Aquaman (2018)

Director: James Wan
Stars: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe
Runtime: 143 minutes

Synopsis: When Arthur Curry discovers his true identity, he sets on a journey to find a powerful trident that will help him stop a war that could cause billions of casualties.

• Performances: 5/10

Why?  Not helped by sloppily written dialogue and awkward comedy, most of the actor seemed lost in their performances and as a result couldn't nail their deliveries. I also didn't buy any scene that was supposed to be emotional, and while the script is definitely at fault, the actors didn't do much to compensate for it. But hey, at least Jason Momoa seemed to be having the time of his life.

• Screenplay: 3/10

Why? In a year filled with superhero movies, "Aquaman" had the weakest screenplay of all in my opinion. There wasn't a single aspect of it that felt even a little original. The film "borrows" a lot of plot elements from other much superior blockbusters ("Thor", "Guardians of the Galaxy", and "Raiders of the Lost Ark" being only some of them) and never established itself as its own thing. Narrative aside, the movie also suffers from countless irregularities, ranging from weak character development to extremely cringe-worthy dialogue and humor. However, I have to say that the trailers of the movie captured well its tone, and people who enjoyed them will likely enjoy the film much more than I did.  

• Special Effects: 6/10

Why? Sometimes good, other times bad (some underwater creature looked ridiculous), but overall decent. The effects definitely added some well needed value to a shallow film at least making it visually interesting.

• Costumes/Makeup: 4/10

Why? The wigs worn by some of the characters looked ridiculous, and so did their cheap-looking costumes. A big let down. 

• Editing: 5/10

Why? Despite some pretty cool transitions, "Aquaman" suffered when it came to its pacing. I didn't feel that it properly used its overly lengthy runtime of nearly two and a half hours and as a result had me checking my watch every 5 minutes or so. The many subplots never seemed connected as well, and I felt like I was watching about three movies disguised as one.

• Cinematography: 7/10

Why? James Wan's disappointing first step in the superhero world was at least visually interesting, offering a gripping color palette as well as captivating camera movement, especially during the many fight scenes.  

• Score/Soundtrack: 4/10

Why? Rupert Gregson-Williams' score is nowhere near as impactful and thrilling as the one used in "Man of Steel" and "Wonder Woman", the other two solo entries in the DCEU. I sadly never truly felt its presence or effect on the narrative. The film also has some questionable song choices that didn't entirely work for me.

FINAL GRADE: 5/10