A hero with killer looks. A decent plot. Good acting. Clever VFX effects. Combine all this with a comparably fresh superhero who has never before featured in a lead role. The result? A blockbuster that has already grossed over $1 billion worldwide. For the same reasons, at no point does the 2h 23m ‘Aquaman’ feels dull. Deservedly, the movie is well on its way to becoming the biggest blockbuster from the DC Comics universe, dethroning two earlier Batman movies. Again, the biggest strength of ‘Aquaman’ is its novelty on the big screen. The super-talented Jason Momoa debuted as Aquaman in ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ (2016), followed by another cameo role in ‘Justice League’ (2017). In both the films, even when appearing alongside other Hollywood superstars, Momoa was able to dominate the screen with his larger-than-life presence. In ‘Aquaman’ Momoa proves he can keep the audience hooked for as long as he wants.
The plot is simple enough. Aquaman aka Arthur Curry is the son of Thomas Curry (Temuera Morrison), a lighthouse keeper, and Atlanna (Nicole Kidman), the queen of the underwater kingdom of Atlantis. Arthur is a curious being: half-human, half Atlantian. As the first son of the Queen of Atlantis, Arthur has a legitimate claim to the throne of Atlantis. But Arthur seems satisfied with his bohemian life on the ‘surface’ and ruling Atlantis is the last thing on his mind.
Who should watch it?
If you like superhero movies, there are unlikely to be many better than ‘Aquaman’. If the only thing that turns you on about a movie is its rich, subtle plot, then (and only then) will Aquaman not be to your taste.
Yet he is one day forced to descend to the water world. If he does not, his half-brother Orm Marius (Patrick Wilson), who is the king of Atlantis, and who endlessly mocks Arthur as ‘half-breed’, will destroy the surface-world Arthur calls home. In order to kill Arthur and conquer the world, Orm seeks the services of Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), a pirate and mercenary who at one time lost his father because of Aquaman. The rest of the movie revolves around Aquaman’s quest to defeat his half-brother, regain his kingdom and to save the world.
It’s a masterly performance by Momoa, who has just about the perfect physique, tattoos and persona to portray Aquaman. He does not disappoint. The softer shade of Temuera Morrison as Aquaman’s father and Atlanna’s doting husband is convincing; Nicole Kidman shines in her cameo appearances; Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Black Panther carries the hatred of Aquaman as his father’s killer with some aplomb. The rest of the underwater characters are also given enough screen-time to make the audience care about them.
There is action, there is (some) romance and, there is nifty VFX work. Yet even with the best VFX work, the underwater world would not have been easy to show. Director James Wan (of ‘The Conjuring’ fame) gets full credit for making a good fist of it. All in all, it’s a complete family package. This movie has been able to capture the world’s attention for a reason. You don’t want to miss out.
Movie: Aquaman
Genre: ACTION, SCI-FI
CAST: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe
DIRECTION:James Wan
