Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is out in the world and the review are flooding in for Jason Momoa’s possible finale as the DC Comic hero. A lot of the reviews seems to think this is just a so-so superhero outing. Not really amazing, but not the kind of blunder that’s going to inspire vitriol either. (That last point might be up for debate by the end of the weekend.) Once again, Momoa is Arthur Curry, ruler of Atlantis. But, he’s a family man right now raising a kid and that seems to be where some of the consternation around this sequel begins. A lot of fans lament that the Aquaman movie and its sequel might not take the hero “seriously” enough. ComicBook.com‘s review came from Jenna Anderson, who talked about this exact situation while cotemplating the sequel.
“Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is perfectly fine, whether as a showcase of some of its titular character’s weirdest lore, the finale to one of the most controversial film franchises in modern history, or an entertaining-enough superhero movie in a landscape that no longer has to rely solely on them,” she wrote. “While the film certainly doesn’t manage to break new ground, an argument can be made that it doesn’t necessarily need to — it’s just a pleasant, largely entertaining time with a character whose big-screen portrayal was one of the DCEU’s rare successes. Thanks to its free-wheeling attitude and committed ensemble cast, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom closes a cinematic chapter in a silly, but satisfying-enough way.”
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SlashFilm – It’s About Family
How can we not talk about family, when family’s all that we got? SlashFilm’s Rafael Motamayor points out some of the similarities between James Wan’s time with Dom Toretto and the DCEU’s strange goodbye.
“Though the film takes a bit to properly get going, once the adventure and the road trip begin, “Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom” swims,” the critic admits. “This is clearly a film made by the same guy who directed “Furious 7,” as the humor is silly and there are plenty of bonkers moments, but they work because of how earnest the film is, with director James Wan grounding it in one idea — family.”
The Independent – A Brainless Finale
At once the end of the DCEU, but a larger reflection of a studio system hell-bent on producing as many IP-driven spectacle films as possible! The Independent‘s Clarisse Loughrey sets fire to Aquaman 2 in her review.
She writes, “It’d be nice to say the franchise will be remembered for its occasional triumphs (it’s rare to find a comic book film as good as 2020’s Birds of Prey) but The Lost Kingdom speaks too fluently to its failures to not feel like a damning indictment on its legacy.”
Collider – The Best and Worst Of The DCEU on Display
For the run of the DCEU, it was the best of times and the worst of times. Sometimes all at once! Collider‘s Ross Bonaime writes a little bit of a DCEU euolgy here.
“In some ways, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is an anticlimactic conclusion to this world, a standalone story that clearly wasn’t filmed to wrap up an entire phase of this comic world series,” Bonaime wrote. “But in regards to the larger DCEU, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is emblematic of what worked and didn’t work over the last decade of DC films, almost making it an unexpectedly decent place to say goodbye to this world.”
CBR – A Lot To Digest
There’s a lot to digest with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. At times, it may be even a little too much. CBR‘s Hannah Rose tries to cut to the heart of this holiday turkey.
“Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has strong sea legs in terms of storytelling, but it feels weighed down by its overstuffed elements and flooded sound design,” she concludes. “Although marketing may not have given this film the proper gear to paddle with, its solid narrative helps it stay afloat, providing a satisfying and fitting end to this character’s arc.
Empire Magazine – A Squelch Rather Than A Splash
With a weird mix of buddy comedy shenanigans and a story that feels disjointed, Aquaman 2 says goodbye to the DCEU. Empire Magazine‘s James Dyer was not a fan.
“And so it ends. After 10 years, 15 films, two Marthas and one Snyder Cut, the grand DCEU experiment draws to a close,” he begins. “But if you were hoping for a unifying finale that brings all the disparate threads together for a grand send-off, then you bet on the wrong seahorse.”
IGN – Aquaman 2 Does It’s Own Thing
IGN’s Amelia Emberwing credits Jason Momoa and Patrick Wilson’s chemistry on-screen. But found issue with the movie’s effects. So, a mixed effort on the whole.
“It’s to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’s credit that it has no interest in saying farewell to its own shared universe, a continuity that began with Man of Steel in 2013 and draws to a close with this movie in 2023,” she says. “In fact, it mostly just farts at the DCEU on its way out the door.”
AP – Aquaman 2 Goes Out Swinging
AP’s Mark Kennedy admires Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom‘s willingness to go out on its own terms. However, that doesn’t mean all the wild swings they try in the sequel pan out for the better.
“At least Momoa is going out swinging in “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,” an overstuffed tale that goes from desert to ice, steals from other movies like a coked-up magpie and says goodbye at the near-operatic level of a mid-franchise Marvel flick,” the critic wrote. “Much of it doesn’t happen underwater at all.”
USA Today – The End of An Era
USA Today‘s Brian Truitt sees Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom as a bit of an end of an era. Not just for the DCEU, but maybe the reign of superhero blockbusters as a whole. The movie itself is just fine.
He writes, “Director James Wan’s new Atlantean adventure releases at a time of transition, when superhero films have lost some of their luster and a rebooted DC cinematic universe – headed by James Gunn and Peter Safran – arrives in 2025. But the movie neither sinks nor swims: It’s aggressively fine, floating along as a breezy enough outing – and a brotherly one – without any particularly spectacular strokes.”
