Product Info

Studio

Warner Bros.

Director

James Wan

Genre

Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Rated

PG-13

Theatrical Release Date (NA)

Dec 22, 2023

Film Length

2hrs 4min

Purchase From

It’s been five years since the release of Aquaman, and its sequel, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, finally makes its appearance on the big screen. However, it wasn’t an easy road for this film: delays and reshoots, Amber Heard’s legal battle with Johnny Depp, and the change in leadership in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). While the film was supposedly set to hit theaters sooner, it lost its luster after its first film’s success. At least it’s better late than never. The film does a great job keeping the audience’s attention with its visuals and adventures on land and under the sea. It’s a nice tip of the hat to the DCEU era before James Gunn releases his first DC reboot project in 2024.

Return to the Sea

Credit: Warner Bros.

Despite the long wait, the cast from Aquaman returns to their roles in the sequel. Jason Momoa is Arthur (aka Aquaman), Amber Heard is Mera (Aquaman’s lover), Patrick Wilson is Orm (Aquaman’s half-brother), and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is the Black Manta, to name a few.

Each character’s personality retains the same vibe, which is great. Aquaman, while a father and king of Atlantis, still enjoys a good time drinking beer and is more brawn than brains. Orm is still uptight and bickers with Aquaman over every little thing the king does. The two are entertaining together, whether they’re fighting side by side in tag-team battles or having more comical moments, such as Aquaman fooling his brother into eating a cockroach. It’s all good fun.

A Lost Civilization

Credit: Warner Bros.

The story in The Lost Kingdom continues the events of the 2018 Aquaman movie. A short recap at the beginning helps get viewers up to speed on where things left off.

Aquaman’s nemesis, Black Manta, seeks revenge for the death of his father by Aquaman. To do so, he hopes to find an energy that will match and overcome him. What he finds is a lost kingdom, frozen under layers of ice in Antarctica, that holds ancient technology that can withstand Atlantis (Aquaman’s kingdom) and Aquaman’s power. Black Manta uncovers a broken, black trident that holds a unique power itself. In restoring the weapon, he brings forth a power he’d been searching for. However, the king who once ruled this lost kingdom confronts Black Mantis telepathically to exchange power for unfreezing him and his kingdom. To utilize the kingdom’s lost technology, Black Manta must find a powerful energy source that’s kept under control of Atlantis. The downside is that when the energy material is burned, it creates toxins that damage water, land, and air drastically, speeding up the effects of global warming.

During the mission to gather this energy, Black Manta confronts Aquaman and escapes before the Atlantean army arrives. Not knowing where the villain went, Aquaman seeks help from his brother who can help find out where the villain lives. Those who’ve watched the original Aquaman know that Black Manta and Orm were in cahoots to take down Aquaman, which failed. After a successful rescue mission, the brothers venture forth to find the whereabouts of Black Manta.

The narrative flows quite well, showcasing the paths of the villain and the heroes along with their multiple confrontations. That said, the overall story itself is average and nothing surprising. With the various battles occurring through the movie, you would think there would be a dramatic death or some drastic character development. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Still, despite the predictable storyline, there’s plenty of action throughout to keep the audience entertained, such as Aquaman and Orm’s escapades on an island of overgrown insects and plants.

Visually Sparkling

Credit: Warner Bros.

For a movie about a hero who lives in the ocean, the visuals need to be immersive, and the audience won’t be disappointed. The underwater effects really pop, and it’s most evident in the downtown of the city of Atlantis. There and in other undersea locales, the lighting effects and movements of bodies flowing through water are quite good. The visuals on land are no slouch either, from the colorful, overgrown wildlife of the island of giant bugs and flowers to the grungy, cloudy atmosphere of the lost kingdom. Transitions between scenes are also well done. Notably, in the beginning of the movie, the camera focuses on a fish tank’s background that resembles Antarctica and then the ice crumbles, revealing the movie’s logo. Great stuff!

The film’s soundtrack is decent, even though the vocal tracks aren’t as effective as the symphony scores in bringing the audience closer to the adventure unfolding before them. Of note, the darker, heavy-hitting drums occurring during a battle makes the fighting feel much more intense.

The Final Splash

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom provides a proper farewell to the DCEU with an action-packed film that will keep the audience’s attention for the two-hour runtime. Hopefully, we’ll see Aquaman return in the future, but for now, enjoy the last wave.

An early screening provided for this review. Tickets available now through the official Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom website.