I believe it is safe to say that superhero films have become somewhat stale as of this year. From Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania to Shazam! Fury of the Gods and even the recent The Marvels, each film has gone far too big on the story and the effects that they all have a similar trope. That trope is bigger, but not better. There has been attempts to make sequels stand above their predecessors, looking at you Captain America, but then somehow others get misguided. That is how it feels for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. The first film was a visual feast, had its own unique look when compared to Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman, and they made a “joke character” into a billion dollar worldwide juggernaught, so a sequel was inevitable.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom does surprisingly not add anyone new to its cast, instead it has Jason Momoa, Nicole Kidman, Patrick Wilson and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II amongst others to return in their roles from the first film. The Black Manta, which was a secondary villain in the first film, has become the main big baddie in this film. David Kane, his real alias, is a man on a personal vendetta against Aquaman and that brings him into contact with the Black Trident which poisons his ambitions as he accelerates Global Warming for some reason that really isn’t fully explained. Jason Momoa brings back the over-the-top, wise cracking, kicking butt version of Aquaman. This time he’s a father, because stakes have to be raised somehow for this sequel. What the story results in is a bit of a mess.
It is no secret to say there has been trouble with the making of this film. The DC Extended Universe is officially ending, so any ties to other potential films and any past films have gone, and also it makes this film almost needless. The idea of a superhero cinematic universe is to create a world where characters can change and evolve over time with stories progressing. The Marvel Universe did it very well, to begin with at least, and DC did attempt to rush into their own. While the first Aquaman film did an excellent job at world-building and crafting a unique look, this film does the same but it feels like less effort has gone into it. There is more comedy, there is more CGI and there are adventures just for the sake of adventures. It is a shame to see the story butchered in a such a way, especially from the talented filmmaker James Wan. I cannot blame the cast or filmmakers though, it has studio interference written all over it.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom does have some nice touches, with a couple of battles standing out and also some of the music and their scenes feel like they’re adding a tiny bit more depth to the characters, but these moments are few and far in between. The story does a good job at attempting to point out the alarming Global Warming issue, but it should have been more of a central focus instead of the Black Manta vs Aquaman conflict. It is sad to see this universe come to an end like this, but it reminds us why superhero films exist. The audience loves the characters, they love the escapism, and they want to have fun. You will get that with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, but it sadly isn’t enough.
★★☆☆☆
2/5
Final Verdict:
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom feels very messy. There’s been too much bad press surrounding the ending of the DC Extended Universe, and the issues surrounding Amber Heard, for the film to have any real chance of becoming anything more than a joke. I loved the first Aquaman film, with all the bright colours, fluid action and insane camera work. It sadly feels like this is one sequel that was phoned in by the studio. Jason Momoa is a great Aquaman and his legacy will forever be that badass underwater superhero.
Thanks for reading today’s blog!
Alex Murray, the Head of Eyesight Productions
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