EDITOR’S NOTE: The following review is for the Blu-ray version of AQUAMAN.
Since I’m sure that most of the folks reading this review via BOF, have already seen AQUAMAN on the big screen, I’m not going to spend much time re-reviewing the movie in this article.
I will say that it’s a movie that grew on me upon subsequent viewings; I went from “it’s OK” to “it’s pretty darn good.” If you would like to read my original review, CLICK HERE. (Keep in mind that I wrote this review after viewing it for the first time at a press screening and as I said, my opinion of it changed more positively the more I watched it.)
Also, I don’t have a lot of offer in terms of the technical details of how good it looked and sounded. Here’s what I got: It looked and sounded really good to me viewing it on my TV.
So from this point out, I’m going to focus on the disc’s “Special Features” as I know that’s what most of you care the most about. Here goes…
Going Deep Into the World of Aquaman (19:28) – The focus here is how director James Wan brought Aquaman and his world to life, as well as turning the character once considered a joke into a cool badass. Probably my favorite of the special features.
Becoming Aquaman (13:04) – Basically the story of how Jason Momoa became Aquaman.
James Wan: World Builder (7:43) – Mainly about all the tools Wan used to bring Atlantis to life, as well as the challenges.
Aqua-Tech (5:43) – More about the technology and filmmaking innovation used in the film.
Atlantis Warfare (4:40) – This one is about the special effects and stunts utilized to create the big battle in the film’s finale, which Wan calls a “space fight underwater.”
The Dark Depths of Black Manta (6:39) – The title makes it obvious what this one is about: Black Manta. Since I thought that was the weakest part of the movie, this one was pretty meh to me.
Heroines of Atlantis (5:32) – All about Nicole Kidman and Amber Heard.
Villainous Training (6:22) – Focuses on the 2 villains of the film — Orm/Ocean Master and Black Manta — and how they got in shape for the movie. Zzzzz…
Kingdoms of the Seven Seas (6:59) – Dolph Lundgren “hosts” this segment which is sort of a history lesson on the 7 underwater kingdoms.
Creating Undersea Creatures (7:15) – This one is all about the artists who created the creatures of the deep in Aquaman. Wan says he made it a point to have Aquaman ride a seahorse. This segment was pretty good.
A Match Made in Atlantis (3:12) – Momoa and Heard talk about the “chemistry” between Arthur and Mera. Zzzz…
Scene Study Breakdowns – Basically, a look at these key scenes from the film: “Submarine Attack” (2:45), “Showdown in Sicily” (3:52), and “The Trench” (3:35).
Exclusive Sneak Peek of SHAZAM! (3:27) – A look at the scene from SHAZAM! when the transformed-into-a-superhero Bill Batson turns to Freddy Freeman for superhero power help.
FYI: Unless it’s extremely hard to find, there is no commentary track from Wan or anyone else on the disc. I know many of you all like those, but there’s not one here.
There you have it. If you loved the film, I’d recommend that you add it to your collection. The extras are simply your basic ‘ol special features, so I wouldn’t suggest buying it simply for those. – Bill “Jett” Ramey
