times at the theater was probably with The Dark Knight.

 

[Deck Rickard]

I gave it a 7. Overall, it's a very solid film and a step in the right direction for the DCEU (or whatever the hell they are calling it now). Stunning visuals and good (though maybe not great) performances overall. Momoa is a good lead for the most part; yeah, he does slip into his brodawg persona a bit too often but I suppose I can't trash him too much for that, given how big of a Peter Quill fanboy I am. Heard, Wilson and Abdul-Mateen are all good in their roles, though the latter two were a bit one-note (as most superhero villains tend to be, so again, I can't fault the film too much for that). Kidman and Morrison were good they weren't in it enough to make a big impression. Same with Defoe.

Really though, the star here is the spectacle, and that's where the film really delivers. The Atlantean civilizations are breathtaking. Yeah, I know it's all CGI but it's a damn sight better looking than anything Zack Snyder crapped out in Justice Green Screen League. And the costume designs are phenomenal. Back when this movie was announced, I had my doubts about whether Aquaman's, Black Manta's and Ocean Master's suits could work in live action. I'm happy to say that they absolutely can, and each one is immediately recognizable to anyone who has read the comics.

Some of the action sequences go on too long and there is some seriously cheesy dialogue and character interactions in certain spots (Arthur and Mera sharing a passionate kiss while a full on war erupts around them comes to mind), but none of it is so cringey that it ruins the movie. All in all, it's worth seeing, especially on the big screen. Bring on Aquaman 2 and the keys to the DCEU should be shared between Patty Jenkins and James Wan.

 

[Luigi]

Excellent write-up by SilentDawn on Letterboxd.

James Wan specializes in making Movies with a capital-M. There is no real rhyme or reason to his structuring or his sincerity - it's all painted in the broadest of strokes, as if the canvas is imploding, itching to share itself with the world. It's why he was such a great manipulator of horror, and now, a great orchestrator of visual fantasia. From lovecraftian scares and Notebook romance to Authurian legend and schlock-sci-fi oddities, each scene is disparate; a maximum onto itself. Therefore, when each moment resembles some kind of pinnacle for these awful superhero products, via the sheer dexterity and nimbleness of Wan's brand of fun, the film as a whole, theoretically, cannot be improved upon. Wan broke the formula.

Its brilliance lies in not caring about the big picture (I think Justice League was mentioned once?), but in the vitality of it being itself second to second. It lingers in sunsets, kisses, embraces, and hard masculine stares (usually accompanied by a 'duh duh DUN' on the Extra Extra Extra! soundtrack). The conversations are info-packed and plodding, always interrupted by explosions and mind-boggling spectacle. Aquaman is a symphony of self-awareness, yes, but not of irony or subversion. The celebration will happen whether you're on board or not (is "permission to come aboard?" the best intro line to a spandex hero? The answer is yes.), as it rushes from fragment to fragment like a young child eager to show off their cool new toys. The cast is tremendous, each embodying an Action Figure personality to reenact. Patrick Wilson (as...get this...King Orm) offers a performance of terrifying commitment and integrity. Ditto to Willem Dafoe, who floats across the screen like a moralistic angel, and Amber Heard and Nicole Kidman, who conjure dreams of ferocity and beauty. And of course, Jason Momoa is here and he's majestic. Almost to the point of being frightening. But that's the fun, right? Throw in Dolph Lundgren being stern and a side villain named Black Manta (who rocks a costume right out of an Ultraman episode) and you got yourself an all-star ensemble that would fit right into a 1999 Stephen Sommers movie. The only other universe timeline such a cast would fit into is in a 2018 James Wan superhero fantasy, so we're super lucky here, ya'll. This is big news, but instead of Wan attempting to "emulate a comic splash page" or whatever the f*** these for-hires in Atlanta, Georgia backlots want to dig up, Wan thinks through cinema. And not just cinema as a concept, and what it can provide, but what cinema history transcribes to memory in addition to sensibility. It's obvious that so many ideas in Aquaman are from nothing other than Wan's visual sense - that rollicking, swashbuckling, hellbent drive towards spiritual and familial reconciliation. The film is a joy that is undoubtedly rooted in the nostalgia of cartoons, soaps, anime and 80s action. But not just through those prisms, it crystalizes how Wan perceived them, and what his response meant to the work. Aquaman is one of those fake movies shown in glimpses on a TV in a movie that you're watching. In some films, you hardly notice them, but in others you think: "huh, that looks pretty good." The only difference is that it isn't merely pretty good, instead being a masterpiece of the bonkers and the delirious, so full to the brim with entertainment and heart and detail that it'll dizzy the sternest of the stern. Oh, and that it's also entirely real, and screening across the country, seemingly under the guise of a 'DC Cinematic Universe' entry. Huh. Guess I was too busy cackling and crying and gasping to notice.

I can't think of a Superhero movie I adore more.

Can't provide a link due to profanity.

 

[Elayis]

Maybe it's a generational thing (I'm 26) but I've never been a fan of cheese, and Aquaman takes the ham quota to ridiculous extremes. I don't usually care for classifying superheroes as a children's genre, but Wan's version of Aquaman would be right at home with the Super-Friends and Adam West's Batman. I get that some people (apparently quite a few more than I expected given the film's success) like campy movies, but this took it way too far. I felt like I was watching the live action Scooby Doo all over again, with Scrappy peeing everywhere loudly proclaiming "puppy power". This is exactly the kind of movie critics are talking about when they dismiss them as not real movies.

There's not a single believable/decent performance apart from Patrick Wilson, the editing/cinematography is shockingly bad (was there a single motivated camera move in the entire film?), the VFX are very hit and miss (they should've never attempted de-aging when it looks like plastic) and the writing is godawful. There's nothing cohesive in any of the ideas or themes, the character relationships aren't earned, and I still find special bloodline narratives troubling at best, especially with all of the mongrel/pureblood nonsense this film kept bringing up.

The only decent scene was Arthur's speech when acquiring the trident. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a soulless cash grab like Venom; I'll give the film credit for how out there it sometimes goes. And there are some pretty visuals, like the final two battles. But there's definitely nothing under the surface with this film. A shallow, tone-deaf, run of the mill origin story gussied up with some interesting design choices. This is exactly the kind of film I expected from the director of the MacGyver pilot. This was my first James Wan movie (not interested in Fast & Furious or trashy horror films) and will most likely also be my last.

Lastly, I have to admit that my viewing experience was impacted in part by the horrible sound in the theater I went to, which was basically mono and had no functioning surround speakers.

I honestly don't know what to rate this. I gave it a 5/10 in the poll, but that still feels to generous. I guess Aquaman's one of those films that illustrates what a joke a numerical value is when judging a piece of entertainment, and why the rotten tomatoes system works.

 

[Mandon Knight]

Oh dear lawd, where do I begin


Went for first time watch today with @Iceman (thank you for awesome day & company in the film dude, as ever).

Just insane fun, frankly. I laughed, I cried, I got the in-jokes, I got the sheer scale & beauty of what JW was wanting to get across, the majesty of the worlds created, the incredible SFX and Black Manta being a beast. Point for Point on ALL the casting, everybody brought their A game, Wilson was absolutely 'spot on' as Orm, Kidman rocked and the home invasion sequence was .

The Trench were as they should be - terrifying and Wan's horror roots paid dividend for that and in the story telling in general, it was paced well, shot beautifully and was jaw-dropping in it's visuals, the music was very Tron Legacy-esque (a good thing) and it add Blade Runner, Raiders, Tron, Flash Gordon, 80's style all wrapped up in a contemporary polish.

A brilliant transition to screen for the character, genius level composition of the 'beats' you'd want and expect, a massive leap from what we saw in JL and JM just 'owns' the role, every arched brow, every moment on screen, you get his arc and the why of it all.

This absolutely gets DCEU 'back in the game' (they were never out, as far I'm concerned) but I get there were doubters and rightly so. They have got their mojo back and here's to Shazam, WW84, et al and I had a absolute blast.

Plus my boys 'The Mode' on the soundtrack. Extra points.

10/10 from me.

 

[kguillou]

Glad you loved it @Mandon Knight, the movie’s constantly been on my mind, it really is one of the best, most pure fun CBMs we’ve had recently.

 

[Voltron]

Just saw this. I was entertained. Now THIS is a comic book movie.

Also Amber Heard's Mera was great and captivating. I might see this again. The action scenes were all so different/varied, plus Mera's and Atlanta's kickass moments looked like it was actually the actors.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

For those interested this is my podcast's Spoiler Review for Aquaman.

Podcast Episodes — TO BE CONTINUED... (A Fanboy Podcast)

 

[Mandon Knight]

Glad you loved it @Mandon Knight, the movie’s constantly been on my mind, it really is one of the best, most pure fun CBMs we’ve had recently.

Thanks @kguillou , agreed, it is balls-to the-wall epicness.

 

[Voltron]

Heaps of things/genres happening in this movie but it just works in Aquaman whereas in other movies they turn out a huge hot mess. Can't believe Aquaman made me teary-eyed in a couple of scenes. Aquaman is definitely the best and my fave DCEU movie. Again, I love the fight/action scenes!

 

[ToddArliss]

This movie was pretty much hollow spectacle. Paper thin characters, generic plot, hammy characters andbviloains and it was a little more bloated than normal.

The fights were fantastic and the world of Atlantis was beautiful but the movie leaves and dies by its characters and the dceu has a very prevalent problem in that area. I will say though that the trench scene was brilliant and thrilling.

Overall not bad like most of the dceu movies but doesn't exactly make me optimistic about the future if the writing isn't drastically improved. A 6 maybe 6.5 from me.

 

[Delwin]

Solid 7. Stunning visuals plus nice music. The plot acceptable, however the movie slightly to long. I would have cut the final battle but I understand the choices made.

 

[Willi Berg]

What was impressive about Wan was that he used everything at his disposal. Every major set piece was huge- the Atlanna fight scene, the submarine, Arthur vs. Orm, Italy, the Trench, the final battle. (And you could follow it!) It might be too much for some people, too over the top etc. But it provides the thrill and the spectacle for a night/day out at the movies.

As for Arthur, he was jokey but his journey was believable and you see him transform. His powers were cool: wielding the trident, communicating with sea life. Like WW, they took those "cheesy" classic powers and showed how cool they can be and look in a movie.

What I liked seeing were moments like when he lifted the fallen column off the man in Italy and when he knocked the bell away from the girl. Moments like these are always welcome to see in a superhero movie- the hero helping the "ordinary" person. That kind of stuff can get lost in the giant spectacle of it all but I like seeing it and want more. It brings things back down to Earth and shows the basics of why we like superheroes. I am looking forward to seeing some more subtle moments involving Arthur, whether as king of Atlantis, or superhero for the common man.

 

[Rahkeem]

Awesome totally awesome I got to say I wasn't expecting much from this movie but Jason was superb I did like Aquaman comics growing up but wasn't all that big on them compared to the Xmen and spidey but as Jason said this movie gave it the nessicary boast!!! 10 10 10 across the board

 

[Asharad]

I finally watched this. B-

Dislikes:
- The acting was weak across the board. The redhead can't act and the villain was meh.
- CGI was way over the top.
- Manta's costume - it was exactly as I remember from the 80s'

Praise:
- Jason did a great job and made Aquaman a really likable hero.
- Jango was outstanding as Pops.
- Good laughs sprinkled throughout the movie.
- Manta's costume - it was exactly as I remember from the 80s'

 

[Aldebaran]

10/10
The movie was awesome, this is the Aquaman we have always known, based partially on the best comic run ever had in its history, that of Geoff Jones. Momoa carried the movie without doubt, However I was surprised by Heard, her Mera stood out, and in some instances she eclipsed Arthur himself. Just like in the comics, the Arthur/Mera duo is indeed a power couple. Wan's direction was great so the visuals. I have been for two decades now an Aquaman fan, this movie is what Aquafans have been dreaming of for years.
Besides it restored the image of Aquaman which for years has been ridiculed, made the awesome character of Mera known to the general public.