I guess it’s time to say goodbye to this version of the DC Universe in film. The first attempt at an interconnected movie universe started with Man of Steel in 2013. An experiment that was rushed and ill-conceived to catch up to its historical competitor. Yet also, like the comic book superhero hero universe, it’s coming from it’s pretty natural for the DC universe to end and begin again. Ever since Crisis on Infinite Earths in 1985, DC Comics has either softly or hard rebooted itself close to ten times. What does this have to do with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom? Well, it ended up being the end of the DCEU even though it wasn’t planned to be, but after all the changes, here we are. After a year of some pretty disappointing and straight-up bad movies (I’m looking at you, The Flash) to pretty good movies that people chose not to see, like Blue Beetle. Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom will probably get undue attention because of being the last one. So, for me, this movie, which is essentially mid, was also a very entertaining film because of the actors’ performances and the bright and colorful world they are acting in.
So in, this entry takes place four years after the first film. Arthur (Jason Mamoa) is King of Atlantis and has married Mera (Amber Heard), and they now have a son. Arthur still lives with his dad, Tom (Temuera Morrison), on the land most of the time, though, which causes issues with the politics of Atlantis. This boring peace is upended by Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), who finds a black trident, giving him the power he wants to get revenge on Aquaman for his father’s death early in the first film. From there, things happen that lead Arthur to break out his brother Orm (Patrick Wilson), the big bad from the first film from Atlantian jail, to help him stop Black Manta. I’ll stop here so you can enjoy seeing the movie.
James Wan directs the film with fast pacing, moving from point to point, peppered in with flashbacks, so if you didn’t see the first Aquaman, you get what’s going on. The conflict is quite basic, but he puts in just the right amount and type of comedy to keep it entertaining. Yahya, who stood out in the first movie, gets to actually being the main antagonistic focus here, and he easily draws your attention to the screen. He brings to life I feel the better version of the character with his performance – he hates Aquaman, wholly and truly. There is no forgiveness, and he’ll do whatever and work with whoever to achieve the goal of killing him. Mamoa is his usual charismatic self. He’s having fun the whole time on screen with his version of Arthur Curry, which is entirely his and has been since we first saw him in Justice League. He can sell the heavier parts and does well as his bruiser-style Aquaman, but his scenes with Patrick Wilson make the film become a superhero Buddy cop action film. These two on-screen are some of my favorite parts of the movie and some of my favorite duo scenes all year.
The film is bright and colorful with creative production design and creature designs. The world is familiar yet unique. At times, it reminds you of what an underwater Star Wars-like movie, and then it takes cues from Journey to the Center of the Earth or 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The film takes from classics and tropes playfully like superhero comics have over the decades, especially Aquaman, who’s been around for close to 80 years now. This film won’t wow everyone, and it might not impress most critics at all, but this film, I feel, shows the fun of Aquaman even more than the first and is also just a fun movie for people to go see. Goodbye, DCEU; it was fun to know you through all the times you were around – Good, Bad, and indifferent.
Score: C+
RIOTUS 