Release Date: Malaysia, 13 Dec 2018
Genre: Action
Running Length: 2:23
Cast: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Willem Dafoe, Nicole Kidman, Yahya Abdul Mateen II, Dolph Lundgren, Temuera Morrison
Director: James Wan
Screenplay: David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Will Beall
What's this movie about?
Arthur Curry aka Aquaman (Jason Momoa), learns that he is the heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis. He rejects the idea as he doesn't believe he has what it takes to lead.
Predictably, circumstances would force him to accept his fate, step up and become the hero by uniting both land and sea.
Highlights and Lowlights
Let's start off with lowlights of the film. Whenever there's too much CGI, my brain desensitizes and will disengage. Think Avatar.
As for the plot, it's overly complicated but yet predictable. It involves politicking to unite three other kingdoms to go to war against the humans, the quest to look for THE trident and everything in-between.
Some of the acting and dialogue are just terrible especially those involving Yahya's character.
That said, Jason Momoa is perfectly cast as our towering hero with an easy-going-surfer-dude personality. In the opening sequence, when the bad guys go after him, you know they won't stand a chance.
The action sequences on land are more believable than those underwater. There's this kancheong (white-knuckle) rooftop chase scene in Sicily which was well executed.
I also enjoyed a semi-horror sequence involving our heroes being chased and attacked by an army of scary looking creatures.
In summary
When the trailer to AQUAMAN hit months ago, I wasn't particularly excited as it looked like it's going to be a pesta CGI (CGI fest). Some of the graphics especially the shark in the aquaria, looked really fake in the trailer. I was thinking, "I can't imagine how it would look like on the big screen".
I'm glad to report that this movie is not as bad as I imagined it to be. Not to say that it's fantastic but it didn't sink either.
It had so much going on as though James Wan & Co weren't expecting to return for a sequel. There are monsters from the deep, an outlandish sea creature voiced by Julie Andrews (!), an army of talking crustaceans, a ring of fire under water (what?), sequences inspired by Indiana Jones movies, war sharks and war seahorses, an octopus playing drums (for reals!) and so many more batsh*t crazy scenes!
Eventhough this movie is long, it definitely isn't boring. In fact, it got better as the movie progressed.
The most memorable moment for me: When our hero Aquaman emerges from a waterfall wearing a glimmering gold armour while holding a powerful trident in one hand. Cue electric guitar riff.
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