Ten Stars or Less

Aquaman goes by many names because he is a myth and legend. Whether you read comic books or just watch movies, the one thing you must understand about Jason Momoa’s Aquaman is he just saved the DC Universe.

Marvel will always have The Avengers to lure fans to buy all their products. Say what you want about Superman, but even the most hardcore DC fan will admit that Batman is the real icon of that world. The Dark Knight may be the gold standard of all comic book movies, but Wonder Woman is right behind it. Those two need to make room at the top because Aquaman is right there with them.

Breathtaking CGI effects, ruthless villains, compassionate characters, humour, fighting, and underwater legends make Aquaman one of the best superhero movies ever. If people thought Black Panther was the only awesome film filled with new characters and worlds, you’d be horribly mistaken. Aquaman took what we have known before and took it a whole new level. There’s one scene that stands out in my mind. When Aquaman and Mera (Amber Heard) are in the dark waters looking for the trench, the visual effects are on mythical proportions. Envision slow-motion 300 action scenes sprinkled with the thunder and lightning of the Gods, in the middle of the ocean and you only have a glimpse of what I’m talking about. Those moments on the boat sealed the deal for me, this is probably going to be the best movie I see in 2019.

I’ve seen Patrick Wilson go rogue before and play a bad guy. When he’s not dealing with ghosts and allowed to be ruthless, he is one of the best bad guys out there. His abilities as an actor allow you to forget what you know him from and focus all your pent-up anger onto his character and hope he finally gets a dose of his own toxic medicine. Seriously, he was great.

One aspect I hated was the pirate Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II). The whole movie I was like why is this guy a problem? Why can’t he just die and Aquaman can focus on bigger things. Of course, if you stay for the mid-credits scene, you’ll come to find out exactly why Manta is a problem and will continue to be a problem. Backed by the right funding, there really anything he can’t do, so it will interesting to see where what he does next, although anyone in their right mind can figure out exactly what Aquaman 2 will be about. (Leave me a comment if you want my early thoughts).

All in all, Aquaman resuscitated a DC universe that was drowning with poor writing, terrible films, and bad choices for their leads. When one of the greatest Superman’s of all-time decides to walk away, you know you’re in major trouble. They would never admit it, but DC pinned their hopes on Aquaman and Momoa rewarded them. This film is pure entertainment and doesn’t give you a complicated plot like many dramatic superhero movies of today. You’ll laugh, maybe get emotional, maybe you’ll hate it. My recommendation is to see this film on the big screen, it won’t disappoint you. 9/10