Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

• No, this isn’t a superb movie or anything, but I certainly enjoyed it. It was fun with some great action and fun sequences, with great characters and (usually) pretty sweet effects. From a fan standpoint, it was great. Plenty of adventure and fighting, with some nice sentimental moments. But from a critic standpoint, there are some flaws that definitely stick out. The actual editing felt very choppy in many places, with weird scene transitions, and things like that. The pacing was a bit odd, and almost a little cramped. I did like how it flowed together, because it kept my attention. It was constantly moving forward, but sometimes it jumped from random spot to random spot. But what can you do. Also, I wasn’t always a huge fan of the dialogue. Some bits were corny and cliche. However, I love the chemistry between Arthur and Orm. Going from enemies, to reluctant partners, to brothers, was really nice. I was super happy to see versatile actor Patrick Wilson again. Yeah, Orm is a jerk sometimes, but I love him. I liked all the characters in this. Black Manta is back, better than ever. He’s just so freaking sweet. Finally, I loved most of the VFX in this. The designs of all the sea creatures, wildlife, and biomes were great. Some bits were very iffy, but that’s the case for everything nowadays. Plus, you can really tell that James Wan is a horror director based on several scenes and moments. Overall, this movie was fun, though it doesn’t always live up to the first. I do think it’s underrated, based on reviews I’ve seen so far. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go see it now!