‘Aquaman’ Movie Review: James Wan Delivers The Most Jawdroppingly Beautiful Superhero Flick

Disclaimer: This is a completely non-spoiler review. But if you want to swim through ‘Aquaman’ completely blind, please read it after watching the movie.

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The past few years have been hard as a DC fan as I had to see the potential of ‘Man of Steel’ be squandered through meaningless sequel-baiting and studio interference. Although ‘Wonder Woman’ was a critical and financial success, when the euphoria died down, it felt nothing more than an average flick. So, expectations were naturally high with James Wan’s ‘Aquaman’ as it was a make-it-or-break-it scenario for this cinematic universe. And I’ve to say this, he has delivered gorgeously.

James Wan separates ‘Aquaman’ physically and narratively from what came before it to dive into a whole new world full of rideable sharks, carnivorous sea-creatures and mythical tridents.

Most of the movies in the DCEU have exploited the cities of USA to death. So, it was refreshing to see Aquaman’s story begin at Maine, with Nicole Kidman’s Atlanna washing up on the shores of Tom Curry’s (Temuera Morrison) lighthouse. And with a quick montage, David Leslie and Will Beall’s screenplay establishes the central conflict of the movie and opens up the opportunity to visit the Seven Seas.

What follows after that is one smoothly-choreographed action set-piece after another that pushes the boundaries of CGI in blockbuster movies and hand-to-hand combat sequences in the action genre. And the film’s crowning jewel is undoubtedly the Trench sequence, as it beautifully blends Wan’s expertise in horror and Don Burgess’ exquisite cinematography. I’ll be glad to admit that I was awestruck enough to have tears in my eyes.

Jason Momoa, along with the star-studded cast of Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Dolph Lundgreen, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, sink their teeth into their characters. However, it’s Patrick Wilson’s Orm that deserves all your attention.

It was heartbreaking to see Momoa’s Khal Drogo pass away. But it’s safe to say now that he died as the Khal to live as Aquaman. Because no other actor currently working in the industry would’ve been to pull off this mix of goofy, gruff and charming like Momoa does. And when that’s coupled with Heard’s Mera, who not only matches up to Momoa’s comedic timing, but also brings a sense of elegance to the movie, you’ll be able to sail through the cheesy dialogues with a big smile on your face.

The heroism in ‘Aquaman’s story is aptly balanced by Black Manta and Orm. And they manage to stand out in a year that already has seen the likes of Thanos and Killmonger. That’s because the script not only gives compelling motivations to these broken characters, but also provides mirroring fight sequences to highlight their potential and might. Add to that the brilliant performances by Yahya and Patrick Wilson, and you’ve two villains that you’d want to see again in future installments.

To top it all off, Bill Brzeski’s production design, Bill Booth, Desma Murphy and Fred Palacio’s art design, Kym Barrett’s costume design, and the hundreds of VFX artists come together to dish out the most spectacular-looking superhero movie of all time.

The reason why this review deserves an entire section to praise the VFX and SFX is because directing a movie that involves water is incredibly tough. And directing a movie that’s underwater is tougher. Don’t believe me? Go ask the makers of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, ‘Waterworld’, ‘Phantom Menace’, and heck even ‘Thugs of Hindostan’.

James Wan has continuously harped on about the fact that he isn’t going to show an inch of the movie unless the VFX is perfect, and it’s perfect. Atlantis’ neon-lit environment looked absolutely mesmerising, with Rupert Gregson-Williams’ score amping up the ambience. And the way the water interacted with the actors, their weapons or their vehicles, felt fluid (pun absolutely intended) and unlike anything we’ve seen before.

In addition to that, ‘Aquaman’ is a dream-come-true for fans who’ve to wanted to see the live-screen incarnations of their favourite costumes. They look every bit as cheesy as they were in the comics, while being synonymous with the tactile nature of the DCEU’s previous suits. And even though it has been featured in the trailers, with context, Aquaman’s final suit reveal is bound to have you cheering.

So, in conclusion, I’d whole-heartedly advise you to watch ‘Aquaman’ on the biggest screen (with the best surround sound) possible because it deserves to be enjoyed in that fashion.

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