Tags
Aquaman, Atlantis, Black Manta, CGI, comic book, DC Comics, Dr. Shin, James Wan, Jason Momoa, Mera, movie, ocean, Ocean Master, review, underwater, water
Just so people know I didn’t see Justice League before seeing Aquaman since I thought Justice League wouldn’t be that good. Also thought Aquaman wouldn’t be that good not because of all those jokes about him, but that the movie wouldn’t try to be entertaining. I tried to go to an earlier screening but they couldn’t show the movie because of projector problems. So after a few weeks, I went to a different theater and it was pretty packed even though it was a week after opening day. Also, I might be a bit vague since when I watched it in the theater I was really close to the screen so it was a lot to watch is all.
The movie starts with Aquaman’s parents meeting for the first time and up to his upbringing to now. When the movie gets to Black Manta and his father a bit later in the movie where Aquaman fights and defeats them makes Aquaman look like a jerk at the end of the battle. Then Aquaman meets Mera at his hometown, Mera tells Aquaman that his half brother, later called Ocean Master, wants to unite the Atlatian tribes to attack the surface world because of all the harm they do to the ocean. Then there’s this attempt to flood the shores of the surface world and on the news channels this guy getting interviewed, Dr. Shin, tries to explain to people it was Atlantis but they don’t believe him. Which is weird since there are aliens and supernatural monsters in this world but people don’t believe in an underwater city.
Mera takes Aquaman to Atlantis where he also meets his mentor who taught him how to be Atlantian played by William Defoe. He and Mera explain there’s this ultimate trident hidden somewhere in another underwater city that could unite both land and sea people, or destroy the land. After they all get captured, Ocean Master and Aquaman do this fighting challenge and then he and Mera escape and hide before Aquaman gets killed. They both travel a little around the world and Ocean Master unites the underwater tribes and gives Black Manta some Atlantian weapons he later reverse engineers to make his power armor suit.
When the movie gets to Black Manta and Aquaman fighting it’s pretty amazing since the power armor suit Black Manta uses has this laser vision that is powered by water, at least that’s what the movie said. At the last location, Aquaman and Mera go to it felt like it was out of place since it had dinosaurs in it. The ending though has both Ocean Master in his armor and Aquaman in his classic armor and seems pretty epic.
There was a lot of CGI used in this and sometimes it felt a bit out of place or was used too much. Though I am not complaining since this movie made $1 Billion worldwide and during the post-credits scene though builds up some of the characters in probably the sequel. Jason Momoa mentioned Wonder Woman and the Flash might cameo in the sequel but I don’t know how that will work. Though I hope to see one of the Aqualad’s in the sequel if we can. I also read some of the Aquaman comics and some of the origins like Black Manta was a bit off compared to the movie. Also at some point in the comics, Aquaman loses one of his hands and gets a hook hand for some reason.
Anyway, this movie felt good, but not great, maybe because of all the CGI being used a lot or that the humor is a bit off at times. Though if you like the DC movies give this one a watch.