DC Comics Statues and Busts: Aquaman (James Wan, 2018) Movie Review

I haven't written a movie review in a long while, but James Wan's 2018 Aquaman has motivated me to commit a few thoughts to this blog. I saw the movie on Saturday, December 15 while on a weekend trip to Dallas, TX. That was the Amazon Prime/Atom Tickets Sneak Preview, which grossed about $2.8 million. (For reference, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle grossed about $1.8 million during its Sneak Preview in 2017.) I saw it again on Saturday, December 22 at the Bob Bullock Texas History Museum in Austin, TX.

Although I read comics, I feel that movies should be appraised based on their merits as movies, regardless of any source materials. (If you think "the book was better", go read the book again instead of complaining about the movie.) Aquaman can be enjoyed by anyone, and it's especially worth the effort to see in giant IMAX venues (usually ones that were built as part of museum complexes rather than retrofitted multiplex auditoriums). IMAX is showing a version of the movie with 26% more height. Many of the underwater or water-related sequences are beneficiaries of the taller 1.90:1 aspect ratio, and in terms of pure visual spectacle, Aquaman is a sight to behold. Indeed, the movie is so big that I thought the aspect ratio was taller than it really is!

The Bob Bullock IMAX gave customers this mini poster:

Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) is the half-human/half-Atlantean son of lighthouse keeper Tom Curry (Temuera Morrison) and Atlanna (Nicole Kidman), Queen of Atlantis. Atlanna's other son, Orm (Patrick Wilson), wants to wage war against surface-based societies for polluting the oceans. Mera (Amber Heard) and Vulko (Willem Dafoe) seek Arthur's help in stopping Orm.

Aquaman is part of what's commonly known as the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), comprised of Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, and Justice League. This one is easily the best of the lot. Wonder Woman was very good, but that movie's use of bait-&-switch villains resulted in excessive exposition during the third act, right when the action needed to be propulsive and relentless.

Orm is this movie's primary antagonist. Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) is a pawn in Orm's schemes (though the mid-credits footage promises that he'll have a larger role in a potential sequel). Orm was written as a charismatic but misguided leader, and Patrick Wilson plays the part well. Yes, Wilson arches his eyebrows and chews his dialogue, but Orm's anger against the surface world and bitterness towards other characters is understandable -- even relatable if you've ever been disappointed by relatives or friends.

Mera is the co-lead for much of the movie. Although she's supportive, she doesn't exist merely to be the hero's enabler. Rather, Mera has her own motivations and is a self-sufficient individual. I'm glad that Amber Heard was given more to do than just stand around as eye candy. (Plus, the filmmakers don't leer at her the way that Joss Whedon leered at Gal Gadot in his version of Justice League.)

Director James Wan with the lead actors

Director James Wan built his reputation as the director of several horror films, such as Saw, Insidious, and The Conjuring. That background is evident when Arthur and Mera journey to the Kingdom of the Trench. Wan makes great use of off-screen space to show how Arthur and Mera are startled by these scary creatures. The shot of the heroes plunging into the ocean has an eerie beauty.

Wan's use of long takes is one of the movie's best pleasures. Long takes are a good way of generating tension in horror movies, which is probably why Wan used them for Aquaman, too. The long takes show how events take place simultaneously (such as during the Sicily action sequence). They also allow you to admire the hard work needed to plan, block, and execute complex movement.

Occasionally, Aquaman grinds to a halt during expository conversations. I wish that filmmakers would sprinkle information throughout a movie rather than packing everything into chunks at a time. Much of the time, "explanations" aren't even necessary. Mercifully, voiceover narration is used sparingly during bookends at the beginning and the end of the movie.

Given lead actor Jason Momoa's physical build, it's easy to assume that Aquaman is a typical, blustery action movie. Yet, it's really quite charming. The affection between Momoa and Temuera Morrison seems genuine. There's a bar scene early in the movie that has one of the best comedic payoffs I've seen in a long while. Momoa performs mini-hakas at least twice. Midway through the movie, there's a "date" montage in Sicily that shows Arthur's gentle side. Mera makes a mistake, but rather than correcting her, Arthur does the exact same thing as she does to make her feel welcome on dry land. I liked the moments when Arthur speaks Russian and a little Italian (even if the latter consists of single words).

Don't worry, Aquaman has plenty of red meat action. The movie uses Jason Momoa's physicality to full effect, especially during the submarine and Sicily sequences. In the former, Arthur lifts another man across his shoulders and charges down a hallway towards a narrow hatch (you can guess what happens next). In the latter, Arthur leaps into the air to knock a church bell aside to save a little girl. This Aquaman is powerful and more than equal to Wonder Woman and Superman in terms of pure strength.