So I Saw Aquaman and Wow....

Through the good grace of God, as well as the fine people over at Amazon Prime, I was able to see the James Wan directed "Aquaman" film that is set for release later this week. The film was so damn good, that I was inspired to write down my thoughts about it and organize it into what can loosely be called a "review". I say this because I am most definitely NOT a critic, and I would never want to be one anyways. I actually despise the way some of these "critics" analyze the super hero genre as a whole...but that is a very different topic for a very different day. I am just a dude who absolutely loves comic books and superheroes, and has done so ever since he could actually understand the material. In a world where critics seem to be looking for oscar-worthy films in this genre...I think the views and opinions of a regular fan such as myself could be useful and could offer a realistic scale on which to grade these types of movies. That being said, let's get this ball rolling.

I tried to keep this as spoiler-free as possible, so if you haven't seen the film, you should be alright to read this.

First off, let me say that this film is one of the most gorgeous films I have ever seen in a movie theater. Yes, it is very CGI-heavy, but the way in which they use it is flawless and flows with the actors and scenes almost as good as the cinematography. During the action sequences, the camera seems to "flow" from one character to another...almost like water flowing down a river. It really helps to capture the essence of the sea and earns the film bonus points in my book. The only visual comparison I can think of is James Cameron's film "Avatar". That is really the last film I can think of where I walked out of the theater with my mouth still hanging open due to the shock of returning to reality after what felt like escaping to a whole other world for 2 hours. Yeah, it was that good...at least in my humble opinion. The world building in this film is on a whole other level, and by the time the end credits start rolling, you want nothing more than to return to this magnificent, bright, colorful, and absolutely breathtaking world that James Wan has constructed. That would be my number one reason for returning to opening-night for the inevitable sequel. Not the wonderfully fleshed-out characters...or the stellar action sequences...or the crazy power sets of the characters....but the scenery and set pieces alone.

However, as Zack Snyder has proven time and time again...you can have fantastic visuals and breathtaking cinematography, but still turn in a dud of a film due to lack of character development and poor story-making choices. This has, unfortunately, plagued the DC film universe ever since Man Of Steel, and has been met with viscous backlash by both critics and fans alike. In fact, outside of Wonder Woman, there hasn't been a DC film since The Dark Knight Rises that hasn't been met with some sort of ridiculous amount of controversy. I am extremely happy to announce that Aquaman does NOT fall into the same trap and actually feels like a breath of fresh air from what has become the standard formula for Comic Book movies (yes I'm looking at you as well Marvel Studios). It has been a long time since I have seen a comic book movie that embraces the genre as much as this film does. There is a very fine line between a comic book film taking itself TOO seriously (BvS) and one that doesn't take itself seriously at all (Thor: Ragnarok) and I think Aquaman toes the line as perfectly as any movie has attempted to thus far. There are moments of outrageous dialogue, cheesy one-liners, and ridiculous outfits, but at the same time there are moments of heartbreaking humanity, realism, and consequence. These polar opposites blend and bleed together in perfect balance to form a film that feels absolutely authentic and filled with passion from its creative team.

Jason Momoa as Aquaman is my favorite character in this film (as he should be), and I absolutely love what James Wan has done with his character. A lot of Arthur Curry's backstory is revealed in this film, and not only does it make him a much more relatable character, but it also explains a whole lot about why he says and acts the way he does throughout Justice League and the early parts of this film. The decision to make him half-human in this film, as well as the DCFU, is an amazingly bold choice by DC that has seemed to pay off in a big way. This character choice goes a long way in making the audience feel and sympathize with such a powerful and seemingly un-relatable fictional character. It gives him a connection to all of us as land-dwelling creatures. Jason Mamoa has embraced this role completely, and his enthusiasm for this character and his world radiates out through his charm (as well as his ridiculously large muscles) as the film progresses. By the end of the film, he had the whole audience completely engaged with his character, and as the final shot appeared in all of its glory, the audience got up on its feet and cheered. This is the DC we have been waiting for guys. It's here, and hopefully it's here to stay. If DC treats all of its characters with this level of care and appreciation, we are in store for some next-level films.

Amber Heard as Mera was perhaps the biggest surprise coming out of this film. I didn't expect much from her or her character in this film...as I thought it would focus more on Arthur Curry. Although the film did indeed keep the main focus on Aquaman, I was taken aback by the attention to detail and character development for Mera. She was used perfectly in this film, and while she definitely took a minor back seat to Aquaman, her impact is felt throughout the film. She has power, grace, and the makings of a future queen...all of which were on glorious display all the way through the third act. I am extremely excited to see her continue to develop throughout these films. Oh, and also her hair is literally perfect.

Patrick Wilson as Ocean Master is probably as perfect as it gets when it comes to emulating comic book characters. His performance seems to have come directly from the comic pages, and as a result, we got a charismatic villain with just enough depth to take seriously. His suit was incredibly on-point, and I really have nothing negative to say in regards to his character development. I am extremely happy with James Wan's decisions in regards to this character's inevitable downfall....as it leaves the possibility for another confrontation down the road, and helps build complexity within Aquaman and his now-flourishing world.

If there is any weaknesses in this film with regards to it's characters...I would have to say it is Black Manta. Don't get me wrong...Yahya Abdul-Mateen II does a fantastic job at playing him as a character, but I feel as if his story was a bit rushed in order to have him appear as his fully-formed self by the end of the second act. Black Manta has always had a seething hatred for Aquaman, and although his anger is certainly justified in this film, I can't help but feel as if it were way too rushed. His development as a villain would have been better served had it taken place slowly over the course of this film and the first half of the sequel. Alas, that's not what we got, but what we did get isn't too shabby either. At the very least, Black Manta is super bad-ass and there are multiple shots of him that would make even the most casual comic book fan cream his jeans.

As for the rest of the cast, they all did a fantastic job in their roles...especially Willem Dafoe as Vulko. At this point, Dafoe is a veteran in the comic book movie arena, and his experience definitely shows throughout the film. He is stern but lovable, and I couldn't help but root for him to survive...which of course he did. Hopefully we see much more of him in the future.

The actual story for this film isn't anything out of this world, but is certainly much better than almost every DC movie since The Dark Knight rises. It doesn't try to subvert, mislead, or offer any exciting twists, but it continuously delivers jaw-dropping moments and awe-inspiring sequences. To me, this is how a comic book movie should be. If you have a great script (like The Dark Knight or Logan) and it makes sense to execute it through that character, by all means go ahead. Films like that push the genre forward and bring in new audiences. However, it you DON'T have a script that good...just watch this film for inspiration. It doesn't try to do too much, and as as result it literally feels like you are watching a comic book come to life. Plus the plot itself revolves around the mythos of Atlantis and that alone was cool enough to make up for the script's lack of depth. It's Indiana Jones meets The Lord of the Rings but underwater. Now that this film has done it's job in building Aquaman's world, I feel there is room for the sequel to nail a truly complex script (as long as it doesn't lose it's humanity of course).

All in all, this movie is fantastic by any comic book movie standards. Films like this should only be compared to other films in the same genre, as I feel that many of the aspects that make great movies in other genres simply just don't apply to comic book movies. If that is the scale on which I am grading this film....it deserves a 9/10. Simply breathtaking visuals, compelling and well-acted characters, a decent script, just enough humor to balance out the seriousness, and ground-breaking comic book cinematography. It will be hard not to enjoy yourself while watching this film. This is a movie you simply MUST see in a theater. There are no if's, and's, or but's about it. If you don't, and you wait until it is released on DVD, I assure you it will be one of those film's you wished you saw on the big screen. I already know I'll be seeing at least two more times (perhaps in IMAX).

If you have already seen the film, tell me what you thought of it in the comments! I am super excited to see what you all think of the film post-release. Until then....

(wow it felt weird posting that pic at the end of a DC-related article)

As always, Peace and Love to you all,

• SAF