TheDCEUis dead. Again. We thought it had died withThe Flashmovie, but it has lingered, zombie-like, through the newAquaman and the Lost Kingdom. But what is this Jason Momoa sequel, and how could it possibly cap off the already long-dead DCEU before James Gunn’s DCU takes over? It may come as no surprise that it does what it came to do and leaves everyone alone. But it does it with a lot of colors.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdomis a film that may have been better off on a shelf. However, it is a last gasp and deserves to be seen because it brings an end to the arc that began in 2018. Is it a satisfying end? Are there lessons to be learned? Do enemies become friends? Let’s find out.
The Plot of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
Arthur Curry, AKA Aquaman, played by Jason Momoa, who is thedefinitive Aquaman according to DCU Co-chair Peter Safran, is a bit older and wiser. He is the ruler of Atlantis and protector of the seas. He is also a father, having had a child with Mera (Amber Heard). However, his kingdom is in peril as David Kane, the Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), is still overcome with grief and anger due to his father’s death in the first film, as well as the pain of seemingly losing everything to Aquaman.
In this film, Kane is partnered with an equally obsessive marine biologist, Dr. Stephen Shin (Randall Park), to find the black trident. This mythical instrument is capable of destroying Aquaman and bringing ruin to Atlantis. To combat them and save the world from devastation and even a possible extinction-level event, Arthur releases his brother Orm (Patrick Wilson) from his prison in the Sahara desert, where he was placed at the end of the first film.
Orm is reluctant but joins with Arthur when they realize that the black trident contains the power of Kordax, the evil brother of the original king of Atlantis. Kordax and the king had a similar relationship to Orm and Arthur in that Kordax attempted to take the throne but was banished. His kingdom, known as Necrus, is where Arthur and Orm journey to stop Kordax’s power from being unleashed and to save Arthur’s son, whom Black Manta kidnaped.
The film attempts to build on the work of the first and also introduce a deeper lore to the undersea world. It is arevenge story that’s far from the bestbut also focuses on family and what it means to rule.
A Cliché Ending in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
One of the biggest pieces to theAquamanmovies has been Arthur’s need to protect the oceans. He is constantly at odds with the surface people and their ‘who cares?’ attitude. This film is no different. Part of the issue that Arthur faces is that when the bad guys take a precious mineral from Atlantis called orichalcum, it unleashes massive amounts of greenhouse gases. This creates all kinds of terrible conditions all over the world.
As we’ve been told since childhood, greenhouse gases are the worst. They are the bitter enemy of humanity and something that we need to destroy and, at the very least, attempt to stop producing. So, Arthur’s quest is not just to save Atlantis but to protect the Earth. This seems to be a lesson that schoolchildren have heard about (and that certain people don’t believe), but the lesson of ‘global warming is bad’ doesn’t seem all that new.
The film also ends with Arthur revealing the existence of his people to the world. His rousing speech from the foot of the Statue of Liberty about uniting the planet is something we’ve seen many times before. It also makes the viewer wonder how a high-profile being like Aquaman could exist inZack Snyder’s version of the Justice League, fight a rather obvious battle across oceans featuring armies of sea-going creatures, and nobody thought to ask where they came from. But that is movie logic.
The film also features a post-credit scene that does not set up any future films but plays on an earlier joke set up between Arthur and Orm. The filmmakers seem to think that people expect post-credit scenes, and not having one would have hurt the movie.
Breathe Easy, Aquaman 2 Is Over
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
The follow-up to the smash hit DC adventure Aquaman, starring Jason Momoa as the King of Atlantis.
Read Our Review
Jason Momoa will most likely have a place in thenew DCU as Lobo, though that’s not confirmed. However, the fact that Warner Bros. Discovery decided to release this film despite the universe ending shows their lack of foresight.Aquaman and the Lost Kingdommade only $40 million in its first weekend on a budget of $205 million. This loss is amplified by the fact that Warner Bros. Discovery has publicly shelved more promising, standalone projects for tax purposes.
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Aquaman and the Lost Kingdomdoes not feel like a fun send-off. A quote from the author Douglas Adams perfectly sums it up. “The storm had now definitely abated, and what thunder there was now grumbled over more distant hills, like a man saying ‘And another thing…’ twenty minutes after admitting he’d lost the argument.”
This film is an afterthought of the highest order. It is a Jason Momoa and James Wan vanity project that nobody asked for and that, apparently, nobody cared to see. The fact that nobody is talking about its huge loss while decrying films likeThe Marvelsis eye-rollingly silly. Critic scores for this film are among thelowest of any DC filmand much lower than recent Marvel fare. If you are looking for a paint-by-number movie with a ‘let’s save the world’ ending,Aquaman and the Lost Kingdomis just for you.
