Watch my SPOILER review on YouTube
A visually stunning action film, that overreaches a bit too much, but still finds enough emotional beats to ground the spectacle. There is an amazing amount of design work that makes it on screen. From the sea life to the fictitious underwater kingdoms, there is no lack of attention to detail. All the creatures, ships, weapons and are unique and really help sell the world-building for the ancient, technologically advanced city under the sea. Sometimes, with the bright, neon colors and excess of CGI, it’s a bit too much on the eyes. While this same thing applies to the action sequences, they’re still exciting to watch. The film runs over two hours long, and considering how simple the plot is they could’ve trimmed a bit out. None of it’s bad, but things do drag a bit, and some of it could’ve been saved for a sequel. While the film has a fair amount of humor, it’s a bit corny and doesn’t always land. The emotional moments are what hold everything together. It’s basically a story about family, and finding your place in the world. Jason Momoa has some of his best scenes when he shows his vulnerability, and Nichole Kidman is strong in her limited role. The attempts to give the villains deeper motivation is hit and miss. There’s a bit more than we needed to show their motivations, but not enough to make them truly sympathetic.
***1/2 out of *****