I was going to save this for my monthly reading/watching log, but then it got too long!
There are very little surprises when it comes to Aquaman, though I felt some sympathy for the script-writers considering most of the character’s stories, themes, and even basic imagery has been around in the comics since the 1940s, only to have been “borrowed” over the years by other creative projects: everything from a weapon only the worthy can wield (Thor’s hammer), to brothers/cousins warring for the throne (Thor/Loki, T’Challa/Killmonger), to disparate tribes that the true king must unite (Black Panther again), to Mera’s red hair and green scales (Disney’s The Little Mermaid).
Heck, even Nicole Kidman as Atlanna surviving by herself for decades in a hostile environment was beaten to the punch by Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet van Dyne earlier in the year.
Of course, a lot of Aquaman’s story was originally derived from Arthurian legend (including Arthur’s own name!) but since then other comic-book movies have overtaken him in fame and popularity, making a lot of what’s seen here extremely predictable. The one true king, the greedy usurper, the test of worthiness, the spirited love interest, the quest for the magical McGuffin: there are echoes here of everything from The Lord of the Rings to Raiders of the Lost Ark.
It’s therefore in the little things that the film sets itself apart.
