By George Haerle
For Grays Harbor News Group
“Aquaman” may be the most bonkers movie I have ever seen on the big screen. It’s not a good movie, it’s not a bad movie — but it’s definitely an experience.
Warner Bros. Studios seems to have backed off from its own meddling from the “Batman v. Superman” and “Justice League” debacles and truly let its chosen director — James Wan, of “The Conjuring” and “Furious 7” — do whatever he wanted.
The central plot can be boiled down quickly: Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) has to claim his birthright as king of the technologically advanced civilization of Atlantis, before his half-brother Orm can gather his forces of the sea and attack the mainland. Where this takes him, however, is where things get truly bizarre.
An underwater Shakespearean family rivalry and trident duel turns into Indiana Jones-esque globetrotting, a literal journey to the center of the Earth, military-grade high-tech pirates, several different species of fish people, Dolph Lundgren with pink hair, horrifying sea beasts, and warfare between crab people and Atlanteans riding giant sharks and seahorses. On top of all that, expository dialogue is interrupted by explosive projectile devices so many times that it practically becomes a running gag.
But the mishmash of weirdo factors and influences doesn’t stop there. This seemingly disposable piece of popcorn pulp pulls from all kinds of literary influences and nods, from Jules Verne, H.P. Lovecraft and even the tales of King Arthur, all combined into the Aquaman lore with maybe even a little bit of Jonny Quest.
The script is cheesy; the acting is as over-the-top and ridiculous as everything else; and the effects are somehow top-notch and goofy at the same time. But anyone deriding “Aquaman” as a terrible film doesn’t get that the movie is quite aware of the tongue in its cheek. This is purely escapist popcorn pulp that winks at you every few scenes to remind you everybody is in on the joke. You could put the “Bif, Bang, Pow!” effects of the 1960s Batman series in here, and it would still work.
Patrick Wilson doesn’t just chew the scenery as Orm; he goes for the jugular, clamps on and doesn’t let go. Jason Momoa’s Arthur/Aquaman is a fun, cocky hero who is as much of a badass as he is a doofus. The love interest (and the brains to Arthur’s brawn) is Mera, played by Amber Heard, who has just as much fun with her action scenes as delivering ridiculous exposition and portraying an amusing cluelessness to the outside world.
James Wan has done the impossible here: He has taken one of the lamest superheroes of all time and actually made him sort of cool. And he has made a movie that can’t be described as anything other than successful, even though it’s one of the weirdest and silliest action movies ever.
The average moviegoer who is not opposed to an enjoyable but brainless experience will love it for the escapism it is. Lovers of B-movie cinema will probably add it to their Blu-ray collections in the future. Stoners will get baked and watch this every April 20. It certainly gets my seal of approval, and I’ll probably be seeing it again — with a large bag of popcorn.
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“Aquaman” is currently playing at the Riverside Cinemas, 1017 S. Boone St. in Aberdeen.
George Haerle holds a bachelor’s degree in creative writing for media and lives in Cosmopolis.
