Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Movie Review

Review: I rarely subscribe to the notion that a movie can be “so bad that it’s good,” but there’s a rhythm to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom that occasionally worked for me. I acknowledge so many of the aspects that cause it to fall short, but in an era of superhero movies (particularly DC superhero movies) that are content with being unadventurous, at least The Lost Kingdom finds some glossy, overly indulgent ways to be weird. It has the usual James Wan touch.

patrick wilson and jason momoa in aquaman 2 movie — Patrick Wilson and Jason Momoa in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023) for the DC Universe

Although not as bad as the abundance of negative reviews may suggest it is, James Wan’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom feels like a fitting sendoff movie for a DC Extended Universe that’s taking its final breaths. There’s a lot of fun to be had on the surface, but it ultimately amounts to little and struggles to justify why the film exists at all.

But it’s not without trying, especially thanks to the usually funny, likeable, and charming performances by Jason Momoa as the titular main character Aquaman, and by his troubled, antiheroic brother Orm (played by the effervescent Patrick Wilson, who continues to carry a near-perfect track record working alongside James Wan).

And if the original Aquaman proved to be a perfect pairing of source material and director, its sequel continues to build out the charm. The computer generated effects, although admittedly often ugly and looking unfinished, add to a singular vision and style, feeling so close in partnership with other recent James Wan movies – dare I say even Malignant? Because it completely gives itself over to the goopy, campy visual style that will surely turn some viewers away, and while it felt a bit jarring initially and took some time to win me over, it at least helps in delivering a satisfying third act.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom also has some really effective world building by expanding on Atlantis and making you feel the massive scale of this underwater city. The visuals are beautiful to look at when exploring this area, and I wish the movie spent more time here. Even if all the hollow plot devices and set pieces don’t really work out, at least it happens in a space that has a very specific set of ideas and visual interests.

The story is nonsensical, and that’s putting it mildly. Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) seeks revenge on Aquaman for his father’s death (the cold open for the original Aquaman). Wielding the Black Trident’s power, Black Manta becomes a formidable foe. To defend Atlantis, Aquaman forges an alliance with his imprisoned brother Orm.

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The creative team, whether it be James Wan or the screenwriters David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Thomas Pa’a Sibbett, made a few smart choices in where to go with the story. Bringing back Patrick Wilson feels like a no-brainer after the fact. I can’t imagine this film without the sibling narrative arch that effectively dominates the second act. It may just be a string of events involving Momoa and Wilson escaping deadly traps, but the banter along the way really won me over.

And the ludicrous third act pushes the visual style to its limits. There is so much chaos and CGI noise going on around it that it becomes sensory overload. I rarely subscribe to the notion that a movie can be “so bad that it’s good,” but there’s a rhythm to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom that frequently worked for me. I acknowledge so many of the aspects that cause it to fall short, but in an era of superhero movies (particularly DC superhero movies) that are so content with being mediocre or unadventurous, at least The Lost Kingdom finds some glossy, overly indulgent ways to be weird.

But it takes way too long for the plot to get going, and some of the technical work here is really rough. The edit is cobbled together quite poorly, and like I’ve mentioned at length now, the visual style can be jarring. It’s certainly not a film that’ll revitalize a dying genre, but at least this universe gets to go out with a tad bit of fun. It’s streaming for free now on Max, and it’s at least worth diving into without spending the cash to do so.

Rating

Genre: Action, Adventure, Superhero

Watch Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023) on Max and VOD here

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