We’ve gotten a lot of superhero movies.

While I’ve enjoyed (most of) the movies in the DC Cinematic Universe – DCCU? – I can’t in good conscience sit here and say that they haven’t been without their flaws. Suicide Squad aside, though, the fun I’ve found watching each of them has outweighed the moments of boredom or differences of opinion as to how a specific character or story moment “should” have played out.

Whether this is because I make a point of going into each new movie with an open and clear mind, or if I’m just easier to please than your average movie-goer or comic book fan, the world may never know. One thing I’m sure of is that this past year has been some of the most fun I’ve had going to the movies. Every story deserves a fair shake. And that’s exactly the sort of mindset I brought into DC’s next installment to their broader cinematic universe, Aquaman.

What could be greater than a king?

Aquaman benefits from this not being the first time we’ve met the character before in the DCEU. The half-human, half-Atlantean we see at the start is very much in line with the Arthur Curry that Bruce Wayne recruits in Justice League. Jason Mamoa’s portrayal of Aquaman continues to be very much Jason Mamoa as Aquaman.  That isn’t a bad thing, though. There’s an undeniable joy to Mamoa’s performance that allows him to carry us along on this journey through the ocean’s depths. He’s drinking, kicking ass, protecting people from pirates, and having one hell of a time doing it.

The first solo outing for The Man Who Can Talk to Fish is a hero’s story through and through. More than that, it’s unabashedly an underwater fantasy. Following our hero-to-be through each stage of his quest for the One Trident to Rule Them All is nothing short of a spectacle. This sort of tale does wonders for the overall pace of the movie, allowing us to move across various locales frequently enough to not feel forced. Not only are Arthur and Mera roaming the world in search of their goal, but Orm – Arthur’s half-brother and the film’s antagonist – has a checklist of his own happening alongside our hero’s journey.

Perhaps the biggest surprise for me was the sense of actual growth Arthur experiences by the film’s end. He’ll always be this big bearded ball of smiles and “Alright!”, but that’s who he is. The real change comes from how he’s able to look back on his past actions and see where he went wrong. He learns from those mistakes, taking them into account when it comes to make other decisions like them.

Under the Sea

Somewhere in the multiverse there’s a world where Aquaman’s first solo movie spent fifteen, maybe twenty percent of time under water. Orm would have marshalled his army in the first act, marched on land, and we’d be watching two hours of city-destroying mayhem before we knew it. Thankfully we live on Earth Prime, and the movie we got looks absolutely stunning.

The colors of Atlantis are vibrant. There’s a very 80s feel at times, especially when the synthetic tracks join in. It all comes together to create something that stands out from not only DC’s recent cinematic outings, but superhero movies as a whole. Time after time I found myself just staring, mouth open, at how incredible a certain shot (or basically that entire scene with the Trench) looked, or the way a particular fight scene played out. The mix of well-crafted choreography and at times breathtaking cinematography and direction led to one of the aesthetically pleasing movies I’ve seen all year.

Low Tide

This isn’t to say that everything is smooth sailing, though. Characters like Willem Dafoe’s Vulko seemingly exists to answer all our world-building questions as well as give out any plot-specific exposition we might need along the way. Some of the most interesting and non-human aspects of this whole new world are given fairly little screen time and relegated to obstacles – albeit really cool looking obstacles.

I know, I know. There’s a lot of story here. We can’t expect to get every gadget, whozit, and thingamabob crammed into an already hefty two-and-half-hour runtime. But I could have done with a scene or two less regarding the politics of it all to shed some light on what normal Atlantean life looks like.

The Manta, the Witch, and the Would-Be King

Fortunately, we get some delightful and satisfying performances to guide us all the way through. The standout in my opinion is Patrick Wilson’s Orm, or Ocean Master. The role has all the makings for scene chewing villainy to rival even the most dedicated mustache twirlers out there. That isn’t what we get here. Orm’s motivation is believable to the point where, invasion and mass genocide on the surface world aside, you can get behind his decision that some form of action needs to be taken.

Amber Heard as Mera comes in a close second, able to play along with the joviality of Mamoa’s Arthur in one moment, only to impale an elite Atlantean hit squad with hardened spears of fine Italian wine in the next. She brings the perfect blend of undersea royalty, combat intensity, and just a bit of fish-out-of-water antics to make every scene she’s in a joy to watch.

Black Manta is the only Aquaman-specific villain that I’m familiar with, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s performance is what I hoped to see in the character’s big screen debut. Abdul-Mateen II dominated the screen each time he was on screen, with one of those moments being one of the best action sequences in the DCEU to date.

I had a great time seeing Aquaman. It not only scratched that ever-present itch for wild science-fiction/fantasy, but it offered an enjoyable superhero story, too. The tides seem to be turning for the DCEU. I for one look forward to seeing what comes next.

— DF