Aquaman (film)

**Aquaman** is a 2015 superhero film based on the DC Comics superhero of the same name. It is also a prequel to *Justice League*. It was directed by Sam Mendes and written by Edgar Wright. It stars Jason Momoa, Cassidy Freeman, Dan Stevens, Allison Janney, Patrick Dempsey, Sean Bean, and David Wenham. The film ran 148 minutes and was released on September 25, 2015.

## Plot

Three years before *Justice League*, Arthur Curry is a 30-year-old lifeguard living in Happy Harbor, Rhode Island. He is taking care of his sick father, Tom Curry, who has terminal cancer and is expected to only have three weeks to live. However, one day a mysterious woman begins following Arthur, causing him to confront her. She reveals she is his mother, the Queen of Atlantis, Atlanna. Arthur refuses to believe her until she takes him to the underwater city. There, he meets Atlanna's adviser, Mera, Atlanna's other son, Orm Marius, and scientist, Nuidis Vulko. Arthur asks them why they are just now revealing his heritage to him, so Atlanna reveals that she does not want to see Tom die, and the waters of Atlantis can heal him. Arthur allows his father to be healed of the water. However, Tom encourages Arthur to embrace his origins and leave him behind now that he is better. Arthur ultimately decides to stay in Atlantis.

Arthur and Mera begin a relationship, much to the chagrin of Orm, who previously dated Mera. However, suddenly a submarine crashes in the city, forcing Arthur and Mera to investigate. They find Jared Hyde in the submarine, an explorer determined to find Atlantis, which none of his co-workers believes exists. Jared is allowed to stay in Atlantis until he heals. While he is there, another Atlantean woman invites him over, causing the two to have sex. Arthur and Mera slowly realize Orm wants the kingdom for himself. They reveal their suspicions to Atlanna and Vulko, though the former refuses to believe her son could do such things. A battle breaks out, the kingdom against Orm and his followers. Arthur finally shows his mother what Orm is capable of doing, and she agrees to dispatch her troops against him.

Hyde decides to escape the fighting and goes back above water with his new girlfriend, who is secretly pregnant. Arthur and Mera are labeled temporary King and Queen, while Atlanna is injured by Orm. Arthur decides to do whatever he has to to defeat Orm, even if he is his half-brother. Vulko is able to get Atlanna to safety, though Orm discovers where his mother and Vulko are hiding. Orm then assassinates his own mother. Arthur and the rest of the kingdom mourns their Queen, and the kingdom declares Arthur their permanent King, with Mera as his Queen, officially made in a wedding. Orm tries to sway the kingdom his side to become King, though even his followers turn on him, allowing Arthur to arrest the traitor. Arthur and Mera then celebrate their victory.

However, it is revealed that Vulko was working for Orm all along and sets him free. Arthur fights his brother, resulting in the former critically injured. Orm tells the Kingdom Arthur is dead and he is the only new heir to the throne, which Vulko backs up through law. However, Mera refuses to believe her husband is dead and searches for him. Finally, a year later, she discovers him still unconscious in the care of sea animals. She awakens him and the two go back to Atlantis. They find Orm, having enslaved the entire city. They defeat him and arrest him. Atlantis rejoices in Arthur's return, as he goes back to being King. In a mid-credits scene, taking place three years later, Superman arrives in the water and meets Mera and approaches Arthur about joining a team. In a post-credits scene, taking place in present day, Hyde and his wife raise their five-year-old son, who is named David.

## Cast

* Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry/Aquaman
* Cassidy Freeman as Mera
* Dan Stevens as Orm Marius
* Allison Janney as Atlanna
* Patrick Dempsey as Jared Hyde
* Sean Bean as Tom Curry
* David Wenham as Nuidis Vulko

## Reception

### **Box office**

The film grossed $200 million in the United States and $680.6 million in other territories, for a worldwide gross of $880.6 million.

### **Critical reception**

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 64% based on 319 reviews, with an average rating of 6.4/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Jason Momoa's Aquaman is even better than his performance in Justice League, though *Aquaman* is a little too reliant on the standard superhero formula." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 60 out of 100, based on 48 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.