David Pierdomenico
To say that the DC Extended Universe has struggled would be an understatement. Aside from Wonder Woman, their films have been considered at best mediocre and at worst, absolute train wrecks. So with the highly anticipated release of Aquaman DC proves that with the right director, tone, and lead, they can achieve greatness again.
A New Kind of Hero
The film opens with Tom Curry (Temuera Morrison) finding Queen Atlanta (Nicole Kidman) washed up on the rocks next to the lighthouse. They share a brief but poignant romance which results in the birth of Arthur Curry. However their life together cannot last as the royal family of Atlantis refuses to let Atlanta go. She is forced to return to the lost kingdom so that her son will be safe. We then pick up with Arthur as an adult where he acts as a nautical guardian angel, rescuing sailors and others at sea. We see him intervene with a submarine crew that’s been hijacked by pirates. From there, he is approached by Princess Mera (Amber Heard) who warns him that his half-brother King Orm (Patrick Wilson) is planning on launching a full scale war against the surface world.
Jason Momoa reprises his role from 2017’s Justice League, and he’s very much the same character. Unlike the brooding loner that is Batman, the idealistic boy scout that is Superman, the sarcastic millennial that is Flash, the sensitive teenager that is Cyborg, or the solemn warrior that is Wonder Woman, Aquaman always felt like the surfing drunk uncle. He’ll go out and save people at sea, but his true passion is enjoying a drink with his dad and having a good time. It’s a good place for his character to start as it leaves a great deal of room for growth. Out of all the films in the DCEU, Aquaman is the only one that has its titular character have a significant arc and truly change by the end.
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for some of the supporting cast. Willem Dafoe does a decent job as Vulko, Arthur’s primary mentor. We only get snippets of them training together when Arthur is young, but it’s effective. As charismatic and fun as Jason Momoa’s performance is, Amber Heard’s is the exact opposite. At times it seems like she’s trying to come off as funny with light banter, but she delivers most of her lines with the utmost awkwardness. Which isn’t entirely her fault, as most of the script was in serious need of another revision. Much of the dialogue is expositional without an ounce of subtlety, and Mera just so happens to get most of those awkward lines.
Under the Sea
The film truly shines in its stunning visuals of an entire world that exists underwater. We see the city of Atlantis, along with other civilizations, and each is incredibly imaginative. We see giant crustacean warriors, an octopus beating war drums, a dress made of jellyfish, sharks with armor being used as a sort of sea cavalry, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Couple that with beautiful cinematography and filming locations in Morocco, Australia, and Canada, and it makes for quite the visual experience. The underwater scenes give the film a unique look as the movement feel smooth and fluid (no pun intended). At times it almost appears that everyone is floating through the air, when in fact their just swimming.
A lot of the action on land is shot much more straightforward than we’re used to seeing in the DCEU. Zack Snyder’s overuse of slow motion and rapid editing cuts aren’t present here. Instead James Wan uses quick camera pans to show what’s going on. And while at times, it can be almost whiplash inducing, it does a better job of keeping the viewer on the same page of what is happening where. After Furious 7, Wan is getting better at shooting action scenes. And hopefully he’ll continue to do so in the future; especially if he gets to direct a Batman horror film that he’s been talking about!
Where it Stands in the DCEU
Much like their ultimate rival Marvel, DC has also suffered from a bit of a villain problem. General Zod was decent, but screamed in an over the top fashion far too often, Lex Luthor was laughable, and Ares, Enchantress, and Steppenwolf were all made of terrible CGI that made them look like something out of a video game. Aquaman gives the DCEU its best villain yet in the form of King Orm. He’s not an outright evil character, more of a corrupt politician who believes that the ends justify the means for the greater good.
It’s completely understandable that he would have reason to attack the surface as years of pollution has been damaging his home and people. And given that he was the legitimate heir, we completely understand him resenting his half-brother (who had never even been to Atlantis) suddenly showing up and challenging his rule. Patrick Wilson doesn’t get too much screen time but his performance is solid. We also get another minor villain with Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), who without giving anything away, also has a legitimate reason to despise Arthur Curry.
The film also creates a unique plot hole for Justice League. In that film, we see Arthur go to Atlantis and have a conversation with Mera after Steppenwolf steals the motherbox that was hidden there. They even have to create an air pocket to communicate and don’t seem to be able to talk underwater. Aquaman on the other hand shows many characters speaking underwater and mentions that Arthur has never been to Atlantis, nor met Mera. And this film can’t be a prequel because Mera even references Arthur’s role in defeating Steppenwolf. The most likely reason for this is that the executives at DC and Warner Brothers weren’t properly communication with each other as both films were being made. But if anything, it’s more of an issue for Justice League, which already has plenty.
The Future of the Franchise
If this film teaches us anything, it’s that the DCEU thrives on solo stories rather than team up adventures. Perhaps their best strategy moving forward is to makes films based on individual characters that loosely connect. Maybe a cameo here or there, but they have a lot to learn and growing to do before they’re ready to tackle something like Justice League again. DC has a rich history of characters and worlds that, if done right, have the potential to be spectacular. Between Wonder Woman and Aquaman, DC has demonstrated that with the right tools, they are capable of prestige.
