20260528-20181214-0-67050019
Critic's Rating: 3.5
Aquaman Story: Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) discovers his true heritage as the King of Atlantis, an underwater city. Now he must prove his worth to his people, and the world at large.

Aquaman Review: The son of Queen Atlanna (Nicole Kidman) and a simple lighthouse keeper Tom Curry (Temuera Morrison), Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) wants nothing to do with his royal heritage after his mother leaves them behind to return to her underwater kingdom. But when Princess Mera (Amber Heard) reaches out to tell him of a significant threat from the deep seas by his own family, and the people of Atlantis, Arthur needs to choose which world he belongs to.

There aren't any path-breaking surprises in ‘Aquaman’s storytelling, but the presentation is refreshing. The CGI work is top notch, especially during some of the fantastic underwater set pieces. James Wan pays a lot of attention to the stunt choreography and how the action is interpreted through slick camera work including some impressive long-take sequences. This keeps the momentum flowing, even as the run-time feels a little bloated especially when the plot runs into choppy waters in the second act. At this point, the film stumbles over itself as it takes on a tone that's too on-the-nose for its own good. There’s one romantic angle in 'Aquaman' that feels very forced, but another comes across more genuinely. The humour doesn’t always land either and is the missing ingredient in some of the sequences that lack nuance – a premise this outlandish should be able to laugh at itself a lot more. In the antagonist department, there are one too many villains, with Black Manta feeling more like a subplot than a severe threat. Fortunately, Arthur Curry's backstory doesn't suffer the same fate in an energising mix that blends the present with the past.

Patrick Wilson, Nicole Kidman, and Willem Dafoe put in strong acting work individually to bring sufficient depth to the proceedings. Collectively, they enhance the weaker links across the plot, which elevates the film overall. Despite its flaws, there’s a lot of fun to be had in the latest entry to the DC Extended Universe, which mainly comes from the charismatic lead. ‘Aquaman’ wouldn't work as well if it weren't for its hero, and while there may be other fish in the sea, (read ‘actors’), there seems to be no one better equipped to play the King of the Seven Seas than Jason Momoa. He dominates the screen with his presence and puts his own stamp on a character who has been the butt of jokes in the comic book world, to make him unquestionably cool again. That, combined with the insane action, make for convincing reasons to watch ‘Aquaman’. Go on, dive in.

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Summary / Analysis

Spoiler alert! Please do not read the following plot summary if you have not seen the film.
In 1985 Maine, lighthouse keeper Thomas Curry rescues Atlanna, the princess of the underwater nation of Atlantis, during a storm. They eventually fall in love and have a son named Arthur, who is born with the power to communicate with marine lifeforms. Atlanna is forced to abandon her family and return to Atlantis, entrusting to her advisor, Nuidis Vulko, the mission of training Arthur. Under Vulko's guidance, Arthur becomes a skilled warrior but rejects Atlantis upon learning that Atlanna was executed for having a half-breed son.

In the present, one year after Steppenwolf's invasion, Arthur confronts a group of pirates attempting to hijack a Russian Naval nuclear submarine. Their leader, Jesse Kane, dies during the confrontation while his son, David, vows revenge. David later targets Atlantis at the behest of Orm, Arthur's younger half-brother and Atlantis' incumbent monarch who uses the attack as a pretext to declare war on the surface world. King Nereus of Xebel swears allegiance to Orm's cause, but his daughter Mera, who has been betrothed to Orm, refuses to aid them and journeys to the surface to ask Arthur for help, earning his trust by saving Thomas from a tsunami sent by Orm. Arthur reluctantly accompanies Mera to a rendezvous with Vulko, who urges Arthur to find the Trident of Atlan, a magic artifact that once belonged to Atlantis' first ruler, in order to reclaim his rightful place as king. They are ambushed by Orm's men and Mera and Vulko escape without having been seen, while Arthur is captured.

Arthur is chained and presented before Orm, he blames Orm and the surface for Atlanna's death. He offers Arthur an opportunity to leave forever, but Arthur instead challenges him to a duel in a ring of underwater lava. Orm gains the upper hand and nearly kills Arthur before Mera rescues him. Together, Arthur and Mera journey to the Sahara desert where the trident was forged and unlock a holographic message that leads them to Sicily, Italy, where they retrieve the trident's coordinates. Meanwhile, Orm provides David with a prototype Atlantean battle suit to kill Arthur, imprisons Vulko upon learning of his betrayal, and coerces the remaining kingdoms of Atlantis to pledge their allegiance to him and his campaign against the surface.

After modifying Orm's technology, a fully armored David rechristens himself as Black Manta and ambushes Arthur and Mera in Sicily, injuring Arthur before being thrown off a cliff to his apparent death. Mera nurses Arthur's wounds as they journey to the trident's whereabouts, and encourages him to embrace his destiny as a hero. Arriving at their destination, Arthur and Mera are attacked by a legion of amphibious monsters known as The Trench, but manage to fend them off and reach a wormhole that transports them to an uncharted sea located at the center of the Earth. There, they are unexpectedly reunited with Atlanna, who was sacrificed to the Trench for her crimes but managed to escape and reach the uncharted sea, where she has been stranded ever since.

Arthur faces Karathen, the mythical leviathan that guards the trident, and voices his determination to protect both Atlantis and the surface, proving his worth and reclaiming the trident, which grants him control over the seven seas. Orm and his allies lead an army against the crustacean forces of the Kingdom of the Brine with the intent of completing Orm's surface battle preparations. As Orm declares himself Ocean Master, Arthur, and Mera, with the assistance of Karathen and the Trench, intervene and lead an army of marine creatures in a battle against him. Orm's followers renounce their obedience to him and embrace Arthur as the true king upon learning he wields the trident. Arthur defeats Orm in combat but chooses to spare his life and Orm accepts his fate after discovering Arthur has found and rescued Atlanna. Atlanna returns to the surface to reunite with Thomas while Arthur ascends to the throne with Mera by his side.

In a mid-credits scene, David is rescued by Dr. Stephen Shin, a scientist and conspiracy theorist obsessed with the Atlanteans, and agrees to lead Shin there in exchange for his help in his revenge on Arthur.

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FAQs
  1. What is the release date of 'Aquaman'?
    Release date of Amber Heard and Jason Momoa starrer 'Aquaman' is 2018-12-14.
  2. Who are the actors in 'Aquaman'?
    'Aquaman' star cast includes Amber Heard, Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson and Willem Dafoe.
  3. Who is the director of 'Aquaman'?
    'Aquaman' is directed by James Wan.
  4. Who is the producer of 'Aquaman'?
    'Aquaman' is produced by Peter Safran,Deborah Snyder,Zack Snyder,Geoff Johns.
  5. What is Genre of 'Aquaman'?
    'Aquaman' belongs to 'Action, Adventure,Fantasy' genre.
  6. In Which Languages is 'Aquaman' releasing?
    'Aquaman' is releasing in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.