Earlier this month I discovered since I was an Amazon Prime Member currently I could see "Aquaman" (2018) early. So to give some context, earlier in the semester I signed up for the six months free trial of Amazon Prime for students. So while I've been getting discounts for books and class materials, I've also been reaping in the benefits that come included with Prime Memberships. Which included the opportunity to see "Aquaman" (2018). At the time I write this article I just got back home from seeing the film. For the past year and a half, this film has been met with skepticism by online blogs. Most of their articles have been ill-willed toward the DCEU (DC Extended Universe). Tons of clickbait articles have pledged the news landscape, with "journalist" running stories about actors leaving their iconic roles due to information heard a lot of the time from "a guy on the inside." However, those clickbait seeking journalist can shove it cause "Aquaman" (2018) is an excellent superhero film. This article will not go too in-depth with spoilers, instead, I will be talking about the general things I enjoyed from the movie.
Aquaman (2018)
Directed by James Wan, "Aquaman" (2018) follows the story of Arthur Curry. A man born half-Atlantean and half man. He is the rightful king to the throne of Atlantis and must reunite his kingdom before a war takes place with the surface dwellers. SImple film on paper, but as the old saying goes, any good writer can make a simple plot entertaining. I am going to first talk about the cast.
Jason Momoa kills it as Aquaman in the film. For the past five years since his casting in 2013, he has had a great passion for the character. Aquaman as a character has been a running joke to people. A man whose superpower is talking to fish doesn't come off as menacing to bad guys. But the character of Aquaman is so much more. In the film, he is written as a guy who wants nothing to do with his heritage. For he is shunned by a side of his own race because of his other half. I feel this character dynamic works great bouncing off other actors Amber Heard (Mera) and Willem Dafoe (Vulko) and audiences can relate to this mindset.
Speaking of actors, everyone gave their A-Game. A lot of world building had to be set up in this film. Atlantis is not simply some city under the sea. There are colonies and factions that all play a part in their society. Each actor played their part and seemed to really enjoy it. I particularly enjoyed Amber Heard and Patrick Wilson (Ocean Master). Both played their roles as though they had lived in Atlantis their whole life. Not a line felt phoned in and each character was given depth and backstory that rivaled some MCU characters. Speaking of Atlantis, the world was wonderfully shot. Obviously, it's CGI but so much CGI was used to make it as realistic as possible. I felt like I was entering a kingdom every time it cut away to it. The way the lights bounced off the water just helped ground this world. And the different types of fish and sea creatures made me reminisce the days when I enjoyed learning about wild animals.
The story is excellently paced. James Wan takes his time establishing this world instead of just thrusting the audience into the action. Like I mentioned earlier, everything is given a backstory. Instead of it being a boring backstory there is usually something going on, on-screen or the dialogue is so entertaining that it makes the parts that should be boring not boring.
Now for the action, excellently shot. While the world may be CGI, there are realistic camera techniques used to record the action. Every swipe of a trident, every punch from Aquaman's fist I felt. I got goosebumps so many times during the final battle of the film. It was just filled with epic money shots on top of glorious musical cues. There is so much I want to talk about but I can't without spoiling. But that final battle is well worth the two hours you've sat through. I nearly shed a tear at the end because the story just wrapped up so well. Of course, there is a post credit scene, sequel baiting and all. But that's the trend nowadays with these blockbuster films. But the main story again wraps up so well.
When James Wan was approached by DC. He was given a choice to either direct an Aquaman film or a Flash film. He chose Aquaman because he felt the character was an underdog. Well, I can wholeheartedly say that Aquaman is now a household name to stay. No one will dare joke about Aquaman ever again! So by the time you are reading this, the film should be out. Definitely go see and support this film. Definitely worth a watch just for Jason Momoa and Amber Heard alone.
