I Saw Aquaman - First Non Spoiler Impressions "Something, Something...Trident"
Ok, the only thing you really must know: Do not watch or re-watch the 3 teaser trailers (they give too much away). Watch this movie in IMAX or biggest screen near you - it's MEANT to - like hardly anything else in the last years since Avatar.
7.5/10: A fun event movie with ambitious visuals and cinematography. A fine addition to the DC canon, albeit a bit derivate story-wise.
(i). Cinematography and art design: "naturally" a very CGI-laden film but breathtaking at times (especially underwater sequences like the enter-Atlantis scene or the "flare"-dive horror scene or the final underwater battle). Underwater and surface scenes do not clash visually as both have this comic book-y, oil painting-eque look to them. Fun fact: DC has them actually smooch again during a battle - but, goodness, it's beautifully composed and shot. One of the best use of colors in a long time (especially fire & ice red and blue tones); some action scene consist of one (fake) long camera take - direction & photography mastery.
(ii) Pacing: Brisk but not rushed. Movie starts a bit slow with a lot of backstories. The runtime (without credits) is around 2h10min which is long.
(iii) Worldbuilding execution: Very well done and imaginative: Phantom Menace meets Avatar meets Tron - thus creating a mythological underworld of it's own with creative design (I want one of those fish-crafts they navigate as toy or as lego). Underwater premise with talking humanoids is silly and campy but executed well, this could have broken the movie (never done successfully before this film).
(iv) Screenplay: quite predictable hero's journey and chase adventure. Essentially a "Something, Something...trident" as Aqua says. But there are a few surprises and twists. The dialogue is solid but nothing special. The new underwater mythology is a nice addition to the canon. This is not an traditional origin movie per se - Aqua is in full hero swing from the beginning but there are a few childhood flashbacks a la MoS.
(v) Humor: persistent but never too overbearing; tone is pretty consistent. Lighter that WW, BvS or MoS. Like the first Raiders. Some silly 80s one liners. There is actually a good "toilet" joke if there ever was one (with an actual toilet).
(vi) Story Substance: paper thin or should I say shallow? Water pollution is rather a plot device to motivate the villains than a developed narrative message. This is not as thoughtful and deep as other DC films.
(vii) Villains: Fine: Main villain is well written (not too overwritten) and has some character twists, but in the end he's just a foil for the heroes. Black Mantis is kewl, well motivated and effective - but it takes forever until he gets his iconic suit and HELMET!!!!1 (but at least they give it to him).
(viii) Score and Licensed Music: Composed score is solid to good: Mostly orchestral with some electronic cues (that strangely fit). Themes and Leitmotives are simple but effective eg villain motive, nice hero and love theme - really augments the hero journey moments especially at the end. Licensed music: can get ANNOYING, around the 100min mark they play 3 pop songs (very shortly) destroying some scene atmosphere IMO. Eg a nice DepecheMode song when a villain develops a laser device, but just the verse not the chorus.
(ix) Acting: Fine and adequate. J Momoas best and most charismatic performance I've seen (he's not just a grunting brute here but a bit of a clumsy idiot and sometimes a-hole [arc]); A Heard as Mera is good; their chemistry together is fun. Not as deep and (arc)-consequential as in WW but that comes with the tone. Others all do a fine job, including the two main villain. I liked that they allowed a black actor oppose the whites as the vindictive bad guy in this PC-nervous day and age.
(x) Comic accuracy: Don't care.
First Conclusions: Close to a masterpiece with haunting cinematography. Unique enough that it might become a classic despite the derivative story. This should be a winner with the broad masses. Let's wait and see.