REVIEW: AQUAMAN

4/5

The Fish That Saved DC.

143 Mins. Starring: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Matten II, Michael Beach, Randall Park, Dolph Lundgren & Nicole Kidman. Director: James Wan.

Submerging from a sonic score and a soaring spectacle. The terrific theme of 'Aquaman' plays through the night of a downtown LA Live, as Jason Momoa's Arthur Curry walks through water and Brick slams down the base of his trident, whilst finally wearing the iconic scales of the DC get-up. All jumbotron across the road from Los Angeles' STAPLES Center. Home of the Los Angeles Lakers (not office supplies) and now what could possibly be the greatest player of all-time in Hollywood, LeBron James. We can hear the 'Game Of Thrones' and 'Stargate: Atlantis' star ask through the booming loudspeaker, "but what could be better than a King"? To which Amber Heard responds..."a hero". And right now DC need all the help they can get like Washington. No wonder they've enlisted an All-Star cast of tinsletown legends just in time for Christmas to surround their hulking hero with Thor strength. One who refuses to let his redefined, game changing Aquaman sink like a stone and become food for the fishes he will sleep with (not like that ladies) if everyone from Marvel to geeked out fan-critics have their say and way amongst the waves. A who's-who of players that includes a former 'Watchman', someone who loved 'Batman: Forever', an actual 'Spider-Man' goblin villain and even a man who fought 'Rocky' and even came back this year with his boy to take on the son of 'Creed II'. All for the center of this whirlpool who turned a blonde, skinny, running comic-book conversation joke on 'Robot Chicken', 'Family Guy' and thousands of forums started in mother's basements afterthought, to exactly it's former self that and the subject of every fangirls delight. Much to the revenge chargrin of the same fanboy jokers who are now getting bully bench pressed by their former victim. Now he's throwing starfish back. Just wait until he all wet, submerged on a Submarine after a bunker bar like brawl asks, "permission to come aboard". There will be a perfect storm wave of moans and groans. He's got you all, hook, line and sinker. Blowing everything out the water.

Swimming against the current though, DC isn't in as color T.V. dire straights as many people think (sort of). Cinematically speaking that is. After Christopher Nolan's 'Dark Knight' trilogy concluded with an epic 'Man Of Steel' tease, the soaring rise of the Justice League of America was still in everyone's anticipating good graces. And no matter what people say. And as crazy as auditioning the perfect Bryan Cranston to break bad and bread as Lex Luthor, before showing him the door when a more than capable Jesse Eisenberg comes in to read as the perfectly geeky, Jimmy Olsen (please just say he's his son Alex like that fan theory post that Christian Bale was still Batman) was. 'Batman v Superman' was a great movie until it's met it's Doomsday...and Martha's. Scoring visually and having similar themes and tropes to the 'Civil War' of Marvel's own stars and stripes and billionaire playboy that came AFTER it. Why the perfect honor of Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck's haunted Bruce Wayne and the brilliant solo movie he would have wrote and directed are no longer Superman and Batman is beyond me. That epic also introduced us to the wonder of  'Wonder Woman', that changed the superhero and blockbuster game and revolution like 'Black Panther', but before Wakanda, 'Captain Marvel' and '1984'. And now they're beating Marvel and their Sub Mariner under the sea with the coral Golden State of their King Curry and his sidekick that is anything but the little mermaid. It was only when the dark and distinctive DC bowed to the playful Marvel pressure and box office budget receipts. Not to forget their own Avenging Joss Whedon taking over directorial duties that we got our first real s### the superhero pajamas bed  wetting mess with last year's 'Justice League' assemble. It could have been so much more than meets the moustache. That's why everyone is campaigning to see the sought-after, darker Zach Snyder cut. Especially "obsessed" Jason Momoa. Whose scene-stealing Curry, riding the surf of his life above ground was one of the hot spots of this hodge podge. And now amongst all the supers and stars, this charismatic juggernaut teams up with 'Conjuring' director James Wan (who also put a new spin on the latest 'Fast and Furious' film) to conjure up a bright, effervescent, neon 'Avatar' meets 'Tron', meets '300' meets 'Valerian', C.G.I  candy cane color pallette of an Atlantic realm worthy of an Asgardian. Detective Comics big screen may finally soar above its small screen success from 'The Flash' to 'Gotham'.

Good tridents we bring to you and your king. With vivid visuals this hot spring warms Wintertime like sunset on the tide of paradise island. This is one end of the year blockbuster to fall for. And it's all because of the man that can unite the seven. Seas or Justice League's. This is the first Christmas in almost a decade where we haven't had either a 'Lord Of The Rings' shire or a 'Star Wars' universe to take our winter blues to an other worldy place. But it turns out after years looking at the stars instead of down at our feet, we actually had to plunge to the underwater depths to see a whole new world (did I just quote 'Aladdin'...I guess that's the closest I can get to 'The Little Mermaid'). Stingray ships as awesome as those themed 'Black Panther' jets. Sharks with frickin' lasers. Literal seahorses. A heralded Amber Heard performance in warrior queen, aqua marine green for go. The wonder of Willem Dafoe, who is such a legendary character actor he distinctly looks like every individual he plays. Norman Osborne's Green Goblin. Vincent Van Gogh. The damn demon in the 'Death Note' Netflix anime adaptation. The ever underrated character actor Patrick Wilson (just watch him bed bound in western wowzer 'Bone Tomahawk', reciting the purest poem he wrote for his wife) reuniting with horror director Wan whilst vying for the throne with Loki like treachery. Yahya Abdul-Matten II of 'The Get Down's' Black Manta (flanked by a formidable, fatherly Michael Beach of 'Third Watch', 'Beale Street' and 'Deep Blue Sea II') who is the greatest showman when it comes to villains who actually have a Killmonger like point...let alone a cause. 'Expendable' action hero Dolph Lundgren. Off the ropes of Drago and on dragon hearted formidable form as a weary warrior. Not to mention the ever growing, everlasting legend of Nicole Kidman looking as forever on top of her 'Days Of Thunder' game as she does young. About to do double Oscar duty with 'Boy Erased' and 'The Destroyer'. Giving this movie the gift of gravitas with her moving, mothering figure of catalyst inspiration. All this and all the bright lights and amazing action for the depth of your three dimensional IMAX cameras to capture. In a marvellous movie that even has something to say about what we as surface dwellers are doing to our high seas with all our purile plastic pollution. And if that isn't something to chomp on from this new school of fish than I don't know what else to say to keep you at bay. With DC's second, soaring success, superhero fatigue is a thing of the past. And 'The Spider Verse's has another chapter in its duelling December dominance like the Christmas christening of 'Once Upon A Deadpool'. Haven't we learned from the late, great Stan Lee that the super power of comic books is in showing the little guy in need of escapism that we can all be heroes no matter where we come from? Even if it is the bottom of a flushed away, spiralling plughole. Hopefully now like back in his golden days, Marvel and DC can coexist together like 'Ant-Man' star Randall Park crossing over here with intrigue. After all everyone with Captain America on their wall had Superman too. And this man who can Dr. Doolittle with the fish, armed with a Thor like hammer in his trident throwing realm rapture will soon have us all suiting up in King Arthur orange gold and seaweed green. Momoa making this man his Aqua own, like this deep blue sea scenery is magnificent. And you thought 'Aquaman' was an even bigger joke than what's been happening to DC in a world of Marvel? They never thought 'Aquaman' would be as big as a success like this. This is the biggest thing to happen in the jewel of the oceans since Moby Dick. Go fish! TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Further Filming: 'Justice League', 'Wonder Woman', 'Thor'.