My man! Aquaman may still be just under a month away from washing over theaters, but it’s been screening for members of the media—and while full reviews aren’t allowed yet, they’ve been given the clear to share some non-spoilery thoughts. And good news DC fans, it sounds like it’s gonna be a wet and wild ride.
Here’s a roundup of the reaction to Aquaman so far, starting off with our very own Germain Lussier:
Aquaman is a big, fun, wild ride. It’s unabashedly melodramatic and over the top with the largest, most ambitious sense of scale imaginable. Parts of it are kind of bad but they are not the majority and, oddly, still fit in with the cartoony tone. 2nd best DCU movie. YEEEAAHH! pic.twitter.com/3GLlK3uQJ3
— Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) November 26, 2018
https://twitter.com/embed/status/1067181605955883009
#Aquaman is great. James Wan made a really unique super hero origin film, often crossing into fantasy-epic territory, but grounded in family and discovery.
The world is visually incredible. Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry is a total bad-ass. @yahya and @patrickwilson73 stand out! pic.twitter.com/2IvDCEq7VU
— BD (@BrandonDavisBD) November 26, 2018
#Aquaman was an absolute blast, from the charm of Momoa's Arthur Curry, to the spectacular visuals to the fun that it was clear that everyone was having. It was exactly what I was hoping for and I can't wait to see it again! I'll give you more details when I'm allowed! pic.twitter.com/FyeczAJJIJ
— Jenna Busch-Henderson (@JennaBusch) November 26, 2018
Excited I can now say how much I enjoyed #Aquaman! It's a cool adventure built on some tremendous action sequences and set pieces, with a great hero arc/performance from Jason Momoa as the glue. There's fun world building, and it looks wonderful. A great step for the DCEU. pic.twitter.com/Z5iPdilMIR
— Eric Eisenberg (@eeisenberg) November 26, 2018
Aquaman is a blast from start to finish, with beautifully directed action sequences, spectacular CGI and cinematography, great performances from Jason Momoa and Amber Heard, a fantastic soundtrack and overall…FUN! @creepypuppet absolutely knocks it out of the park! #Aquaman pic.twitter.com/0yRfxBGGgE
— Shaurya Chawla (@_ShauryaChawla) November 26, 2018
🔱 #Aquaman is better than expected. Feels like a Marvel phase one movie, in a good way. It’s at its best when it’s having fun and not taking itself too seriously. Black Manta is great villain that comic book fans will love. Some truly spectacular one shots and good action. pic.twitter.com/aTnc1QWk66
— /Film (@slashfilm) November 26, 2018
https://twitter.com/embed/status/1067177356576473088
#Aquaman is like an 80s cartoon, with all of the fun and the problems that come with that. A good adventure movie that acknowledges exactly what it is from the start, which is a meal made almost entirely of ham.
— Spencer Perry (@TheSpencerPerry) November 26, 2018
#Aquaman was a blast! It’s an action packed thrilled ride filled w/ a lot of heart. It’s visually breathtaking and the the action sequence were so badass. James Wan did an incredible job! pic.twitter.com/WAh2UYr8e9
— Geeks of Color (@GeeksOfColor) November 26, 2018
https://twitter.com/embed/status/1067176179793256448
Julie Andrews voices a giant kraken in #Aquaman and if that's not the best endorsement I can give for this movie then don't know what is. pic.twitter.com/33ucO34cV0
— Terri Schwartz (@Terri_Schwartz) November 26, 2018
https://twitter.com/embed/status/1067178609964503041
https://twitter.com/embed/status/1067176969362493440
So I really enjoyed #Aquaman! James Wan has made an unapologetically bold superhero flick, mixing adventure and fantasy elements with stunning visual effects, a terrific lead in Jason Momoa (who's clearly having the time of his life), and a great heroine in Amber Heard's Mera. pic.twitter.com/V8bnw6mnCX
— Carly Lane-Perry (@carlylane) November 26, 2018
While not as effusive as, say, first reactions to Wonder Woman, these are pretty positive! It’s good to hear that DC has a second hit on its hands after the middling-at-best reaction to Justice League. Who could’ve thought that rushing headfirst into shared universe mania would fail, while instead dedicating focused, fun solo movies to interesting characters would succeed!?
But jokes aside, it’s cool to see that something as fantastically weird and majestic as Aquaman, with all its giant crabs and Lisa Frank Trapper Keeper aesthetic, is apparently doing well, with critics at least.
Full reviews—including ours—will be available before long. Aquaman hits theaters December 21.
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