Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom Review

Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom is the last DCEU (DC Extended Universe) release before DC's upcoming plans to completely reboot their franchise. Director James Gunn and Producer James Safran have been chosen to helm this complete revamp, which means that all current storylines are over, and new faces will be cast to replace the existing Justice League characters. And this clearly shows in Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom (aka Aquaman 2) - the movie feels like the last remaining vestige of a universe before its inevitable "Big Bang" and rebirth.

Director James Wan returns to hopefully repeat the box office performance of the previous Aquaman movie, which was the DCEU's most successful performer to date having grossed over a billion dollars.

A few years after the events that led to him becoming the ruler of Atlantis, Arthur Curry / Aquaman (Jason Momoa) is now the quintessential family man, marrying Mera (Amber Heard) and becoming a father. In line of duty as the king of Atlantis, Aquaman once again encounters David Kane / Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) who is hellbent on getting revenge for the death of his father.

Being outmanoeuvred multiple times by Manta using the retrofitted ultrasound cannon of Dr Stephen Shin (Randall Park), Aquaman realises that the only person who can help him is his imprisoned half-brother and rival Orm (Patrick Wilson). Caught between the Devil and the deep blue sea, Aquaman must choose between the lesser evil in order to save everything he holds dear from extinction.

Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom is remarkable in the fact that everything it does is singularly unremarkable. The stakes are higher than before, and the usual high-budget undersea 3D camera work, customary Hollywood high-production values, and bankable stars like Momoa, Wilson and Kidman are all there - yet it rarely enthralls you. The coolest thing we could say about the movie is how it tries, through entertainment, to educate you about the greenhouse effect and global warming, but that is about it. The film's lead actor, Momoa, who co-wrote Aquamen And The Lost Kingdom, is a real life environmental activist, so we don't doubt the sincerity of his intentions - we just wish a better movie was the vehicle of such an important message.

The other thing going for the film is how down to earth Arthur Curry is, as a character. Superheroes are almost always larger-than-life characters, and once we're past their origin story, rarely do we ever consider relatability as an engaging factor when it comes to superheroes. Arthur is just your average new dad - he feels like he is sleep-deprived due to the baby, struggles with work-life balance ("working" as the protector of Atlantis), and faces imposter syndrome being in a position which he did not aspire to be in, all relatable things.

The DCEU continues struggling with its depiction of light and darkness. Aquaman and his brother Orm make even tense moments funny with their constant banter and wisecracks, while Black Manta is the complete antithesis - a sombre villain full of rage and bitterness. The moments in which both protagonist and antagonist share the screen take on a jarring tone that struggles to contain both moods.

Jason Momoa brings chill vibes and bulging musculature to the proceedings, and is eminently watchable. Comfortable both as Aquaman and Arthur Curry, he is one of the rarer superheroes who are often content with not being the smartest or most assured persons in the room. Almost all of Amber Heard's scenes in the movie feel heavily edited, for reasons that will invite a lot of speculation (that this review will take no part in). Patrick Wilson's reprisal of Orm as a less angry version of the character sort of creates a "buddy movie" kind of energy - but it is strange to see a man imprisoned and tortured to the brink of death forgive the man who led to his capture, so quickly and easily. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, despite being the actual villain, is overshadowed by Randall Park as the enthusiastic scientist who finally grows a spine.

Basically, just like the previous DC movie your truly reviewed, Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom is still entertaining, and watchable - just not as much as the 2018 Aquaman. Not entirely a fish out of water.