Aquaman

FunLover18 · 06-10-2018 11:02AM

That looks awful, absolutely awful. That guy with the big red eyes looked like something out of Power Rangers, the funny bits weren't funny and the underwater stuff looks crap.

Falthyron · 06-10-2018 11:07AM

Fun looking trailer, but that chase sequence on the roof needs a lot of work. It clearly looks like a green screen set.

johnny_ultimate · 06-10-2018 11:28AM

HandsomeBob wrote: »

I feel farmed is an unfair word to use.

A render farm is a very specific thing, so nothing unfair about it

I have no problem with a colourful film... I do have problems with films that look like they've been manipulated to the point where it primarily looks like a tech demo. Check out the extended dialogue scene in the cave/cavern in proper HD for an example of what I mean - it looks like two actors in front of a green screen, rather than a believable location. The lighting is off, and the direction only seems to draw attention to how artificial it all looks.

Aesthetics are a very subjective thing... but this, like Zack Snyder's films, simply appears to me to have been over-designed to death. These things sometimes look better on the big screen, granted, but wouldn't have a lot of interest in this film in the first place so unlikely to find out if that's the case for myself.

I should stress that going overboard with colour and image manipulation isn't always a bad thing - Mad Max: Fury Road is a great example of something that exists in a sort of neat hyper-reality.

Falthyron wrote: »

that chase sequence on the roof needs a lot of work. It clearly looks like a green screen set.

Perfect example of what I mean. Long, fluid action shots are best when you're left kinda stunned by the choreography and subtle trickery involved. The 'money' shot in that trailer primarily draws attention to its own 'fakeness', with its impossible camera movement and clearly heavily computerised environments. I'd liken it to the big chase scene in the Tintin movie, but that got away with it more because it's animated - this, to me, feels like it'd been more confident if it just went fully animated too.

pixelburp · 06-10-2018 01:10PM

I'm not convinced either; yes obviously a film about underwater cities necessiates CGI and FX but it all looks rubbery and stylised beyond believability. Those battle scenes are indecipherable and a HD mess of excessive detail (to quote Rick McCallum, the "screen is so dense"), while the floaty CGI hair is distracting. It wouldn't have betrayed the idea if they just had these things indoors.

The best parts were the desert / Indiana Jones esque sequences, but even that fell apart with the obviously digital "one take" (a gimmick that I wish they'd consign to the bin unless they're actually doing it "real"). There's no weight, no tangiblity, and so no sense of peril. And yup, Black Manta looks goofy as hell, I hope at least the script has the good sense to point that out.

Slydice · 19-11-2018 06:27PM

I ... eh.. hold on.. this looks like a Superhero film.. :eek:

Slydice · 19-11-2018 09:12PM

That trailer music is really cool though.

Pretty sure this is it:

It's like a a suped up superhero version of the song (Enjoy The Silence by KI Theory) used for the Ghost in the Shell trailer:

pixelburp · 20-11-2018 11:09AM

Nope, hard pass from me; same reasons as already expressed, and anyway, the aqua-bro approach just rubs me up the wrong way. If the reviews all come back brimming with legitimate positivity I'll give it a whirl.

El Duda · 27-11-2018 10:07AM

The usual hyperbolic, glowing twitter reviews are in for this.

I'm not holding my breath. Get it? Holding my breath! Ha ha ha

My life is hollow and empty

Slydice · 27-11-2018 05:24PM

First I was like..

El Duda wrote: »

Get it? Holding my breath! Ha ha ha

Fishing for compliments?

Then I was like..

El Duda wrote: »

My life is hollow and empty

:eek:

banie01 · 27-11-2018 05:29PM

Hopefully they can pull together at least a watchable movie with this one.
That said, the bar for that in the DCEU is a low one.
The disappointment that came with Batman Vs Superman, Suicide Squad and Justice League will take some frankly ridiculously good DC movies to assuage.

Agent Coulson · 07-12-2018 06:20PM

It has set a record for opening day in China with a $25m opening DC/WB are hoping for an $80m opening weekend in China.

Agent Coulson · 09-12-2018 11:51PM

$94m opening weekend in China.

Johnmb · 10-12-2018 10:46PM

Agent Coulson wrote: »

$94m opening weekend in China.

I'll show my ignorance of the Chinese market, is that good or bad?

Slydice · 11-12-2018 12:04AM

Well, there the https://www.boxofficemojo.com/ which shows numbers

Top films this year in America listed here:
https://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=2018&p=.htm
Black Panther
Avengers: Infinity War
Incredibles 2

The total money they made in China was:
$105m Black Panther - https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=intl&country=CH&id=marvel2017b.htm
$359m Avengers: Infinity War - https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=intl&country=CH&id=marvel0518.htm
$51m Incredibles 2 - https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=intl&country=CH&id=theincredibles2.htm

Grace talks about the market a bunch. The cavaet is that China can be difficult as the Government has a lot of control/say in what gets shown/what gets shown against it/how long it can show etc

Slydice · 11-12-2018 08:59PM

Director of Shazam:

https://twitter.com/ponysmasher/status/1072532509831954434

AMKC · 12-12-2018 02:05PM

So anyone going to see this today? Might go see it myself tonight.

IncognitoMan · 12-12-2018 10:06PM

Just back from it.

I liked it but I don't know if I'd feel like I need to see it again. It's a bit formulaic.

I have to say some of the locations are absolutely beautiful and really add to the sense of it being an adventure.

Trailers have given an awful lot of the big set pieces away, I think I would have been more impressed if I hadn't seen the trailers because the actual scenes are brilliantly done. My own fault really.

It's a good introduction for Aquaman though and there is a set up for the next film, although I can't say I'm really excited about the set up if I'm honest.

Just one post credits scene and it's fairly early as well so no need to wait around.

Better than Justice League and suicide squad. Not as good as Man of Steel, BvS ultimate cut or Wonder Woman would be my initial reaction.

Bit of a disclaimer on that : It's also fair to say I like MoS and BvS more than most :pac:

At the same time, I have a feeling it will go over better with audiences than all the other DC films bar Wonder Woman.

AMKC · 12-12-2018 11:13PM

Not long back from seeing it. I thought it started quite slow and was not really a fan of the way it starts but then it does gets better.

There is a decent story to it and Aquaman as well some good action scenes too.

There is some parts to it I really did not like eg some of the language in it for instance I would not be a fan of. Maybe its not bad to say them things now but to me anyway I think its not something you want to be teaching a 12 year old. I know I was told that's bad to say at that age.
There is not one main villain. There is two really both with their own reasons for what they are doing.
There is a couple of nice twists in the film too.

Some of the location's both real and made up and scenes in this are spectacular and do look amazing. They are a feast for the eyes.

Maybe some might say it goes on a bit longer than it needed too but the last 40 or so minutes is worth the wait. I never looked at my watch the whole film do as it flew by. Did notice a person in front of me with their phone out do which was annoying.
There is a mid credit scene after the film but as the poster above said that's it then.

I would give the film a 6 out of 10 I think.

siblers · 12-12-2018 11:59PM

It's ok I guess, it has some very good set pieces and some funny dialogue but on the other hand, some of the dialogue and acting is really, really bad.

the part where Wilem Dafoe was teaching teenager Aquaman how to use the trident was god awful

Jason Mamoa isn't the greatest actor around,he wasn't helped by some of the dialogue he had to work with and he had he's a bit awkward at times but he's very likeable and as the film goes on, he comes into his own, he has very good chemistry with Amber Heard as well. Patrick Wilson is pretty generic too, fairly run of the numbers type villain.

Some of the action scenes are good at times

The scene where they are escaping the trench monster things was brilliant

but there are other fight scenes that are incoherent

Aquaman's fight with Orm and later with Black Manta in Sicily were both pretty badly done

It's a bit long as well, there's a lot of back stories and explaining going on and the whole story with

Black Manta

isn't all that great, having

Black Manta as the main Antagonistic for the sequel

doesn't appeal to me very much.

The saving grace of the film is that at least it offers something new with the whole underwater world, there's a bit more variety in the locations and the people and the CGI of the world they have created is pretty impressive. Compared to the trash CGI in Justice League and Themyscira in Wonder Woman, it's miles ahead. Justice League was depressingly bad, this film has a lot of heart (I know that's a cliche) and you get a sense of passion and love behind the film which I didn't get in most of the other DC films (bar Wonder Woman, even if it is highly over rated imo)

Not a spoiler but those Atlantis commandos looked like something out of Power Rangers, they were a bit comical really

Slydice · 13-12-2018 12:06AM

Just back from 3D IMAX in Cineworld.

It's a pretty decent return from where DC had found themselves. None of the dodgy dark feeling special effect. This time James Wan used the computing power for some pretty cool set pieces. OH MAN THAT SCENE

IN THE TRENCH!

:eek: I don't think I've seen many James Wan scenes but from what I know,

he does horror well

. I can see that!

I thought the fights were alright and for some reason

Nicole Kidmans asswhooping early on the film seemed to stand out for me.. as it did in the trailer.

The story was straight forward, the acting was alright.
It was the directing that brought out the best in the film. It went through the weaker parts fast and gave some of the stronger moments a real kick.

Technicalities: The film doesn't need to be seen in 3D... BUT.. a good set of speakers or subwoofers that can do the bass was cool for

the scenes with the trident WOM WOM.. WOM WOM

There's the mid credits scene. It'll give a clue for the future.

Overall, the film delivered a Super-Hero origin story and looks to be the start.. maybe.. of steadying the DC boat.

AMKC wrote: »

Some of the location's both real and made up and scenes in this are spectacular and do look amazing. They are a feast for the eyes.

Maybe some might say it goes on a bit longer than it needed too but the last 40 or so minutes is worth the wait.

Agreed! The time flew for me.. compared to the half a million ads shown by the cinema before the film WHICH TOOK FOR-BLEEDIN-EVER!

p to the e · 14-12-2018 11:56AM

Not the worst I've seen. As others have said it has it's flaws but it has some decent scenes aswell.

Positives:

All of the cast give it their best especially Patrick Wilson who seems to be having a ball.
Good to see Dolph Lungdren back in a big movie.
The trench scenes were particularly good.
Julie Andrews doing a voice over was unexpected.

Negatives:

The whole black manta sub plot didn't really do it for me.
Once again for DC it's the script that seems to be the problem.
Nicole Kidman's face scares the **** out of me. I've seen more wrinkles on a window.
It was a bit overlong

Some notes:

Maybe it's been explained somewhere but I'm too lazy to search. Why does he keep referring his mother's weapon as a trident when it has 5 prongs?
When I saw that Nicole Kidman was playing mother to Patrick Wilson and Momoa my immediate thought was they can't be too far apart in age. For anyone interested Kidman is 51, Wilson is 45 and Momoa is 39.

corkie · 15-12-2018 11:49PM

Watching Graham Norton!

This is what I think of when I hear Aquaman!

Hope the New Film doesn't SUCK?

ThePott · 16-12-2018 10:23AM

Probably the definition of a mixed bag for me. Won't see it again or anything.

Positives:
- Cast is pretty good, even Heard who I was skeptical of
- It really goes for it and doesn't avoid weirdness
- Some of the action scenes and the simpler fight scenes work
- Land sequences are lots of fun
- Some cool visuals

Negatives
- This movies tries to do waaaaay too much, there's so many things going on in this movie and it comes off as unnecessary when trying to tell a simple story, convuluted and dragged the movie a bit. It felt long.
- Some of the dialogue was pretty atrocious, lots of exposition too. I also found it odd that at least 3 dialogue scenes were interrupted by an explosion, it felt like they didn't know how to end those scenes so they put in an action beat.
- The cheesy moments really clashed at some points, it was admirable that the movie went out on a limb but makes it hard to take things to seriously when necessary.
- Obviously the movie needs lots of CGI but at times there was so much it was hard to get invested in it especially the battle scenes, they seemed so hollow and artificial.
- Predictable, also if you've seen the trailers you kinda know everything that's coming. It's weird for a movie that makes some bold creative choices to feel so pedestrian at times.

Probably middle of the road for the DC films.

p to the e · 17-12-2018 10:13AM

ThePott wrote: »

I also found it odd that at least 3 dialogue scenes were interrupted by an explosion, it felt like they didn't know how to end those scenes so they put in an action beat.

Forgot about this. Thought that was hilarious. Hmmmm. How can we drum up a bit of excitement? Let's blow a hole in the wall and have bad guys jump through it..... on three separate occasions.

ThePott · 17-12-2018 10:19AM

A guy on another site made a list of the times it happens apparently:

1) Mera expository dialogue about the trident to Arthur: Atlantians bust through the wall and attack
2) Father expository dialogue to Black Manta: Aquaman busts through the roof to attack
3) Orm expository dialogue to Dolph Lungren: Submarine blows up the wall to attack
4) Vulko expository dialogue to Aquaman and Mera: Atlantians blow up the wall and attack
5) Aquaman expository dialogue to Mera: Black Manta blows up a statue and attacks
6) Mera and Aquaman sailing: Trench sneak attack the ship
7) Even the final battle is Aquaman bursting out of the ground to sneak attack both armies!

On further reflection I think I like this film less.

brianregan09 · 17-12-2018 06:04PM

May want to spoiler that

restive · 17-12-2018 08:41PM

I did not think this was good. No tension. Ovrrblown CGI. Some of it even reminded me of the phantom menace. No real link to the wider DC universe.

ThePott · 17-12-2018 10:49PM

brianregan09 wrote: »

May want to spoiler that

Why?

I thought spoilers were allowed post release, there's nothing that spoilery in it anyway.

dublinman1990 · 18-12-2018 01:28AM

This movie is definitely one supreme feast for the eyes. I cannot believe that the Visual FX & CGI in this movie looked so damn good on the big screen. The scenes of Atlantis, the surface world & Aquaman's official suit; oh my word; Wow! The shots that were included in this movie were incredible. When you're seeing scenes of Atlantis underwater; the bright colours pop out in more ways that you cannot believe from first hand samples that were given from traditional media journalists & so on. It is that bloody good. What you will get from the online screenshots will be beaten by what you see in these scenes by watching them in the movie theater. If you ever get a UHD Blu-ray copy of this incredible film sometime in 2019. Get it while the going is hot. You probably will never be disappointed with the eventual results on your HT at home.

I didn't get any weird vibes from the soundtrack. I thought it sounded fine for me throughout the whole movie.

The acting from all of the cast in this movie were really great. William Defoe was really good through all of it. He really sounded like a real authoritative figure throughout the most important parts of it. Princess Mera was excellent. She looked real hot in her teal blue costume within the later parts of the film.

The jokes & gags in it were cleverly put together by the scriptwriters & by everyone else involved in the whole process.

Overall it was a really good movie to watch if you're into the Visual FX. They definitely do deserve to be nominated for the big awards like The Golden Globes & an Oscar for it's incredible efforts. If you haven't seen in the theater yet; go into see it before the Christmas rush hits you. Prepare to be amazed as it is a visual feast that will leave you with plenty of surprises along the way. It is simply a film of creative genius for making the visuals work brilliantly on the screen.

PhiloCypher · 18-12-2018 01:21PM

This was an overlong mess imo

My thoughts :
*They could have cut out the black Manta stuff entirely and made a much tighter film. Just set him up in the post credits Scavenging Atlantean tech after the battle at the end.
* The flashbacks were both jarring in placement and execution.
*The De-aging CG was 'Cavills moustache' awful and in the case of Kidman unnecessary .
* Momoas AquaBro-ness grates after 2 and a quarter hours of it.
*The Bladerunneresque synths worked in the establishing shots of Atlantis but less so elsewhere. The less said about the pop song used in Sicily the better.
*They clearly used up most of their CG budget in the Atlantis v Brine battle as the Desert scenes looked like a matte painting and the de-aging CG wasn't a patch on Marvels.
*I found Orm a fairly sympathetic character up until

he killed the fish King

. His hatred for the surface world for polluting their ocean and Arthur for being the cause of his Mother being

executed

were, in the context of a superhero movie, sound reasons.

Aquaman

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