A tide is coming.

Directed by James Wan (Furious 7) and written by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick (The Conjuring 2) and Will Beall (Gangster Squad), Aquaman is the latest entry in the DCEU. Jason Momoa (Game of Thrones) stars alongside Amber Heard (Hidden Palms), Willem Dafoe (The Florida Project), Patrick Wilson (Insidious) and Nicole Kidman (Big Little Lies). "Arthur Curry learns that he is the heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, and must step forward to lead his people and be a hero to the world". After the commercial failure of Justice League, will James Wan's Aquaman course-correct the DCEU?

2018 has been a great year for superhero films - Incredibles 2, Infinity War, Black Panther and Into the Spiderverse are some of the genre's highlights. There have been a couple of anomalies - Venom, Ant-Man and the Wasp, but for the most part, the genre has continued to evolve in interesting and exciting ways. Aquaman falls somewhere in the middle - it is a flawed film, but it definitely swims against the DCEU's current tide. Aquaman is a mixed bag; in some areas, it thrives and in others, it flounders. This is easily the DCEU's second strongest film (but there's quite a gap between Wonder Woman and Aquaman) and it is apparent that this cinematic universe benefits from director-driven films (with a handful of studio guidance); Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman was excellent and James Wan's Aquaman is adequate enough. 

Aquaman complicates the DCEU's tonal issues even more. This is a reservation I have had since the release of Justice League; Wan straddles the line between light-hearted comedy and gritty drama too often. There are some scenes that could be taken out of a parody (eating roses in Sicily) and others that belong in a horror film (the Hidden Sea's terrifying creatures...or Annabelle's cameo). It would have been difficult for Wan to make an Aquaman film without any comedy - considering how the character was portrayed in Justice League - but, while they are effective, the darker moments do not gel with the rest of the film. There's a bizarre moment that is taken straight from the Fast & Furious playbook as Arthur (Momoa) and Mera (Heard) emerge from the sea to a Pitbull track. It is also hard to imagine this version of Aquaman working with Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) - they cannot coexist. However, it does seem like the DCEU is moving in a lighter direction with Shazam so this criticism may not be valid in the future. Although it is great that the DCEU is finally focusing on quality, tone and the wider cinematic universe should not be dismissed. 

If there's a word to describe Aquaman, it is epic; not because it is an epic, must-see film, but because it tells a story on an epic scale. Aquaman is a globe-trotting adventure, visiting European cities and underwater kingdoms. However, every location that the characters explore builds a jigsaw puzzle...that remains disjointed and unsolved. The film would have benefited immensely from an opening prologue that introduced the world of Atlantis its the many races of undersea residents. This is the biggest problem I had with Aquaman; despite enjoying the story, it was all a bit overwhelming. Aquaman's visual effects are about as uneven as Amber Heard's red wig; there are some dazzling moments and others that are far from spectacular. A superhero movie set mainly underwater is an impressive feat; Aquaman distinguishes itself from the crowded genre simply by having characters ride on sharks and seahorses. Water is difficult to animate and, for the most part, the visual effects team behind Aquaman make it appear effortless (who else is glad that air bubbles were not necessary for the characters to speak?). Atlantis-by-night was a sight to behold. 

DCEU films tend to be either narratively thin (Suicide Squad) or narratively convoluted (everything else bar Wonder Woman); Aquaman falls somewhere in the middle. There are still signs of classic DCEU errors, but Aquaman's narrative is much more focused and straight-forward than its predecessors. It's essentially about Arthur's quest to find the Triton that will crown him the king; he must become Atlantis' leader to stop his brother Orm (Wilson) from declaring war on mankind. Like Killmonger in Black Panther, Orm's agenda is understandable - he wants to stop ocean pollution. This new trend of superhero villains who are extreme activists who tackle social issues is something I can get on board with. However, Aquaman faulters with its unnecessary, secondary villain - Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II). I use the word 'unnecessary' lightly because it seems like this will not be Black Manta's final appearance. It is the addition of Black Manta that causes the narrative to become incoherent and muddled; the villain lacks development and feels out of place. There's a great action sequence in Sicily involving the character and his henchmen though. Aquaman's narrative is also heavily influenced by fairytales - from the fun Pinocchio references to the literal Sword in the Stone/King Arthur story, Aquaman has all of the ingredients to compete with Disney's live-action adaptation juggernauts. Let's not also forget Mera's (Heard) Ariel red hair and Arthur's Moana-esque powers. Aquaman one of the most Disney, non-Disney films. 

The highest praise I can give Jason Momoa is that he IS Aquaman. It probably helps that I was unfamiliar with Momoa prior to this role, but he has created a memorable, fun and likeable character. Momoa borrows from Chris Hemsworth and Ryan Reynolds, the type of witty comedy that the DCEU needed so badly. Momoa drops the irritating "Yahoo!" that he repeatedly yelled in Justice League and opts for a few sharp-witted one-liners instead. Visually, Aquaman's powers have endless possibilities and continue to be amazingly cool. Aquaman explores familial relationships: brothers, mother/son and father/son. Aquaman is the DCEU's answer to Thor - a story of two egotistical brothers fighting for power (Patrick Wilson isn't as charming as Hiddleston's Loki)...kudos to Warner Bros for taking just one film to realise Arthur's comedic value rather than six years. Arthur's rise to the throne is exciting. The match-cuts to his youth were fun and well executed. Aquaman has the best action sequences out of any DCEU film so far; there's never a dull moment in this action-packed romp.

I criticised Amber Heard for her "questionable" performance in Justice League. I owe Heard an apology because she happens to be one of Aquaman's highlights (not just because of her bright wig). Heard matches Momoa's energy, charisma and likability; she has some kick-ass action scenes and some stellar costumes. Although there was little romantic chemistry between Momoa and Heard, their performances were surprisingly enjoyable. Amidst the cast of B-list talent are Oscar winner Nicole Kidman and three-time Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe. It's great to see actors of such a high calibre joining the DCEU; Kidman's Atlanna is another super-cool female character who has some great moments, but Dafoe's Vulko is a generic teacher. Momoa has a strong supporting cast behind him. 

Aquaman is a fun yet flawed film. The action-packed and heart-warming tale of an underwater hero's rise to the throne is a fitting choice this festive season. Aquaman offers escapism to an overwhelmingly big, fantasy world. The visual effects are often beautiful but do have some uneven moments (especially that red wig). Taking inspiration from Chris Hemsworth, Jason Momoa plays Aquaman, the Thor of the sea; Momoa is charismatic, comedic and fun to watch. He is supported by a surprisingly bad-ass Amber Heard, an impressive Nicole Kidman (despite being a fish-out-of-water with this cast) and a decent Patrick Wilson. With some tonal issues and a lousy Black Manta, the DCEU still has some rocky seas ahead but thanks to James Wan, Aquaman has the current moving back in the right direction.