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Movie Review - Aquaman

Breathtaking flow

Breathtaking flow

A still from Aquaman



Nonika Singh

“I am the son of the land and king of the seas and protector of the deep.” That is Aquaman for you who beguilingly quizzes later on; who is greater than the king? Pat comes the answer from his mother; hero. Make that superhero yet another one from the DC universe. Imbued with powers to not just breathe underwater but do a zillion things, including fight with insane strength and amazing fluidity.

As action in Aquaman shifts beneath the seas, expectedly you get stunning visuals and some excellent photography; unerringly surreal. A captivating spectacle unfolds right before your eyes and as the dialogue goes; don’t judge a thing you haven’t seen, we could say the same for Jason Momoa-starrer 

Aquaman. Sure the standard tropes are all there. A queen of the kingdom under sea, an heir apparent, a conniving, nay cruel stepbrother (Patrick Wilson), who wants to wage a war against the surface (read land peopled by us mere mortals).

Aquaman too has mortal’s blood running in his veins and at more than one point he is dismissed as half-breed. Even his saviour from the deep seas, Mera (Amber Heard), scoffs—‘God help us if you are our king’. 

Jason, of course, lords over the screen with tremendous screen presence, enchants as much with his vulnerability and equally with his reluctance to occupy the throne, legitimately his for he is the first born of the queen.

Indeed, the time line and storyline run linear. From start to finish we are 

enroute a journey not just of the birth of Aquaman, a fall out of love between royalty and commoner, but one that is fantastical, magical and strangely enough believable. Actors, without a doubt, whether from the land or the sea, bring that human touch which makes the superhero story both extraordinary and yet relatable. Nicole Kidman as queen Atlantis looks fetchingly ethereal. Willem Dafoe as well-meaning 

Vulko, who trains Aquaman, is equally endearing. Alluring also are creatures that glide through waters and the monster-like who prey, create enough fear and human like, who dwell in deep reservoirs of water bring in the drama.

The narrative marries fable, technology and superlative special effects. Action reigns supreme from the word go and ensures there isn’t a dull moment in this tale where antagonist is more than one. And calamitous moments, not just reserved for the climax, are many and multi-splendoured too. From the first time Aquaman visits Atlantis and is challenged to a duel much in the Gladiator fashion to his final trip amidst the monstrous trenches to retrieve the trident. Oh yes, he isn’t named Arthur without reason.  The trident will determine whether he is one true king. The point is not whether he will get it or not but how he reaches his ultimate destination and how viewers are transported to another realm. Like most superhero films there isn’t much that can’t be predicted at the onset.

But here familiarity of the content doesn’t breed contempt. Instead, it engenders entertainment and despite a run time of over two hours is worth your time. If you are a fan of Momoa; fans of Game of Thrones would remember him as Khal Drogo, who courts and marries Dragon queen, and DC aficionado from his Aquaman act in Justice League and Batman vs Superman; Dawn Of Justice, no reason to skip his solo outing as Aquaman.

Amber Heard too provides enough reason to go along with the flow. The only thing perhaps that doesn’t hold water is the fleeting reference to pollution and the damage humans are causing to our great seas. But then more than sagacious thoughts such as coexistence, this is a fantasy where incredulity is wondrous and implausibility enticing. In short, Aquaman, the bridge between land and the sea, a product of two worlds, even has us no ardent admirer of superhero films converted. Enjoy! 

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