 |
| Aquaman (2018) |
In 1985, the narrative begins in the sleepy Man Beach community of Amnesty Bay. Lighthousekeeper Thomas Curry finds an unconscious woman who has been washed up on the coast with an abdominal wound during a particularly stormy night. He takes her into his house and provides for her. When she awakens, Thomas treats her wound with respect, despite the fact that she seems scared and disoriented. After introducing herself as Atlanna, the Queen of Atlantis, she starts dating him. Over the ensuing years, Thomas and Atlanna are together and have a son named Arthur.
Everything is perfect until one day when a group of Atlantean commandos breaks into their house and launches an assault with the goal of returning Atlanna to King Orvax, her betrothed. After Atlanna fights back and takes the commandos out, she has time to escape with Arthur and Thomas. Atlanna promises to see both of them again someday, but she informs Thomas that she must go back to Atlantis for their protection. After giving Thomas a final kiss, she dives back into the water, leaving Arthur with her sea fork with five prongs for when he's ready to use it.
A few years later, Arthur is shown as a young boy on an aquarium field trip. When he is observed conversing with the fish, two bullies begin to make fun of him and humiliate him for it. Then, a shark begins hammering on the glass, slightly shattering it and frightening everyone else. They gaze in shock as all the marine life congregates just behind Arthur, who appears to have complete control over them as his eyes light up yellow. Twenty years later, a group of pirates commandeering a Russian submarine is led by Michael Beach's Jesse Kane and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's David.
The criminals discover that they struck something—or rather, that something struck them. After subduing the guys on board, it’s the grown-up Arthur, now portrayed by Jason Momoa and well-recognized as Aquaman, who comes to the rescue. Entering the sub, he takes on the pirates, dispatching them all with ease before pursuing the Kanes. Jesse shoots Arthur with an RPG, believing he has killed him, but Arthur manages to get back up relatively undamaged. Arthur pierces Jesse's chest in retaliation. Jesse gets caught behind a torpedo as the sub begins to take on water.
David begs Arthur for assistance in his valiant attempt to rescue his father, but Arthur declines to spare Jesse since he and his son have killed innocent people. David keeps attempting to release Jesse but realizes that his time is running short. Knowing this, Jesse pulls out a grenade and tells David to go so he may kill Arthur. Reluctantly, David hears Jesse detonate the explosive and exits the sub as soon as possible. As David flees in a different submarine, Arthur saves the other Russian crew members. Thomas is waiting for Atlanna on the docks, just like he has for years when Arthur joins him.
When Thomas sees a news article about Aquaman's valiant actions in a pub, he realizes it is his son. He reminds Arthur that it is his destiny to bring the kingdom of Atlantis and the surface world together. Then, a bunch of motorcyclists approach Arthur, acting as though they're seeking a brawl, but their true intention is to snap photos with him. Arthur's mentor, Nuidis Vulko, is with his half-brother Orm in Atlantis as they get ready to meet King Nereus of Xebel in an apparent attempt to bring the other sea kingdoms together. Orm wants Nereus to join forces with him.
Orm's true goal, meanwhile, is to assemble an army powerful enough to launch a surface-world invasion, with the belief that they will hit Atlantis first. Arthur's presence is known to Nereus as well, even if Orm denies the existence of his half-brother and the fact that his mother was a surface dweller. At that moment, a human submersible launches an attack on the region with an explosion. In retaliation, Orm and Nereus muster their troops, and Orm sends the submarine tumbling to the bottom of the sea. Then, as they are ready to send a message to the surface, Nereus is persuaded to support Orm.
As Arthur and Thomas are leaving the tavern that evening, Princess Mera, Nereus’s daughter, finds Arthur. She alerts Arthur to the fact that Orm intends to launch an onshore conflict, putting both land and marine life in jeopardy. Mera informs Arthur that Vulko has discovered a route to the long-lost Trident of Atlan, which may be utilized to vanquish Orm and establish Arthur as the new ruler of Atlantis. But Arthur doesn't seem interested because he still thinks the Atlanteans killed his mother. Arthur is unfazed and vows to deal with Orm in the manner he wants if he attacks.
David meets with Orm and his commandos in the North Sea in the meanwhile. Orm gives David his money in gold coins, but David is more interested in getting his hands on Aquaman, whom he believes is accountable for his father's passing. While Arthur and Thomas are making their way home, a huge tidal wave is moving toward the mainland. Arthur is forced outside after it hits their pickup, though he swims wildly back to his father. Mera’s assistance allows them to pull Thomas out of the sea and bring him back to consciousness. Arthur is persuaded to accompany her in stopping Orm after seeing the now-devastated area.
The two make their way to the edge of a cliff to jump into the water. This is the same location where Vulko taught Arthur how to swim, control his Atlantean impulses, and use his mother's sea fork in combat. Using her boat, Arthur and Mera sail beyond Atlantis to a sunken ship where Vulko is waiting. He informs Arthur that the Trident tale is true, having belonged to Atlan, the first king of Atlantis, and having been fashioned from strong steel to enable a good ruler. Atlantis made great scientific strides and flourished on the surface back then, but in the end, their thirst for power led them to ruin, and Atlantis was submerged beneath the water.
Some Atlanteans, however, regressed and transformed into monstrosities, while others benefited from their innovations, allowing them to adapt and breathe underwater. Atlan would live in exile for the remainder of his days. Just before they are ambushed by a commando unit, Vulko gives Arthur and Mera a cylinder to locate Atlan's last resting spot. When Vulko withdraws, Arthur and Mera engage in combat with them; however, Arthur is captured by a stronger gang commanded by Orm. Arthur is presented to Orm.
Arthur is made fun of for thinking that his mother was put to death because she had a kid on the surface, and he starts to feel responsible for her purported demise. Orm goes on to justify his views and his contempt for the surface world because of the damage they have caused to the waters. He promises to let Arthur go and never come back, but Arthur exercises his Atlantean right to challenge him to a duel. Orm agrees, in spite of Vulko and Mera's protests. Arthur gets ready for the fight, putting on armor and a helmet and taking out his mother's sea fork.
In the meanwhile, Orm presents a bracelet he claims belonged to Atlanna to Mera, his fiancée. In a flashback, Vulko is seen teaching Arthur how to wield it correctly and even teaching him how to form a barrier out of a water vortex. Vulko informed young Arthur that Atlanna was put to death by being fed to the monsters of the Trench, despite his belief that she left him because she didn't love him or his father. Arthur goes to the Ring of Fire in the present, where the combat is held in front of a jubilant assembly of people, the majority of whom have sided with Orm.
Despite Arthur's admirable display of strength, Orm tries to murder him by dragging him into the lava. After escaping Orm's grasp, Arthur's fork is destroyed by the wicked king with his trident. Before Orm can kill Arthur, Mera steps in and pulls him from the arena. Orm's soldiers are after the two as they flee on her boat. Despite Orm's belief that they were dead, Arthur and Mera manage to escape after their spacecraft is shot down, in order for the whale that Arthur calls to take them somewhere safe above the surface. The two hide within its mouth.
When Orm learns that Arthur and Mera are still alive, he gives his commandos the order to locate them. Nevertheless, Nereus compels Orm to make sure Mera is returned safely. Then Orm contacts David gives him the authority to guide the commandos in locating Arthur and Mera, and arms David with Atlantean weapons to guarantee Arthur's death. David modifies the armaments to his particular taste and specifications. In order to reach the Sahara Desert, Arthur and Mera board an aircraft and skydive out of it without parachutes.
Arthur learns from Mera that the ocean once covered the Sahara, and the two of them walk until they tumble down a hole that leads to an ancient temple where Atlan’s trident was fashioned. Mera sets the cylinder down on a circular platform, but nothing occurs until she discovers that water is required to activate it. After taking a drink from Arthur, she triggers a holographic communication from Atlan that provides directions on where to find the trident. Then, Arthur discovers an old wine bottle that has a map indicating that Sicily is their next destination.
When the Fisherman King rejects Orm's offer to work together, he is mercilessly murdered by Orm in front of his wife and daughter, and he gives them the command to send their people to join him. When Arthur and Mera get to Sicily, they participate in the surface dwellers' activities for a short while. They locate a place amid the historical leaders' sculptures. The location of the trident will only be disclosed by a monarch, according to Atlan’s word. Arthur realizes that the sole statue of a king is of Romulus, who established Rome and was its first emperor.
Placing the bottle there allows Arthur and Mera to use it as a telescope, revealing the location of the trident, which is in the Trench. David, now going by Black Manta, and his commandos, ambush them out of the blue. In addition, he employs weaponry that transforms water into plasma blasts. He shoots a laser at Arthur from his helmet. Arthur fights Manta while Mera leads the troops; she manipulates crimson liquid and impales the remaining ones, killing a few along the way. Before Manta plunges into the water, Arthur is able to send him hurtling through the air and unintentionally blasts himself with his own laser.
After Mera attends to Arthur's injuries, they set sail towards the Trench. He shares with her his feelings of guilt over David turning against him after he turned down the opportunity to save his father and his questions about his own suitability as a ruler. He is mistaken. Mera tells him he is the link that connects man and the water. Orm is back in Atlantis, organizing his newly unified tribes for their surface attack. When he learns that Vulko is working against him, he gives the order for his troops to put Vulko in jail. The terrible beasts of the Trench assault Arthur and Mera when they are sailing during a storm.
They fight back, but as the ship is destroyed, a massive horde emerges and forces them underwater. When it seems like their time is running out, a mysterious entity appears out of nowhere to save them and carry them up into a tropical room that is ventilated. Arthur is shocked to see it is Atlanna for the first time in years. He gives his mother a hug. He also informs her that, after all this time, Thomas has been waiting for her to come back. Atlanna explains to Arthur and Mera how she managed to avoid execution and ended up stranded in a foreign sea.
Arthur is informed by her that only the one true monarch is allowed to enter and get the trident, which is hidden behind a nearby waterfall. Arthur feels more confident to approach her and Mera. Once inside, Arthur notices the trident shining on a dais. He is immediately confronted by the enormous monster that protects the trident, Karathen. She attempts to assault him because she doesn't think Arthur is worthy, but Arthur utilizes his abilities to speak with her—a feat that was previously only accomplished by Atlan. Arthur responds that he is not worthy and that his only goal is to preserve both worlds.
When Karathen asks him what makes him worthy of holding the trident, Arthur gains more strength and a new armor of gold and green. When Karathen, who is persuaded, lets him take the trident from Atlan’s bones, Orm, who is now referring to himself as Ocean Master, gathers his army to invade the surface. Arthur and Mera lead their own troops of sea animals, including Karathen, in a pivotal battle that starts with them fighting back to defeat Orm’s army. The other Atlanteans abandon their allegiance to Orm when the beasts defeat his warriors.
The two engage in combat once more, but this time, Arthur pushes Orm to the surface. Arthur uses the force of the trident to his advantage, shattering Orm’s armor and bringing him to his knees. Even though Orm is demanding to be murdered, Arthur chooses to spare his life. However, Atlanna appears from the water to welcome Orm, and the two share an embrace. Orm complies with Vulko's directive to be arrested by the commandos. Arthur offers Orm's word that they may speak when he's ready. At that point, Arthur is crowned king by the Atlanteans.
When Thomas returns to the docks, he is taken aback to see that Atlanna has at last come back to him. They give each other a hug and a kiss. In his narration, Arthur ends by saying that fate has a way of uniting people, just as it did when it brought his parents together. He has finally acknowledged his role as the king of the sea, guardian, ruler, and son of the land. David is discovered to be alive halfway through the credits by conspiracy theorist Steven Shin, who is fixated on Atlantis and Aquaman. David awakens to see Steven examining the Atlantean tech. David promises to assist Steven in discovering Arthur, Aquaman, and murdering him in exchange for showing him how to do it.
Full Video Recap Of 'Aquaman (2018)'
CAST OF AQUAMAN (2018)
Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry / Aquaman
Amber Heard as Mera
Willem Dafoe as Nuidis Vulko
Patrick Wilson as Orm Marius / Ocean Master
Dolph Lundgren as Nereus
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as David Kane / Black Manta
Ludi Lin as Captain Murk
Temuera Morrison as Tom Curry
Nicole Kidman as Atlanna
Michael Beach as Jesse (Manta's Father)
Randall Park as Dr. Stephen Shin
Graham McTavish as King Atlan
Leigh Whannell as Cargo Pilot
Tainui Kirkwood as Young Arthur (Three Years Old)
Tamor Kirkwood as Young Arthur (Three Years Old)
Denzel Quirke as Young Arthur (Three Years Old)
Kaan Guldur as Young Arthur (Nine Years Old)
Otis Dhanji as Young Arthur (Thirteen Years Old)
Other Info
Director: James Wan
Writers: David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick - Will Beall - Geoff Johns
Movie Genres: Action - Adventure - Fantasy - Sci-Fi
Release Date: December 2018
Countries of Origin: United States
Filming Locations: Canada - Australia - Morocco - Italy
Production Companies: Warner Bros - DC Entertainment - The Safran Company - DC Comics
Estimated Budget: $160,000,000
Runtime: 2 hours 23 minutes
.webp)