Aquaman is a film co-written and directed by James Wan. I remember being the few people who actually liked the trailer and what it was actually going for. I was with the film from the beginning. After watching it today, it felt like an adventure filled ride.
Plot: Arthur Curry, the heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, must step forward to lead his people against his half-brother, Orm, who seeks to unite the seven underwater kingdoms against the surface world.
Story and direction: I have adored James Wan as a director for quite a long time. I even liked his film Furious 7 (maybe I will go on to say the best the series had). So, with the film I was quite positive that I would fully understand as to what Wan wants to achieve. And he totally achieves it in this film. His vision is huge and he does complete justice to it. The film is a big celebration of CGI and style. The action scenes are wonderfully choreographed and filmed on wide angles, which hugely impressed me. The creature designs and production design are impressive. Also, the comedy is just spot on. I laughed at even the smallest joke that was cracked. The emotional aspect of the film, although very small, was just great. The characterization for most of the characters were spot on. They were not perfect which is what I liked. The musical score was fabulous. The VFX was great and in 3D it just was awesome. Some things that bogged me down was the runtime. At times, it does feel that the film was dragging. Also, the first act did feel a bit rushed and I did feel that they could have built on certain aspects of that act. Orm as a villain was a bit cliched. He didn't have any such motivation for his actions.
Performances: Jason Mamoa lived through the role of Arthur Curry. From the first scene onwards, he just makes you believe that he is strong. Amber Heard complements Jason's character nicely. Patrick Wilson was good with what he was given to do. William Dafoe was good as Nuis Vulko. Yahta Abdul Mateen II was bad-ass. It was god to see Dolph Ludgren. Finally, Nicole Kidman and Temeura Morrison were great as Aquaman's parents.
Favorite Scene: It would be the scene with Arthur and Mera on the Sahara. That scene was very funny. The jokes were spot on. Adding to that, the scenery was just awesome.
Verdict: If you enjoy big adventure and CGI filled action films, then this film is perfect for you. If not, then I would advise to stay away from the film. Yes, the film is not perfect and has some flaws, but I did have a fun time with the film. If the makers are planning a sequel they surely have excited me. The DC Extended Universe has definitely redeemed itself and I am looking forward to its future films.
I am going with an 8/10.
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