Logan Sork Film Reviews
Aquaman
For many years now, the character of Aquaman has mainly been a joke in the world of superheroes. With his relatively useless ability in controlling the ocean and sea creatures, the character has been a laughing stock in the world of pop-culture for many years. Add to that the mixed reception DC films have been getting in these past few years, and director James Wan had a lot of expectations to meet. The film had to be good, win over the hearts of DC fans and moviegoers alike, make lots of money and most importantly, make Aquaman cool. So, did James Wan succeed? The answer is a resounding yes as Aquaman boasts mind blowing visuals, creative action scenes and well-rounded cast to give DC a much-needed win, and finally gives its titular character some much needed respect.
Aquaman is directed by James Wan and is the sixth entry in the DC Extended Universe and is a sequel to 2017’s Justice League. The film stars Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry, a half Atlantean half human who wants nothing more than to live a peaceful life on the surface with his father (Temura Morrison) as he resents his Atlantean heritage after being abandoned by his mother, Queen Atlanna (Nicole Kidman), at a young age. His peaceful life is put on hold when Mera (Amber Heard), a fellow Atlantean, informs him that his half-brother King Orm (Patrick Wilson) is going to declare war on the surface world after humanity has been polluting the ocean for years. Hearing of this, Arthur travels to Atlantis where he meets with his former mentor Vulko (Willem Dafoe) who tells him he must recover the lost trident of Atlan and win the hearts of the people of Atlantis in order to become what he was truly meant to be- the one true King of Atlantis.
When it comes to past DC films, all of them had had stunning visual effects, but this film is on a whole other level when it comes to the visuals. The city of Atlantis is perhaps one of the most stunning uses of computer animation I’ve ever seen. It feels like it is an actual place rather than a computer constructs, with bright colors and imagination flowing from every inch of the screen. Atlantis may be the crown jewel of the film, but the rest of the set pieces and effects are just as beautiful to the eyes. Even when the effects aren’t quite as polished in a select few scenes, there is such a visual striking feature to them that you just ignore them because they are just so creative. Overall, this is probably one of the best-looking films I’ve ever seen and should be seen on the biggest screen possible to take in every magnificent frame of it.
The spectacular visuals are aided by James Wan’s excellent direction. Though mainly a director of horror films, James Wan has transitioned beautifully to the world of Superhero cinema. Wan finds a way to pull a sense of magic from every scene in the film, making you feel truly immersed in the experience. One of the places where Wan’s direction really shines is the action sequences, which make use of fantastic choreography and camera work to create action sequences that are visually stunning, imaginative and brutal. Aside from the well directed action sequences, Wan also takes time to explore the characters and their feelings during some great dramatic moments. Wan also gives the film a real sense of adventurous fun as he takes the story just serious enough to the point where the drama and story aren’t overshadowed from some of the films goofier elements. Nearly every aspect of the film is elevated by Wan’s fantastic direction, as he manages to strike a perfect balance between serious drama and superhero fun.
Another element that elevates the film is the fantastic cast. Jason Momoa expands on the character that he introduced in Justice League beautifully, with a cool personality and plenty of emotionally resonant moments that make the character of Aquaman his own. Amber Heard as Mera was also introduced in Justice League, though she she only had one scene in which she didn’t do much. Here, Amber Heard really makes the character unique, as she provides a well-spoken and eloquent foil to Arthur’s blunt and straight to the point attitude, allowing for some fantastic chemistry between the two. Though it is mainly Arthur and Mera’s show, the rest of the cast has a lot of fun in their perspective roles. Patrick Wilson as Orm is over the top in all the right ways, yet he still manages to have plenty of moments where he I extremely intimidating, making for an antagonist who is every bit as fun to watch as he is dangerous. Temura Morrison, Willem Dafoe and Nicole Kidman are all excellent in their supporting mentor roles, who find ways to help Arthur on his Journey as he discovers his rightful place in this world.
While the film has a lot going for it, there are also some flaws to be found here. The biggest one for me is the the character of Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) really serves no purpose in the film. While he does have a couple of nice moments, I couldn’t help but think he as a waste of screen time that could’ve been spent better somewhere else. The first twenty minutes of the film are also not as refined as the rest of the film, as it tries to balance telling Arthur’s origins while giving some painfully integrated exposition. There are also a couple of moments where the movie tries to be funny that it almost becomes cringe worthy, thankfully these moments are few and far between (unlike some other modern superhero films).
Despite these apparent flaws, once Aquaman gets going it is a true sight to behold. The film has some of the greatest visual effects I’ve ever seen, fantastic direction and a great cast of characters. All of these ingredients combine to make a fun adventure film, without skipping on the heart of its hero.
8.5/10