No 'Wonder Woman,' but wildly entertaining

Rating: 7/10 (23 December 2018)

The DC Universe has an uneven track record when it comes to recent film adaptations of its franchise. For every 'Wonder Woman' there's a 'Batman vs. Superman' or 'Justice League.' Thankfully for fans of these superheroes, James Wan's 'Aquaman' is closer to the former than the latter, at least in terms of entertainment value.
While 'Aquaman' is pretty much billed as the Jason Momoa show, the cast actually does an excellent job sharing the limelight, even in the face of typically wooden dialogue. Amber Heard and Nicole Kidman do their very best as royalty from the sea, while Patrick Wilson surprises as scorned Atlantean brother King Orm - a role very different from those he is known for. Not to mention Willem Dafoe and Dolph Lundgren, and a kraken voiced by none other than...Julie Andrews? As for villains, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II takes on the role of modern-day pirate Manta, whose suit looks like it would be a better fit in a Power Rangers movie.
But the cast is not the main attraction here - it's the visuals. It's hard to imagine 'Aquaman' being filmed a decade ago when Vince Chase made it the biggest blockbuster in history on 'Entourage.' The level of preciseness required to make the underwater worlds of Atlantis and others come to life without coming off looking cheap is not to be taken for granted. There is such detail included to ensure these scenes are believable that in some instances it comes off as Pandora-like. This alone makes seeing the film on the big screen worth the price of admission.
As for the plot, it's your standard comic book fare, with the hero story lifted from numerous films that have come before 'Aquaman.' In this case, the execution actually makes up for the poor storyline and scripting. The soundtrack and score are also above average for a DC Universe film, with the only exception being a ridiculous interruption from a Pitbull song that samples 'Africa' (but why?).
'Aquaman' may not come anywhere close to 'The Dark Knight' series, or even hold a candle to some of the better quality Marvel efforts, but it surely is an entertaining ride that should be enjoyed for what it is.