‘Aquaman’ Reviews: What the Critics Are Saying

Reviews of DC’s “Aquaman” vary between feelings of surprise and disappointment. Some critics are applauding director James Wan’s strong re-imagining of a previously stale character, while others are harping on DC’s inability to stack up against rival Marvel — but most are just relieved the film isn’t an all-out flop. There are virtually no qualms about Jason Momoa’s performance, which is widely acknowledged to be a vast improvement on the old Aquaman, who was more akin to “SpongeBob’s” Mermaid Man than a DC hero. The bigger problems, critics say, are its unnecessary length and overstuffed plot.

Here’s what critics are saying about “Aquaman,” which hits theaters on Dec. 21:

Variety’s Peter Debruge:

“‘Aquaman’ isn’t like the other DC Comics superheroes, so it seems only right that his bigscreen solo show should have a personality all its own — which, in the hands of ‘Furious 7’ director James Wan, it does. Gone is the Aryan-looking Atlantean in green-and-orange spandex, replaced with a bare-chested Hawaiian super-stud with long, shaggy surfer hair and all-over tribal tattoos. After being unveiled to the DC Comics Extended Universe as the scales of ‘Justice League’ last year, Aquaman gets his own adventure, and it’s kind of a shock that it doesn’t suck, but only if you’re willing to sit through two hours of water-logged world-building before the movie finally takes off.”

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