Aquaman (2018)
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The story
In 1985, a lighthouse keeper and the Queen of Atlantis have a son, Arthur, who possesses the power to communicate with sea creatures. In the present, Arthur is known as the metahuman 'Aquaman.' When his half-brother, King Orm, seeks to unite the underwater kingdoms and destroy the surface world for polluting the oceans, Arthur must step up to lead Atlantis. Alongside Mera, the princess of Xebel, Arthur must navigate the perils of the deep to find the Trident of Atlan, a powerful artifact required to reclaim his rightful place as king and protect the world above.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1985, lighthouse keeper Thomas Curry and Queen Atlanna have a son, Arthur, who can communicate with sea creatures. Atlanna is forced to leave him to protect him from her people. In the present, Arthur, known as Aquaman, faces a threat from his half-brother, Orm Marius. Orm seeks to unite the seven underwater kingdoms to become Ocean Master and destroy the surface world. After a pirate ship and a tsunami caused by Orm's schemes, Arthur and Mera team up to find the Trident of Atlan. They travel through various underwater realms, including the Kingdom of the Deserters and the Kingdom of the Brine. Along the way, they face Black Manta and a mythical sea monster, the Karathen. After proving his worth, Arthur claims the Trident, granting him control over the seven seas. In a final confrontation, Arthur defeats Orm in a duel. Orm eventually accepts his imprisonment after learning Arthur saved their mother. Atlanna reunites with Thomas, and Arthur ascends to the throne. A mid-credits scene shows Black Manta being rescued by a scientist obsessed with Atlantis.
- First release year
- 2018
- Runtime (minutes)
- 143
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- James Wan
- Writers
- David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick · writer; Will Beall · writer
- Cast and characters
- Jason Momoa · Arthur Curry / Aquaman; Amber Heard · Mera; Willem Dafoe · Nuidis Vulko; Patrick Wilson · Orm Marius / Ocean Master; Dolph Lundgren · Nereus; Yahya Abdul-Mateen II · David Kane / Black Manta; Nicole Kidman · Atlanna; Temuera Morrison · Tom Curry
- Genres
- superhero; action
- Themes
- sibling rivalry; environmentalism
- Tone and mood
- spectacle; adventure
- Premise and plot tags
- fantasy; action; superhero
- Source material / true-story basis
- DC Comics
- Reception
- The film received mixed to positive reviews from critics and was noted for its spectacle and ambition, though some critics criticized the dialogue and tone.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 66% · scale: percentage · review count: 412; Metacritic · score: 55 · scale: 100 · review count: 50; PostTrak · score: 4 · scale: 5
- Production trivia
- The film was the highest-grossing DCEU film.; The film was originally set for a July 2018 release.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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