Score: 3.5 / 5
Apparently this is goodbye to the DCEU, the Snyder-pioneered shared universe of DC superheroes in cinematic features. That makes me sad, as I've very much enjoyed all these movies, perhaps even more because of popular disdain for them (compared to the MCU, which I also love, but which poisoned cultural approach to these franchises). Now with James Gunn taking over, who knows what will come next? I confess here and now that I have never much cared for his aesthetic -- it's amazing and singular, just not always a flavor I prefer -- and so I'm nervous about an entire universe under his artistic control. At least we'll always have the Greg Berlanti/CW Arrowverse and, of course, the already existing films, though I'll forever mourn the untimely ending of Patty Jenkins's Wonder Woman series.
James Wan is back at the helm of Aquaman's latest adventure, in which Jason Momoa's iconic Arthur Curry works to save the planet from a new villain and increasingly devastating climate change (note that the title text appears in a melting glacier). "New" villain may be a stretch, but Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's hunky and brooding Black Manta is a bit different this time, still hell-bent on revenge but now possessed by a demonic spirit from the titular lost (read: "dead") kingdom of Atlantis. The whole escapade is a delightful romp through eye-popping CGI worlds, both underwater and on land, and the fabulous production design, though largely impractical, is wonderfully rendered. But all eyes are on Momoa, and he seems determined to go out with a lot of fun. Especially with Patrick Wilson, who returns as Orm with a dry streak that foils perfectly against the star. They've got an unlikely buddy-bro routine here that is infectiously funny in every scene, perhaps all the more because Orm was the big bad last time.
Wan and his returning screenwriter, accomplished collaborator David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, jump right in to keep things moving immediately, building off what came before and wasting no time getting to the action. The rest of the wonderful cast seems to get a bit less time in this film, which made me a little sad because Nicole Kidman and Temuera Morrison didn't have all that much to do the first time around either; Amber Heard's Mera, a new mother, is clearly cut from most of the film, appearing only a couple times holding their baby in the background, and her limited inclusion is easily the weirdest part of the film, notable mostly due to the awkward editing around her. The entire theming of this film -- its heart, if you will -- is around Arthur and Orm, learning to forgive each other and redeem themselves, finding balance and trust in their brotherly rule of the oceans.
There's not much substance to this, but fans of the first Aquaman should eat it up. It's more of the same, and while I appreciate a director that grows and evolves, it's also nice to capitalize on tried-and-true material. The family/royal melodrama, the slapstick humor, the fabulously inventive worldbuilding and neon-colored CGI, it all makes these films feel something like superhero camp. I mean, seahorses whinny! Wan gets that, he reigns it in only to let 'er rip, and he glories in the excesses he creates. In a movie like the original Justice League from Joss Whedon, these excesses are the result of chaos behind the scenes making the whole thing unwieldy and erratic if fun; in this movie, they come from a place of love and respect of the material and for the fans. Wan knows we just want to see Momoa punching giant bugs with his devilish grin, so he lets us get to that quickly and often.
Wan's knowing nudge-nudges continue on a more literary level as well, though perhaps not as clearly as in the first, which uses lots of Jules Verne as shorthand. Now we get more of the H.P. Lovecraft that was a surprise in the climax of the first film -- though sadly Julie Andrews's Karathen character is absent this go 'round -- especially with the necropolis and demonic creatures that dwell there. More sci-fi comes in the form of the mechanical enemies, which recall the bots from The Matrix movies and tripods from War of the Worlds. Surely other references abound, given Wan's love for genre filmmaking, but the fabulously ridiculous Clash of the Titans vibes of this globe-spanning adventure make it pure entertainment and spectacle, and I had an absolute blast watching it. That said, I also remember precious little of the actual story, which is clearly not ideal, so I look forward to a rewatch soon.
No comments:
Post a Comment