Aquaman: A Review

Aquaman has been billed as the greatest superhero movie ever made and I would highly agree with that. Aquaman is a wild action-packed thrill ride that is extremely imaginative and a total assault on the senses. Though most of it is 95% CGI special effects the scenes are wonderfully done and the various undersea kingdoms are exotic and impressive along with the creatures that inhabit them.

Aquaman is from the DC comic world that includes Batman, Superman, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman. Though the latest incarnations of Batman and Superman are filled with too much angst, Aquaman doesn’t take himself too seriously and is quick with the wisecracks in the face of danger.

In 1978 Maine, lighthouse keeper Thomas Curry rescues Atlanna, (Nicole Kidman)the princess of the underwater nation of Atlantis, during a storm. They eventually fall in love and have a son named Arthur, (Jason Momoa) who is born with the power to communicate with marine lifeforms. Atlanna is forced to abandon her family and return to Atlantis, entrusting to her loyal advisor Nuidis Vulko( Willem Dafoe) the mission of training Arthur. Under Vulko’s guidance, Arthur becomes a skilled warrior but is rejected by the Atlanteans for being a half-breed and ultimately leaves Atlantis behind.

One day Arthur confronts a group of pirates attempting to hijack a Russian Naval nuclear submarine. Their leader, Jesse Kane, dies during the confrontation while his son, David Kane, vows revenge against Arthur. David later targets Atlantis at the behest of Orm,(Patrick Wilson) Arthur’s younger half-brother and Atlantis’ king who uses the attack as a pretext to unite the seven underwater kingdoms and declare war on the surface. King Nereus of Xebel (Dolph Lundgren) swears allegiance to Orm’s cause, but his daughter Mera,(Amber Heard) who has been betrothed to Orm, refuses to aid them and journeys to the surface to ask Arthur for help, earning his trust by saving Thomas from a tidal wave sent by Orm. Arthur reluctantly accompanies Mera to a rendezvous with Vulko, who urges Arthur to find the Trident of Atlan, a magic artifact that once belonged to Atlantis’ first ruler in order to reclaim his rightful place as king.

There are many battles and explosions to satisfy any action fan with characters who get blown great distances, are slammed against walls, fall down cliffs and get beaten with boulders only to emerge and get back up without a scratch.

Jason Momoa is quite the hunk for the ladies with is dark shoulder-length hair beard and mustache and his firm, but friendly eyes. A  real heartthrob for sure. But the real stars of this film are the wonderful, imaginative special effects. Aquaman is directed by James Wan who did the latest Fast and Furious film “Fast and Furious 8” last year. Check out the exciting trailer.