Cinema
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
There's been very little hype in the run-up to the release of The Lost Kingdom, sequel to 2018’s Aquaman. Could it be the DC Extended Universe is finally losing its appeal with audiences?
Of course not! While Wonder Woman 1984 and Birds of Prey may have left punters feeling a little flat and unfulfilled, surely Aquaman has enough might and muscle to pull off another big screen hit?
Like Shazam!, The Flash and Blue Beetle before him, Aquaman has to be one of the more palatable heroes in DC's arsenal and, despite rumours of a troubled production and on-set awkwardness between stars Jason Momoa and Amber Heard, the Lost Kingdom manages to pull it off for a second time and is every bit the flashy, action-filled fantasy that made the first movie such an OTT hit.
Yes, it's hammy as hell and as fabulously flamboyant as the annual Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special, but we're talking about Aquaman here, he's a bit hard to take too seriously.
Festooned with elaborate costumes and the kind of special effects that blur the line between photorealism and computer game quality animation, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is a nautical dish that's best served with as much ham as possible. Think of it as a cinematic surf ’n’ turf.
Directed again by horror movie maestro James Wan, the action this time around sees Aquaman team up with his estranged brother King Orm in an attempt to bring down Black Manta once and for all, but it's not going to be easy. If you're a DC aficionado, then of course you'll already be on board with this one, and there's certainly nothing wrong with that.
If, however, you're a casual viewer and can take or leave the swashbuckling flamboyance of this fabulously fishy franchise, you'll need to leave your brain at the box office and just let the OTT action and world-ending, underwater antics wash over you.
Netflix
Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire
Inspired by Star Wars and dreamed up by an adolescent Zack Snyder, Rebel Moon is Snyder's attempt to breath life into a story that's been swirling around his head for the past forty-odd years.
Famous for directing movies like Watchmen, 300 and Justice League, you know you're in for a visual feast when you take on a Zack Snyder movie. Think of the blood soaked slow-motion tracking shots from 300, and the bone-crunching violence and unabashed sexuality of Watchmen, and you'll know exactly what we're taking about.
Snyder can't be faulted when it comes to creating breathtaking and grandiose visuals, that much is true. Unfortunately, Rebel Moon's story leaves a lot to be desired and just feels like a slap-dash mashup of the aforementioned Star Wars saga and other superior sci-fi franchises. It's extremely off-putting when every other scene reminds you of something from Dune, or Star Wars, or Blade Runner... the list goes on.
If you're curious, by all means give it a go, but be prepared for some very flashy and very obvious cinematic déjà vu.
