While watching the new Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom film, it occurred to me that Jason Momoa as Aquaman is like the DCEU version of MCU’s feral Wolverine. For sure he is closer to the Wolverine character than he is to the Aquaman character that I remember. Is that how Momoa ended up in this role? Did Warner Bros. decide they needed a wild and animalistic character of some kind in order to keep up with their rivals? Just wondering.
That said, I’m more partial to this Aquaman’s “half-brother,” the blond-haired Orm Marius (Patrick Wilson), who at least looks and acts the part. Maybe it’s because, as a kid, I spent untold hours playing with a Mego Aquaman action figure, or maybe it’s because the DCEU Aquaman simply isn’t the Aquaman anyone remembers. Should we blame Zac Snyder?
(Sigh.) In what is a run-of-the-mill comic-book plot, the Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) is back and intent on destroying Aquaman and Atlantis. He and his mostly reluctant science slave, Dr. Stephen Shin (Randall Park), discover an underwater “Lost Kingdom” of zombie-like monsters that hides a power source that will destroy the world by drastically speeding up the affects of climate change.
Meanwhile, Arthur Curry (Aquaman) has married Mera (Amber Heard ) and is busy raising their baby boy, while boringly fulfilling his duties as the King of Atlantis. Oh sure, there are high-jinks like when Mera redirects the child’s pee into Arthur’s mouth, but at least she doesn’t poop in the bed (that we know of.) Ugh.
Yeah, this is not a great film, and amongst ginormous battle sequences, the scope of which would embarrass Ridley Scott, I couldn’t keep track of when the action was on the ground, underground or underwater. I swear director James Wan must have lost track himself.
They could have called this film “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” but that title was already taken with an infinitely better movie. It is ambitious to be sure, but there is simply too much going on here for the viewer to really enjoy any of it, whether it makes sense or not. The film is drowning in excessive action.
On the plus side, the film features a cool remix of the classic Steppenwolf song, “Born to be Wild,” and a great new tune, “Deep End” by X Ambassadors. Let’s just get Momoa (who I have nothing against) into a live-action Lobo movie as soon as possible (a role he was born to play) and forget this other stuff ever happened.
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12-inch Double Strike Aquaman Figure
MSRP: $32.99 | Age: 4+
Bring the King of the Seven Seas to life! This 12” Aquaman figure, dressed in his new Stealth Suit, is sculpted with 11 points of articulation and movie-like styling to recreate all the heroic action on screen. Push up, left or right using the tab on Aquaman’s back to strike enemies with his light-up batons. Hear unique sound effects and Aquaman’s cool phrases like, “It’s time for Atlantis to rise.” Includes 3 AG13 batteries.
Aquaman vs. Black Manta Battle Set
MSRP: $24.99 | Age: 4+
Recreate epic underwater movie battles with this playset featuring a true-to-film submarine spanning 12″ long with cool lights and sound effects. Open the cockpit, load the included 4″ Aquaman and Black Manta figures inside and spin the submarine propellers to kickstart your underwater adventure. Compatible with all 4” figures (sold separately). Includes 3 AG13 batteries.
