Diving Into the Waters of “Aquaman”

The dive into “Aquaman” is slow. The storyline describes the history of Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) and his parents. He is son of the queen of Atlantis (Nicole Kidman) and lighthouse keeper Tom Curry (Temuera Morrison). Arthur has no desire to go to Atlantis after his mother was forced to leave him and his father. However, after being informed by Princess Mera (Amber Heard) of the threat that will befall Atlantis and the whole world if he does not return, Arthur faces the moral struggle within himself to make the right decision.

Momoa was a bold casting choice for this film due to his lack of resemblance to the original drawings of Aquaman. Momoa’s long dark hair and body full of tribal tattoos contradicts the original look of Aquaman who has slicked back blond hair. However, this choice paid off with Momoa’s incredible portrayal of the character. His look further enhanced the differences between the human world and Atlantis as he and his half-brother battled on screen. This film also creates an important impact on the audience as it mentions the harmful consequences of pollution on the ocean and its inhabitants.

The CGI and animations were amped up in this film particularly in its portrayal of underwater scenery. The CGI captures the sensation of being underwater.  The film mostly pulls this off; however, some of the scenes, such as when Curry’s half-brother, Orm, meets with leaders to discuss joining forces, feel fake.

The plot gets choppy with the many villains. In the original Aquaman comic, Black Manta is the archenemy of Aquaman and the two have a fierce rivalry. However, in the film, the rivalry between Aquaman and Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) is minimal compared to the rivalry between Aquaman and his half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson). There is also a romantic storyline that doesn’t seem to fit with the rest of the story.

Regardless of its flaws, “Aquaman” contains thrilling battle scenes that leave audience entranced. The incredible acting of Jason Momoa helps to enhance the film and its storyline. This film brings new light  to the original Aquaman comics. In the end, the thrilling action and impeccable acting are reason enough to watch “Aquaman”.

Rated PG-13 for action violence

Running time 2 hours and 23 minutes