Mike86

I don’t want DC to be Marvel. I just want them to be good, which Marvel is. I do think this film is more a step in the right direction and I actually gave it a reasonably good rating (I said 3.5 which thinking about it more is probably a tad high and I’d probably go more like a 3). I didn’t hate the movie, but still think there’s quite a bit of room for improvement.

Abob Teff

Hot take before I read the thread ...

I was not as impressed as it seems many critics were. It wasn’t awful or bad, but I guess DC has set the bar so low that people are raving about how fun this is.

Considering how much fun Aquaman was in Justice League, and how much everybody raged about how fun this was, I was expecting more. There were a handful of laughs, but other than that it was a pretty rote story. It was pretty. The action was good.

Black Manta was wasted. They should have skipped bringing him back in after the opening and just waited for the sequel.

I saw it a half-full theater, mostly adults. However that was one of the most restless audiences I have ever been in. People were constantly shifting around, getting up to go out, etc. I’m not sure if that caused some of my disengagement or if it was symptomatic of why I was disengaged.

Mike86

Honestly, this. Cue the Mike86 is a DC hater crowd. I felt the same way about Wonder Woman to a degree. It’s a better film than this is, but it’s still not that great and got way more hype for being the first successful film starring a female lead (they’re really going to hate me for that). Neither are bad films but neither are really above average if you ask me. They’re both fine but neither truly stand out in my view other than the fact that they’re better than other DCEU films.

Totally agree here. Black Manta felt totally shoehorned in and should have just been in his own movie. Reason I feel that way is a) he’s probably the best Aquaman villain and deserving of his own film and b) the film was overcrowded and didn’t need another villain/plot point. I’m sure he’ll be back for a sequel but he just wasn’t needed here at all and the potential for a fully fleshed out story with him as the villain was wasted a bit.

fumanstan

Even though I thought the movie was just ok, i'd agree. Worth seeing on the big screen, and surprised such a big DC fan wouldn't make the time for it

Yeah, if I recall the scene Aquaman shows up somewhere new are either... in the lab where they're underground(?) when the water comes in, and towards the end when the city has already basically been abandoned, opposed to the Trinity fighting out in the open city. I think everyone should recognize Diana more then Aquaman

Eric F

I'm confused about the direction DC is going now. One or two marginally successful movies like this means they could possibly go back to crossovers which might not be a good thing. These movies tend to do much better overseas regardless if they are shit or not.

DJariya

The DCEU is probably dead. I think they're going for more standalones.

Joker next Fall is standalone. This movie was 99.9% standalone except for one blink and miss reference. Wonder Woman was standalone and it appears 1984 will be the same. And Shazam is also standalone.

Wonder Woman was a massive hit and this appears to be heading towards 1 billion worldwide. Hardly marginally successful.

Giantrobo

Language of those who've been burned by DC.

fumanstan

I don't think he was referring back to Wonder Woman, moreseo the 1 or 2 DC movies that follow Aquaman, especially the other characters like Shazam or Flash.

Anyway, depends on how you look at it, Batman v Superman made $873 million worldwide and is the highest grossing of the DCEU but was critically panned and it's poor reception probably led to Justice League's poor take. I'm not sure if you would call that movie a success.

james2025a

This movie was very very silly. Certainly not a masterpiece in any way, but better than some of DC's recent attempts. Special effects heavy movies like this can become very tiresome after a while as spectacle should be used for effect and not as filler for a lack of a decent storyline.

Ranger

Saw this yesterday. I liked it a lot. Very close second favorite this year next to Avengers 3.

Definitely the best DCU movie so far. I hope DC can keep it up. I don't know if I'd be interested in the Shazam! movie.

Mera was a good sidekick. The story and effects were great.

d2cheer

This sums up my thoughts pretty well. Saw it yesterday and really enjoyed it. I thought the CGI was great not sure what everyone is complaining about either. This is really a film that should be seen on the big screen. It looked amazing. Just proves you can't please everyone.

DVD Josh

I thought it was a solid action movie and the best DC movie since Wonder Woman. Visually it was great and there was some decent laughs. I think Jason plays the character well and is well suited for the role. I liked that he put on the classic orange and green at the end.

I will say it was about 30 minutes too long. I would take out all of the Black Manta subplot, it hardly has any reason to be in the movie and honestly could have all been kept for the sequel. The portrayal was shit in any event. If I had written the movie, I would have kept the opening scene with Manta then made the mid-credits scene the son finding some Atlantean tech and ending on a scene of the helmet. That's it. That would have removed the 10 minute nonsense Sicily scene which did nothing for the movie.

I did think Wilson was miscast as Orn even though he is a good actor. Someone younger would have been better, or even bigger in size.

But this was a great movie in 3D Imax and I will pick it up on home video. Will definitely be in for the sequel.

Final note - I don't get the comparisons to Black Panther. To me, this was much closer in feel to the original Iron Man movie. Hell, even both even end the exact same way (I am Iron Man, I am Aquaman). Only visually from Wakanda and Atlantis do I see a comparison to BP, but plot and feel wise it's IM all the way for me.

Mabuse

Hokeyboy

I unabashedly loved this movie. LOVED it Easily the most fun I've had at theaters all year, and my favorite superhero movie of 2018. Other than a couple limp one-liners, everything else about it was wonderful. Don't understand the muted reviews, but then who cares about other people.

Hokeyboy

"marginally successful"

DVD Josh

One Billion or go home son!

Michael Corvin

Except if you remove Sicily, you're getting rid of Aquaman actually being a hero and rescuing people, which there was too little of.

DVD Josh

Unless you count, you know, the entire damn world by stopping Orn.

The Cow

But that's not really the case in Sicily. The only reason people were in any danger was a by-product of Black Manta out to get Aquaman. He wasn't there to hurt other people or take over the world (yet).

In the sub scene, though, he was saving peeps.

Why So Blu?

Haters gonna hate.

The Antipodean

The Sicily sequence was my favourite part of the movie. Loved the way the action was shot and Black Manta was great- I disagree he was 'wasted,' he was a good secondary antagonist and given plenty of reason to return in Aquaman H20.

Mabuse

I love the Sicily parts.

Michael Corvin

Did we ever see the world in danger though?

True, but seeing heroes being heroes amongst the people goes a long way, at least for me. It can't all be "end of the world" "invasion" shit all the time.

DVD Josh

Did you watch the movie Mike? Serious question, because it doesn't seem like you did.

I guess you don't recall the massive tsunamis that hit all over the coastal cities killing a ton of people. Like the one Mera saved Arthur's dad from?

Maybe you should re-watch the movie before using the laughing smiley.

stingermck

And also there were military ships washed up on shore and destroyed. Orn wasnt fucking around.