REVIEW: DC Comics Keeps It’s Head Barely Above Water With Aquaman
DC Comics hasn’t had much success over the last few years with their live action film adaptations. From Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice to Justice League, the company hasn’t quite found the right combination to make their live action adaptations smashing successes. 2017 saw their first bout of success with Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman. The movie had a great cast, led by Gal Gadot, and a thorough storyline. DC Comics hopes to achieve that same success with their newest live action movie, Aquaman, and though the movie has a great cast, the storyline is bloated and weak.
Aquaman is the story of Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa), half human, half Atlantean. Arthur has always resented his Atlantean side, but when Princess Mera (Amber Heard) comes to land seeking Arthur’s help he is forced to make a choice. Princess Mera needs Arthur’s help to stop his half-brother, King Orm (Patrick Wilson) from ruling the Seven Seas and declaring war on the surface. Arthur must decide if he will take his place as the rightful king of Atlantis or forgo it to continue living on land.
Unlike Wonder Woman, there are too many storylines going on in Aquaman to be able to focus on the main one. Dialogue is lost in the underwater scenes due to editing choices made to appear as if the characters are actually talking underwater. Several scenes don’t entirely make sense, especially regarding how they fit the overall storyline. Director Jason Wan spends a majority of the film jumping from one story to another instead of focusing on Arthur’s story.
Jason Momoa and Amber Heard have just enough oomph to keep the movie afloat. These two are truly the shining moments of this movie. Jason, who was first introduced as Aquaman in Justice League, is every bit the hero. From his strapping stature to his comedic one liners, Jason was made to play this role. As for Amber, her chemistry with Jason is not only spot-on, but her character is a bit of a badass. She isn’t one to sit on the sidelines waiting to see how the story plays out, instead she is involved in the story from beginning to end.
Aquaman is a step in the right direction for DC Comics. With a few tweaks here and there, and a better written screenplay, Aquaman 2 (if there is one) could be a really good superhero movie. This movie had the potential but too often the writing team got lost by not sticking with one main storyline. For all those planning on seeing the movie, make sure to stick around because there is a mid-credit scene.
Grade: C+