'Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom' movie review: Jason Momoa's film is a visual spectacle

Cast: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Nicole Kidman

Director: James Wan

Language: English

Aquaman, the smashing Jason Momoa, returns after several years of the first film, five, to be precise. Without giving away much about the narrative, a hero who derives his power out of water is literally washed-up. He now has to put his past behind and fight for the people of Atlantis after it’s threatened by David Kane/Black Manta and joining him is his half-brother Orm, played by Patrick Wilson.

No superhero film can be made without conflicts and chaos, and the biggest of superhero films give their central characters superpowers and vulnerabilities. The biggest superpower arguably can be to face your fears and conquer your conflict. And adding to the dose of emotions could be some spectacular scenery and eye-popping action. _Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom_ achieves that.

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Director James Wan does pull off the unimaginable but also remembers to humanize his hero. In one scene, he literally looks exhausted and agonized as he pulls a pair of pajamas from the hanger. When you see the moment in the trailer, it turns out to be an absolute banger of a scene as it’s followed quickly by an arousing action set-piece. In the film, you have to wait a little longer before the pajamas take a backseat and his sword takes center stage.

Watching the film in 3D and that too in IMAX only elevates the cinematic experience the universe of DC has created after being overshadowed by the pulsating success of MCU. This film could very well be some sort of resurgence for the company as they do have multiple franchises and credible works behind them. And at its heart is the desire to entertain and engage, to be able to transport to a fictional world of heroes, villains, and gorgeousness.

How does one evaluate acting and performances in a film so driven by heavy visual effects? As long as one isn’t bored or is buying into the world the makers have created, things seem to be moving in the right direction. _Aquaman 2_ is surely not historic, but it does manage to hold your attention and at some moments, your breath. Appropriate because how long can one stay inside water!

Rating: 3 (out of 5 stars)

Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom is now playing in cinemas