Aquaman
That’s what the comic book adaptation with Jason Momoa has to offer
Jason Momoa as the title character Aquaman aka Arthur Curry
© (c) 2018 WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC. Jasin Boland / ™ & (c) DC Comics
“Aquaman” will finally be shown on free TV on May 24th. What is required are: not too profound dialogues, but fast-paced action.
“Game of Thrones” star Jason Momoa (41) will finally celebrate its free TV premiere as the title character of the comic film “Aqaman” on May 24 (8:15 pm, ProSieben). The 2018 underwater spectacle was convincing in the cinema, surprisingly grossing over a billion US dollars. But does the film with other stars like Nicole Kidman (53), Willem Dafoe (65) and Dolph Lundgren (63) also wash good entertainment into the living room?
This is what “Aquaman” is all about
The film sets in 1985. Atlanna (Nicole Kidman), Queen of Atlantis, flees an arranged marriage and ends up in Amnesty Bay, Massachusetts. There she is found by a lonely lighthouse keeper (Temuera Morrison), the two fall in love and have little Arthur. While his mother is soon forced to leave the family, the boy discovers his special abilities. Among other things, he can breathe and speak underwater and communicate with the living beings there. Atlantis is now ruled by Arthur’s half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson). His advisor Vulko (Willem Dafoe) secretly takes care of Arthur, who, however, does not want to know anything about his mother’s home.
Unsurprisingly, Arthur alias Aquaman then becomes the last hope on earth as the story progresses. Orm not only plans to forcibly unite the different kingdoms underwater, but also wants to take revenge on the people of the surface for the pollution of the oceans and subjugate them. Princess Mera (Amber Heard), daughter of King Nereus (Dolph Lundgren), convinces Arthur to fight his brother. The two go in search of a legendary trident. On their heels is a pirate (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), equipped by Orm with dangerous weapons technology.
Conclusion
What viewers cannot expect from “Aquaman” are profound dialogues and an innovative story. Two half-brothers fighting for power have long since arrived in the superhero cosmos since the Marvel heroes Thor and Loki. Nevertheless, the story offers one or the other surprising twist. The fact that the film is not boring is also due to Jason Momoa, who gives the superhero a casual touch, and to the many action scenes including the huge images that director James Wan (44) conjures up on the screen.
The search for the mysterious trident leads Aquaman and Mera across the fantastic underworld of Atlantis into the desert, to Italy and into the most mysterious underwater worlds. Some characters and creatures may come across as a bit overdone, others remain far too pale, but in the end Wan compensates with a brilliant finale. Fans of superheroes and comic book adaptations should have got their money’s worth by then at the latest.