Hysterical Popcorn Entertainment for All

Rating: 6/10 (31 May 2019)

One of the most infamous films to come out of the DC Extended Universe in definitely Justice League due to its messy structure and clear behind the scenes meddling. That being said, what followed up could very well be their most creative endeavor yet, and that is the cinematic stand alone flick centered around Aquaman. It also happens to be the only addition to this franchise that grossed over a billion dollars worldwide. After finally having watched it, I must say that it is arguably their most epic and rad flick they have made thus far.
The main storyline revolves around Aquaman, a.k.a. Arthur Curry, who is the heir to the underwater kingdom called Atlantis. However, he is destined to step forward to lead his people against his half-brother, Orm, who seeks to unite the seven underwater kingdoms against the surface world. From that premise alone, the film has a very predictable narrative, and its not hard to figure out what happens throughout the runtime. In addition, the film has a rather pointless subplot centering on Black Manta seeking revenge towards Aquaman, and it barely has much connection to the progression of the film as a whole. Also, many of the other characters are two-dimensional at best, Arthur's relationship with Meta lacks the proper chemistry needed for a romantic arch, and the film may really didn't need to be nearly 2.5 hours.
However, where the film may lack in originality, it more than ever makes up with a huge epic scale and some amazing action. It really feels as if director James Wan was having a field day with all the different set pieces the film displays. From the underwater regions, to the vast Sahara desert, to the coastal villages of Italy and more, the overall scope of the film really creates the feeling that were are viewing an epic globetrotting adventure. Not to mention, the CGI is highly imaginative and the vast amount of creature designs are enough to inspire plenty of animators and visual effects artists. All these different areas and monsters the film plays around with make me feel like I'm experiencing something out of this world, something that even some of the best superhero movies don't offer.
Now admittedly, the film does feature unnecessary slow mo angles like the former DC films, but at least they don't rely on it. Also, most of the acting is relatively good, even down to Jason Mamoa seemingly having fun with his character. Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Temeura Morrison and Nicole Kidman are serviceable enough, whereas the likes of Amber Heard and Dolph Lundgren seem like they're underacting, and even the younger actors playing past forms of Aquaman come off as laughably bad. More often than not, trying to act bold and stoic doesn't really lead to an appropriately convincing performance, but then again, this movie isn't even about Oscar worthy performances. If anything, that Oscar goes to the catchy and upbeat rendition of Africa by Pitbull.
Never in my life would I think I'd be enjoying a movie from this franchise solely out of its production values and creativity than the actual story. Despite its cliched storyline and hit or miss characters, Aquaman might be the most entertaining DCEU venture next to Shazam, although this one is more entertaining from how nutty it all is. Where Shazam was amusing and fun intentionally, this film creates such a crazy world of its own that it might as well be in the history books of biggest blockbuster superhero hits. Even if you're not a DC fan, I would actually recommend this movie due to the epic scope and highly imaginative visual aesthetic. It may be more brawn than brains, but as pure campy popcorn delight, you won't be disappointed at all.