'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom' review: Jason Momoa's new movie will leave you feeling stranded at sea
With a runtime of over two hours, eye-catching visuals can only take us so far when we're missing narrative excitment
Jason Momoa returns under the sea for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, alongside Patrick Wilson, Amber Heard, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Randall Park, Nicole Kidman and Dolph Lundgren.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom release date: In theatres Dec. 22
Director: James Wan
Cast: Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson, Amber Heard, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Randall Park, Nicole Kidman, Dolph Lundgren, Temuera Morrison
Runtime: 124 minutes
What is 'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom' about?
In the sequel to Aquaman, Black Manta (Abdul-Mateen II) is still fighting to avenge his father's death by defeating Aquaman (Momoa), now King of Atlantis. But in this film, Black Manta has the power of the Black Trident, and has the Atlantis-obsessed Dr. Stephen Shin (Park) by his side.
In order to stand up Black Manta with his new powers, Aquaman has to join forces with his brother Orm (Wilson). Meaning these two need to set their differences aside, and quickly.
Meanwhile, Arthur Curry/Aquaman and Mera (Heard) are also caring for their infant son, Arthur Jr., with Aquaman particularly motivated to keep his child safe.
Is 'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom' worth watching?
For anyone who is a very passionate fan of Aquaman, go to the movie theatre and enjoy more time with your favourite DC character. But Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is an entirely forgettable addition to the DCEU.
This film comes across as being more focused on just showing us flashing neon lights and underwater landscapes than actually providing a thrilling, compelling and dynamic story.
If we're relying on a repeated joke of Arthur Curry/Aquaman's infant son peeing on his face for laughs, we're not really moving the dial in terms of entertaining storytelling.
With a runtime of over two hours, eye-catching visuals can only take us so far, and characters like Heard's Mera and Kidman's Atlanna are so underused, to the point where in the few scenes they actually appear in, it makes the plot points more confusing. This includes the relationship between Atlanna and Tom Curry (Temuera Morrison).
A (small) silver lining is that there are moments of levity when Aquaman and Orm are just bickering brothers, bringing a glimmer of charm to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. The pair are incredibly well-matched for a duo, with a lot of personality and sarcasm.
Additionally, there's a wonderful cameo from Canadian star Martin Short that should bring a smile to everyone's face.
While we can appreciate that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom includes reference to real-life climate change concerns (something we're happy to see brought up in as many spaces as we can), the tension in this film just doesn't feel serious enough to really sink your teeth into this story.
In an attempt to make Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom fun, with a focus on family, we've lost out on the excitement and high-stakes adventure. It left us feeling directionless during an underwater journey, just looking for something, or someone, to be our guide.
Where to watch the first 'Aquaman' movie
The 2018 Aquaman movie is available to buy or rent through Apple TV or Amazon's Prime Video.
