Cast your mind back to 2013 and you’ll recall the release of the Superman movie, Man of Steel. The film starred Henry Cavill as Superman/Clark Kent, and although it wasn’t initially planned this way, Man of Steel was to become the first entry in Warner Bros. Pictures’ sprawling cinematic saga, the DC Extended Universe (DCEU).
Snap your mind back to today, Thursday 21st December 2023, and after ten years of development that same cinematic universe is now coming to a close. The DCEU is shutting its doors today with the release of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (the sequel to 2018’s hugely successful Aquaman), and for all intents and purposes, this is the end of the road.
Why is this the end of the road? Because after a series of underperforming movies, some backstage changes, and some high-profile mismanagement of the DCEU by Warner Bros. execs, the studio is pulling the plug.
The DCEU as we know it, which has included films such as Suicide Squad (2016), Wonder Woman (2017), Shazam! (2019), and Black Adam (2022) is no more. Moving forward, there will be new movies featuring DC Comics characters, but these films will either be disconnected tales or part of something new.
But if this is truly the end, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is the final entry, this must mean the DCEU is going out with a bang, right?! Surely Warner Bros. isn’t just letting this long-running cinematic universe fizzle out with a whimper, is it?
Well, I’ll answer that question in a moment, but before I get there, I have to provide you with a few technical details about Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. The movie – which is directed by James Wan – stars Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson, Nicole Kidman, Amber Heard, Dolph Lundgren, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and is new to UK cinemas from today, before arriving in the US on Friday.
In the movie, it has been four years since the events of Aquaman. Within this time, Arthur Curry and Mera have welcomed a child, and Arthur divides his time between raising his son on the surface world, and ruling over Atlantis.
So far, Arthur is doing a fine job of balancing his responsibilities. Sure, he finds some of his regal duties quite dull, but he has a good life surrounded by family.
However, Arthur’s happy existence is disrupted when his arch nemesis, Black Manta resurfaces with a mind for revenge. His goal is to kill Arthur and with some assistance from an ancient evil, he stands a chance of achieving his dreams.
But Black Manta isn’t just stopping at Arthur; with access to advanced technology, he is also raising the temperature of the entire planet, causing global catastrophe in the process. Unless he is stopped, Earth will suffer from an ecological disaster.
Realising it is going to take more than just himself and his kingdom to defeat Black Manta, Arthur calls upon the one person he believes could make a difference. But that person is his brother, Orm, who is currently residing in prison and is the last person likely to want to help Arthur.
OK, so all the bumf is out of the way, now back to the question at hand: Does Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom send the DCEU out on a high, with a picture that perfectly rounds out ten years of DC action?!
Erm… no. There’s simply no way it could – this is an Aquaman sequel, not a big crossover picture featuring the Justice League.
But is it at least decent? Yes. The story is fairly simplistic, and there’s occasionally too much Atlantean gobbledygook, but Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is visually stunning, and also a lot of fun.
Anyone expecting this film to be a big ‘hurrah’ to the DCEU will be disappointed. But those ready to embrace a fully-fledged, comic book-infused fantasy picture, will enjoy what’s on offer.
In fairness to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, as well as director James Wan, and all the cast and crew, this film was not meant to be the final entry in the series, so it does what it can despite the added pressure of being the finale. The film became the last entry in the DCEU simply by default, and nothing more.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is also battling against a studio that has no faith in it. Warner Bros. has not given this movie a red carpet premiere, it has not invested in a huge marketing campaign, and ahead of its UK release today, the studio has restricted reviews from the critics.
The UK review embargo for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom lifted today at 3pm(!!!), which is 15 hours AFTER the movie went on general release. This means anyone invited to the official screening of the movie, from a magazine, TV show, radio programme, YouTube series, or podcast, could not talk about the film until it was already playing to the general public.
This is never a good sign, and usually indicates a bad movie. However, in this case, it’s a sign that Warner Bros. simply don’t care about the film – which in itself is odd.
The original Aquaman is the highest grossing DC movie of all time – financially more successful than any Batman, Superman, Joker, or Harley Quinn movie. As such, you’d think Warner Bros. would make more of an event out of this sequel, but no, the studio is not so fussed.
But don’t let the baffling decisions made by Warner Bros. put you off from seeing this movie. While Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom isn’t amazing, and the story is pants, it is a likeable film, which is bolstered by two superb central performances from Jason Momoa and Patrick Wilson, as well as a few creative flourishes and some imaginative special effects.
I’ll highlight the visuals first because this is where the movie is at its strongest. The costumes, the effects work, and all the computer generated images in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom are truly excellent.
Over the last couple of years we’ve all witnessed some dreadful special effects in comic book movies, with most of the CGI being piss poor. One of the biggest offenders was this summer’s The Flash, which served up some unforgivable imagery that looked amateur at best.
This is not the case in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Pretty much all of the effects work in this film hits the mark, and then goes above what we’ve seen as of late.
The colours pop, the sea creatures look fun, and the underwater effects continue to impress. If there’s one thing to take away from this film, it is just how good it looks, and in 2023 when many of the big blockbusters are stumbling in this department, having a good-looking film truly matters.
The effects work is then enhanced by some wonderful elements of fantasy. From ginormous grasshoppers, and carnivorous plants, to the sight of Nicole Kidman riding on the back of a fish, this film is filled with exquisite, playful moments.
Director James Wan draws from the comic books, as well as the fantasy genre as a whole, to inject this film with lots of character. He also borrows a few touches from Star Wars, John Carter, and even his own experiences working within the horror genre, to throw lots of ideas at the screen.
The result is a film you can’t take your eyes off of. OK, so at times the pacing of the film drops, and the story isn’t always firing on all cylinders, but from an aesthetic standpoint alone, this is great stuff.
Moving beyond the visuals, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom benefits from a solid cast, who all do their best to sell some of the laughable elements of the film. Whether it’s Nicole Kidman trying to make a tiara look good, or Patrick Wilson having to spew endless lore, all of the central cast commit themselves to their roles.
As previously noted, Wilson and Momoa are the two shining stars, and even though a great deal of the movie rests on their shoulders they make light work of it all. Both appear to be having a ball in the film, and they are responsible for the movie’s best laughs.
The pairing also becomes the heart of the film, and although the forced alliance between Arthur and Orm is quite predictable (especially the outcome), it brings something warm to the film. This may not be a Justice League movie, but Aquaman doesn’t have to work alone, and the Wilson/Momoa combination is a winner.
Outside of the above, there’s not a great deal more to praise, but that doesn’t mean it’s all bad. The story is largely rubbish, the sense of threat never seems that perilous, and Black Manta’s revenge plot is a bit crap, but it’s mostly fine.
Put it this way, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom isn’t getting praise for its villains, nor is it winning awards for its narrative, but it’s not dreadful either. On paper, the film is daft, it’s a bit wonky, and the script is threadbare, but what James Wan brings to the screen is much better than expected, and this makes a huge difference.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is not going to please everyone, and those upset the DCEU is ending won’t necessarily feel comforted, but putting all that to one side, there is some good stuff in here. Don’t take any of it seriously, and view the movie as pure escapist nonsense, and you’ll enjoy it more than you imagine.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is a three-star film which gets elevated to three-and-a half-stars, because a.) it could have been a lot worse, and b.) the visuals do a great deal of leg work. The first Aquaman movie was a bit dull, this one is better, and had Warner Bros. bothered to put some faith in it, then maybe a third film could have been in the pipeline.
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Thank you for taking the time to read this review on It’s A Stampede!. For more reviews, check out the recommended reads below.
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