Aquaman Director: James Wan Writers: David Leslie, Johnson-McGoldrick, Will Beall Cast: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Dolph Lundgren, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Nicole Kidman Studio: Warner Bros. Rated PG-13 | 143 Minutes Release Date: December 21, 2018
Aquaman may be one of the most iconic superheroes in the DC lineup, but the character himself has a reputation for being one of the silliest superheroes. Furthermore, his introduction in Zach Snyder’s Justice League did not do him any favors. That being said, Jason Momoa‘s portrayal was a radical change for the one-dimensional pasty white hero. Instead, we got something that truly represented the character’s struggle of living in two worlds while acknowledging his overall cheesiness.
This helped lay the foundation for his own standalone film. Directed by James Wan, Aquaman sees the return of Momoa playing the aquatic eponymous hero in a globe-trotting superhero epic. By embracing many of the title character’s foibles and cheesiness, the film turns out to be one of the best DCEU entries to date. And while that is an easy bar to cross over, its world-building and willingness to have fun expands the cinematic universe and opens the door for the DCEU to explore bold and new possibilities. Check out my review of Aquaman here below.
Students of the Unusual™ comic cover used with permission of 3BoysProductions
The Mercuri Bros.™ comic cover used with permission of Prodigal Son Press