There was a little conversation around making a film in a studio system with influence, and how Madame Webb likely had a solid creative team but Sony interfered and made shit. That conversation, for some reason, did not happen for Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom, a film do inconsequential, Warner Bros opened it the same weekend as two other Warner Bros titles (Wonka and The color Purple). Had they believed this sequel had gas in the tank, doing so for three recognizable franchise films over Christmas is insane. Even in a slower market affected by the strike, you are still competing with yourself. However, Warner Bros, in their infinite wisdom basically screwed this pooch a long time ago, and it is kinda James Gunn’s fault.

Yes, they were hitting a reset on DC. But, for Gunn, who kept Margot Robbie in Harley Quinn, and has promised to keep certain elements of the existing DC universe, he could have done a better “wait and see” with all the films set to open this year. They did seem to want The Flash to happen, and Gunn has said he plans on continuing Blue beetle in some form, but the future of Jason Momoa as Aquaman was put into question as soon as the Justice League around him started getting axed. That, plus the uncomfortable Amber Heard casting, where they aren’t sure if they should keep or cut her, so they just marginalize her involvement.

James Wan did return for the sequel, and this does actually pick up as a true sequel to the original with most of the original cast returning. Black Manta is the main villain, which is set up at the end of the first film, and all that really happened is forward motion in time so Arthur Curry is now a father. Patrick Wilson is back in a sizeable role, likely doing anything Amber Heard was supposed to do.

but, it feels rushed. It feels like James was told to hurry up, wrap it, and set it free on the world. There’s more craft in the first, when they were hoping to launch a major new box office titan. that movie did make money, and James Gunn or not, Aquaman deserved better. This film is a lesser sequel, but more than Madame Webb, this film has studio interference written all over it. I’d love to hear commentary from James wan, because I doubt he’s happy with this.

The audio description, which like the first is John Bentley and the team at deluxe, does a really good job at describing and immersing us in this world. I’ve heard this film has a lot of Guinness product placement, but it isn’t mentioned in the audio description. It is a far cheesier film than it needed to be, and I took it down a full step simply for that end credits sequence. I know, this film had no future, so what do you do? Not this, that for sure. I’ll save you the time and say that if you wait, it is just Patrick Wilson eating a hamburger, when he sees a cockroach, and then adds it to the burger… and then smiles with satisfaction. Don’t waste your time.

No one at WBD is allowed to complain about the failure of this film. They never wanted it to succeed. Imagine if it had, and it surpassed the original, and James Gunn was forced to carry on with Momoa and Heard. They tanked this on purpose, just like they made sure no one gets to see Batgirl or Coyote Vs Acme. What a disgusting group of human beings.

Final Grade: C