Aquaman Review

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Jason Mamoa stars as Aquaman. The DC film was released on December 21, 2018.

Justin Dahl, Ranger Review Reporter

The movie industry is dominated by superhero films. It seems every trailer released nowadays is for some film regarding some guy who gets powers or the continuation of some multi-million dollar superhero mash up. It is very easy to get bored of the canned storylines that most superhero movies follow.

“Aquaman” is a little bit different and is a breath of fresh air in the superhero genre. For one, the underwater civilization of Atlantis totally creates a different environment. We are all used to seeing the surface, but the dynamic beneath the waves changes drastically. We know so little about what lies in the depths of the world’s oceans, so seeing the underwater world through the eyes of those who dwell there made everything seem almost dreamlike.

Let’s talk visuals. Without a doubt “Aquaman” has some of the most cutting edge CGI, Computer Generated Imagery, in film. Most of the movie is underwater so it is mainly animated and it looks stunning. The darkness of the depths contrasts beautifully with the bright lights of the bioluminescent flora and fauna and the city of of Atlantis itself. Altogether the movie is visually stunning, and if the plot does not encourage you to watch then the visuals definitely should.

The cast was also excellent and the acting was pretty decent. Jason Mamoa, the actor who played Aquaman, while not exactly capturing the look and feel of the Aquaman we know and love from the comics, added a more rugged vibe to the movie. While this change was unexpected it was not unwelcome as it made Aquaman seem more like a cool biker guy.

Amber Heard, who plays Mera (Aquaman’s love interest), also delivered a great performance. In the comics Mera is not some damsel in distress and is at times cooler than Aquaman. Amber definitely fit that role completely in this movie.

While “Aquaman” is a quality superhero movie, it is not revolutionary. That said, it is one of the best superhero movies in recent years. It has very strong potential for future movies and I rate it an 8/10.