It’s always interesting to learn just how different other cultures around the world really are – and thanks to Aquaman‘s international rollout, we’re getting some interesting stories about how some foreign countries are treating the film.
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Case in point: Indonesia and Saudi Arabia took a curious approach to censoring parts of Aquaman – and not the parts you may assume:
#Aquaman SPOILER ALERT
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.I don’t think it’s any different compared to Atlanna and Tom’s kissing scenes (that aren’t cut). The only difference is, the camera films Arthur and Mera’s in circle. And apparently Indonesia thinks that’s harmful for 13 year old kids 🙃
— 👓🦉⚡ Miss Ermyknee Potter 📚🐱⚗ (@MsErmaynee) December 18, 2018
As you can see above, Indonesia decided that climatic kiss between Aquaman (Jason Momoa) and Mera (Amber Heard) was too hot for teenage viewers to see, and cut the scene from the film. However, what’s odd is that the Indonesian censors didn’t think that such displays of affection and sexuality were inappropriate across the board – because the definitely left in an earlier kissing scene, between Aquaman’s mother Atlanna (Nicole Kidman) and his father Tom (Temuera Morrison). As some fans joked, Indonesia apparently has issue with kissing on the sea – but kissing on land is A-ok!
Indonesia wasn’t the only country to cut the Aquaman/Mera kissing scene: Saudi Arabia also felt the moment was inappropriate for theatrical viewing. That combination led some fans to crack some pretty good jokes, reflecting on just how censored (or not) their own cultures are:
So, the kiss scene between Mera and Arthur in the third act of Aquaman was censored in Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. This is the first time I feel privileged for being in Egypt…
— Mostafa Saad (@mostafa_s3d60) December 22, 2018
If anything, the climatic Aquaman kiss moment was inappropriate for once again dragging out the tired blockbuster movie trope of having the hero and the love interest stop for a passionate kiss at the most inopportune moment possible. When that kiss goes down in Aquaman, there’s a crazy Atlantean civil war erupting on the seas, with soldiers on all sides (and all of them Aquaman’s subjects) killing each other by the minute. It’s meant to be a moment where Mera inspires Aurthur to fight and lead like a true king – but for many fans, it really came off as laughably cheesy. To be fair, most of the Aquaman / Mera romantic subplot in the film did feel pretty cheesy when it wasn’t flat – thankfully, Jason Momoa and Amber Heard both did well with their respective characters when not trying to force a love story.
Upcoming DC Extended Universe films include Aquaman on December 21st, Shazam on April 5, 2019, and Wonder Woman 2 on November 1, 2019.
