Film Review - Aquaman (12A)

You are the bridge between land and sea.

Before the DC Universe gave him a make-over, I knew Aquaman chiefly from a reference in Bare Naked Ladies' song 'One Week' and from Raj Koothrappali's unflattering cosplay version in The Big Bang Theory. 'Aquaman sucks,' the astrophysicist pouted, convinced that his friends were costumed as all the cool DC characters like Batman and The Flash.

Then the heroic fish-man was reborn as Jason Momoa, previously best known to most of us as barbarian horse-lord Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones. Far from remaining the joke of the DC comics, the character is now certifiably cool (he had ample room to prove it in last year's mixed-bag Justice League), with Momoa's winning performance one of this new standalone film's big positives. That's not to say that Aquaman achieves greatness, but it's one of DCU's more entertaining efforts, and it's nothing if not spectacular.

Aquaman is Arthur Curry, son of a lighthouse keeper and a renegade sea-born princess (Nicole Kidman). He's brought up by his human dad - mom having been tracked down by the same oceanic forces she was originally fleeing - and is amazed to discover the water-breathing, fish-whispering abilities he has inherited from the maternal side, along with super-human strength.  Living a coastal existence between two worlds, the grown-up Arthur is loathe to fully explore his fishy ancestry. So when the regal Mera (Amber Heard) strides out of the sea to enlist him as peacemaker in a brewing conflict between ocean-dwellers and humans, he is reluctant to get involved. But his royal half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson) is forging an aquatic alliance that could threaten war on a global scale, so what's this good-guy going to do but embrace his aquatic heritage and get the whole waterlogged mess sorted out?

Arguably the most epic DC Universe film to date, Aquaman is also the most purely escapist and fun, due to a combination of thrillingly realised action (on both land and sea) and that affable central performance. As the beer-swilling, wise-cracking muscleman with his inner hero floating just beneath the surface, Momoa rocks it, aided by natural charisma and a tattooed-torso/leather waistcoat sense of style. The lengthy underwater sequences are also terrific - heavy with CGI, but realised with imagination and ethereal beauty, along with a range of satisfyingly bizarre amphibious creatures. It's a far cry from the darkness that has tended to suffocate other DC movies, due in part to James (The Conjuring) Wan's spirited direction. 

As for the flaws, they reside chiefly in a screenplay that clunks more often than it sings. While there are occasional funny or poetic flourishes, more often it's a matter of cliche and half-assed jokes that sink right to the ocean bed. There are also ponderous scenes of underwater politics, with Dafoe, Wilson and a bearded Dolf Lundgren managing, commendably, not to choke on absurd exposition. Things achieve a more even stroke when Arthur and the flame-haired Mera set on a rough-and-tumble treasure-hunt across sea, sky and desert. The growing chemistry between them is far more satisfying than the turgid dialogue elsewhere, while their hand-to-hand combat against multiple antagonists over Moroccan rooftops is genuinely enthralling.

At its best Aquaman is as much fun as a twisting water-slide, combining fast-paced plotting and likeable characters with phosphorescent beauty that will steal your breath. It flounders at points, and could explore its environmental subtext more thoroughly, but ultimately it sweeps you along with irresistible force. To what extent? So that when the end-credits tease an inevitable sequel, you'll be keen to hang out some more with Arthur whether on land or sea. Aquaman's the cool DC hero these days. Now who saw that coming?    

Gut Reaction: First half hour was all 'it's not as good as Marvel' cynicism. Then the rest of it got me with its sheer good-natured zest. 

Where Are the Women?: Atlantean gals take no prisoners. Heard and Kidman prove it. Plus they're both flippering gorgeous.

Ed's Verdict: 7/10. It doesn't have the scriptwriting sharpness of most Marvel movies (sorry - had to be said), but Aquaman is still buoyant holiday entertainment, joining Wonder Woman as a standout from the DC cinematic canon.