Aquaman was a massive hit back in 2018, bringing in over $1 billion at the box office, becoming the highest grossing DC movie worldwide, which was something nobody could’ve ever predicted. I mean, it’s Aquaman! He talks to fish! Yet something about the globe-trotting adventure just spoke to audiences – and I’m sure the power and charisma of Jason Momoa didn’t hurt either. I revisited Aquaman once again before watching the sequel and it still holds up. It’s a fun, well put together movie that’s packed with blockbuster entertainment and badass Aquaman moments. Five years later Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom has arrived at our doorsteps, yet something is just…different.
While the Snyder-verse officially ends with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, it’s not the lack of potential sequels or continuation that hurts the movie, it’s just the movie itself that never really finds its footing, on or off land. Unfortunately, The Lost Kingdom falls into the sequel trap where the story just feels bloated and convoluted, constantly dispensing information and while there’s plenty of action sequences, the pacing just isn’t there to keep the flow and audience captivation where it should be.
The movie begins with Arthur (Momoa) catching the audience up with what’s happened since we last saw him. He and Mera are now married, and they have a baby boy, named Arthur Jr. I’m honestly okay with juvenile humour and enjoy it when it fits and works; but when you’re starting Aquaman 2 by having the baby pee directly into Aquaman’s mouth twice (once redirected into it by his wife using her superpowers) then you’re not off to the best of starts.
Arthur then explains how boring it is being a king because nobody told him there was a council he has to answer to in order to get anything done. He explains that they cut him off any time he tries to make something work, so it’s a lot like the opposing political party blocking any bills that the President is behind from getting passed – except Arthur is the king and ruler of the seven seas! Isn’t that what the entire point of the first movie was? That he chases down the mythical Trident of Atlan to gain that title?
I appreciate the humorous edit used to explain this, where we cut from the end of the first film where Arthur raises the trident triumphantly to him asleep in chair with the crown falling off his head because he’s so bored; however, it seems odd that this council could basically just vote him out if they so choose. That’s the threat they lay down, as Arthur wants to bring the land and sea together so they can work as one to repair the damage being done to the planet, but the council says that if they ever reveal themselves to those above it will be to destroy them, and if he wants to do differently then they’ll basically make him king in name only and strip him of his powers. All the work he did in the first film to claim the throne and bring the seven seas together once again just for a dozen politicians sitting in chairs to just be like, “Nah.” And people say comic book movies aren’t realistic.
The antagonist in the second film is the returning David Kane/Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), who is now working alongside Dr. Shin (Randall Park) to find Atlantean artifacts in order to fix his Black Manta power suit so that he can get his revenge on Aquaman for the murder of his father. While on an expedition in Antarctica the pair stumble upon a cavernous opening that seems to have formed due to global warming melting the ice. Inside Kane finds a black trident, and when he picks it up he’s possessed by the trident’s creator, who promises him all the power he needs to destroy his enemy and Atlantis, so long as he follows his instructions.
Now, there’s a story here in all of this that works, it’s just not the route they go. The idea of Black Manta being possessed by the dark trident, that all works. Arthur having to break his brother, Orm (Patrick Wilson) out of prison so that he can help him track Kane? That works. In fact, the dynamic between the two brothers is the best part of the movie. They bicker, they bond, they bicker some more. It’s the expected route to take when two opposing characters are forced to work together, but when it’s done by actors with great chemistry then it’s always welcome.
The issues come with the addition of multiple characters from various kingdoms, including the returning Nereus (Dolph Lundgren), who loathes Orm more than anyone in this movie. It’s ridiculous because, yes, Orm killed the Fishermen king, but Nereus was right there helping him! He kills the king’s guards while Orm kills him! Mera reveals in the first film that Nereus wanted war against the humans as much as Orm did, yet for some reason in The Lost Kingdom Nereus acts like Orm can’t be trusted. Sorry Nereus, how were you also not put in fish prison? Diplomatic immunity? Even if that’s the case, seeing him sitting on his high seahorse constantly looking down at Orm is quite frustrating.
Then we’ve got the returning Nicole Kidman as Arthur’s mother, Atlanna. It’s nice to see her in action, but again, in the first movie she ran from an arranged marriage, found and fell in love with Tom (Temuera Morrison), had Arthur, but then returned to Atlantis and her arranged marriage to keep Tom and Arthur safe. The entire first movie happens, and at the end Atlanna finally returns to a happy life with Tom, free of restrictions! Yet when The Lost Kingdom begins, Tom is hanging out with Arthur alone, and the first time we see Atlanna she’s working security detail in Atlantis when Black Manta breaks in. Why? There’s no rift between them. They’re still in love. She never wanted to leave in the first place, but now that she can stay with him, she’s just working down in Atlantis giving chase to thieves alongside redshirt security detail? It’s just an odd route to go.
The movie is twenty-minutes shorter than the first film, yet it feels longer just because of the meandering nature of the story being told. They’re trying to juggle so much instead of just focusing on what works that it hurts the story overall. While it may not sound like it, I don’t think Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is a bad movie, it’s just not as good as it should have been. It’s disappointing, much like Wonder Woman 1984, where the original was just so much fun that it’s hard to see such a swing and a miss when it comes to the follow-up.
The positives are mainly found in Momoa and what he brings to the character. It’s clear he loves playing Aquaman and is having a blast doing so. His chemistry with Wilson make me want more of them together and less politicking (which ends up being a meaningless subplot anyway, as it’s never really revisited again after the first act.) There are some really fun action sequences, which is one of the main reasons we buckle in for this big blockbusters, but again, the pacing of them and the various plots surrounding them don’t do the movie any favours.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is at its best when it keeps things simple and just has fun. I found myself engaged and laughing when Arthur and Orm were on their adventure, but the meandering first act really sets a poor tone for what should’ve been another globe-trotting adventure – this time, with siblings! The family story here works, the fight scenes often entertain, and there’s some added lore to be added to Atlantis and Aquaman as a character, it just all gets bogged down by unnecessary subplots, characters, and poor pacing. In the end it’s an average superhero movie that had potential to be as great as its predecessor, but sadly never comes close to dethroning it.
4K Blu-ray Video and Audio Review:
If there’s a place where Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom truly excels, it’s in the audio and visual department, as Warner Bros. absolutely nails the 4K transfer of this movie, delivering a truly spectacular home viewing experience. The 2160p/HDR10 is brilliant, and for all its faults, the film always looks phenomenal. They’ve improved on the underwater visuals, with the hair flowing smoothly and naturally, the colours are vibrant and make the world feel completely alive, whether underwater or above it.
The audio side is just as superb, with Dolby Atmos guaranteed to push your surround sound speakers to their limits. Underwater we’ve got a wonderfully immersive sound design, and the action sequences will make your room rumble if you allow for it. Even when doing so the dialogue is clear, and the sound is clean on all levels, which is exactly what you want when pushing speakers to those heights. It’s truly a masterful home viewing experience that makes me wish the film reached that same level of excellence to warrant repeat viewings.
Special Features:
Finding the Lost Kingdom – This behind-the-scenes feature comes in at just over 21-minutes in length and sees Momoa, director James Wan, Jim Lee, and other cast and crew show us around, from day one on set, to various other moments throughout filming. It’s a great look behind the camera, and you get to see how much everyone enjoyed working on the movie, which is always fun.
Aquaman: Worlds Above and Below – This feature comes in at just under 10-minutes and we cover the various locations visited throughout the film, as well as some of the special effects used to help bring them to life.
Atlantean Blood is Thicker than Water – This is a 4-minute featurette that covers the relationship between Arthur and Orm, with a look back at the characters in the comics, as well as hearing from Momoa and Wilson. I want more of these two!
It’s a Manta World – This is a 10-minute feature that focuses on the villain of the film, David Kane/Black Manta. We hear from Abdul-Mateen II and others who talk about the history of the film’s antagonist, his power suit, as well as his importance in Aquaman history.
Necrus, the Lost Black City – This is a 6-minute featurette that Wan and others talk about the lost kingdom, how they brought it to life, and the lore behind it all.
Escape from the Deserter World – This is an 8-minute focused featurette on the breaking out of Orm in the desert. I really love all these behind-the-scenes features, as they may be short at times, but it’s just always fun to watch how things came together and the relationships while the camera isn’t rolling.
Brawling at Kingfish’s Lair – This is a 4-minute featurette focused on the fight sequence at Kingfish’s hideout, and all that went into creating the crazy spectacle of a battle.
Oh, Topo! – Here’s a two-minute featurette there just for fun, where we get a fun little look at Topo the cephalopod, who may get ragged on by Aquaman and Orm (even though we’d never met the little guy prior) but is a hero through and through.
Disclaimer: A review copy of this Blu-ray was sent to me to cover in honest and truthful fashion.
Warner Bros. Pictures Presents Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Directed by: James Wan. Written by: David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick. Starring: Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Nicole Kidman, Randall Park, Temuera Morrison, Dolph Lundgren, Martin Short, Amber Heard. Running time: 124 Minutes. Rating: PG. Released on 4K Blu-ray: Mar. 12, 2024.
