Why 'Aquaman' Feels Like a Fresh Approach for DC

What could be greater than a trailer? A five-minute footage reel. That’s exactly what
Warner Bros. released Friday morning for James Wan’s Aquaman. The extended look
gives viewers a greater glimpse at the scope and tone of the first cinematic adaptation
of DC’s most underrated hero. While DC’s cinematic universe, outside of Wonder
Woman (2017) has divided fans and critics, Aquaman looks unlike anything else
superhero films have offered before. Let’s dive in.

The footage opens on a snowglobe, resting on top of H.P. Lovecraft’s The Dunwich

Horror. While it may seem like simple set dressing, the two objects hint at the film’s
tone and influences, suggesting both otherworldly fantasy and beauty, alongside
extradimensional horror with far-reaching consequences. But before the footage takes
us down those paths, it establishes the love story between Queen Atlanna (Nicole
Kidman) and lighthouse keeper Tom Curry (Temuera Morrison). Over the decades,
Aquaman’s origins have gone through numerous iterations.

When the character debuted in More Fun Comics No. 73 (1941), he was the son of
human parents, whose widowed father, a scientist, taught him how to survive
underwater while studying Atlantis. In the late '50s, Aquaman’s heritage was rewritten
and he became the son of a lighthouse keeper and an outcast from Atlantis.
1989’s The Legend of Aquaman Special, rewrote his Aquaman’s origins yet again,
making him the son of Queen Atlanna and the wizard Atlan who was abandoned and
then found by the aging lighthouse keeper Arthur Curry who gave the child his name.
21st century comics have blended these origins together, and the result is the one we
see established for the film. Arthur Curry/Aquaman (Jason Momoa) as “a product of
love that never should have been” opens up interesting avenues for the character,
both as a man of two worlds, and one who feels abandoned by a mother and kingdom
he never truly got to know. For all the spectacle that’s shown here, the opening
scenes serve as a reminder that Aquaman’s story is one of abandonment and
inheritance and the reconciliation of the two.

The new footage not only does more to establish Arthur Curry’s place in the world, but
also Mera’s (Amber Heard). Don’t mistake her as simply Aquaman’s girlfriend destined
to be a damsel in distress. Mera is one of the most powerful and interesting characters
in the DC Universe. Just as she’s been a co-lead in Aquaman’s comic since 2011, she’s
also said to be the co-lead of the film. With an ability to manipulate water and turn it
into weapons, and equipped with the history of one of the world’s greatest
civilizations, Mera is shown to not only be a formidable opponent but also able to toe-
to-toe with Arthur’s brash personality. Think of Arthur and Mera as DC’s rockstar
couple...

1. Complete the word missing for each definition:

__________________: Sharp or strong anxiety, pain, or sorrow

__________________: A person who is rejected or cast out, as from home or society.
__________________: A line of approach
__________________: Impolite or rude; tactless.
__________________: Being in direct confrontation or opposition.
__________________: Extent, limit or range of view, outlook.
__________________: Concerned with the world of imagination or the world to come.
__________________: A short piece of video or film showcasing an actor or
presenter's previous work.
__________________: The act of repeating; a repetition.

2. Complete the chart (green verb forms)

ACTIVE PASSIVE
SIMPLE PERFECT SIMPLE PERFECT

PRESENT

PAST

3. Answer:

What's the meaning of the words in yellow?

Why is “dive in” used?

What's a “damsel in distress”?

What's the grammar structure highlighted in blue?

While Wan may be primarily known for delivering chills and thrills he also knows how
to create compelling romantic relationships that don’t force either character to lose
their sense of agency, as seen his Conjuringfilms. Expect the banter between Arthur
and Mera to be one of the film’s highlights as they go on a quest that evokes
swashbuckling adventures of early cinema and Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981).
Romance as both a subject and subgenre of summer blockbuster films has largely
fallen to the wayside but between Wonder Woman and what we’ve seen
from Aquaman, it seems to be making a comeback in a big way.

What would a quest film be without a fabled object? The object in question
in Aquaman is Atlan’s trident, which has the power to unite the worlds of land and sea
or create all-encompassing destruction. It’s this trident that Arthur and his half-
brother Orm (Patrick Wilson) are both seeking to control. Atlan has long played a role
in Aquaman mythos, though his depiction has differed over the years. Originally an
Atlantean wizard, Geoff Johns dusted off the character for the New 52 relaunch and
made him Aquaman’s ancestor and the greatest king of Atlantis until he was betrayed
by his brother Orin who killed his wife, children, and anyone loyal to Atlan. Taking on
the monkier The Dead King, Atlan forged six mystical artifacts, one of which being the
trident, and sunk the nation he had led to greatness into the ocean. The film hints at
an approach similar to writer Geoff John’s, one that also alludes to T.H. White’s
adaptation of Arthurian legend, The Once and Future King, and Arthur’s confrontation
with Morgan le Fay. While it has previously been said that Aquaman may take
inspiration in its multi-kingdom conflict from Game of Thrones, John
Boorman’s Excalibur (1981) is just as likely a source for Wan’s film to draw its
fantastical and thematic influence from.

The highlight of the new footage is a single take shot that follows Arthur and Mera as
they face off against secondary villain Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), and his
pirates across rooftops. It’s clear from this footage that Wan isn’t only embracing the
comic canon, right down to the costumes, but also bringing a unique visual style that
feels fresh to the world of superhero cinema. While so much emphasis is placed on
these movies being grounded nowadays, Wan looks to go in the opposite direction and
really tap into the bold colors and choreographed movement created by comic book
artists. Aquaman may appear entirely different from Wan’s early work but it still
carries his affinity for signature set pieces and impressive design work.
Aquaman looks like a perfect blend of comic book lore along with a fresh approach to
DC’s cinematic universe. The result promises to be much more than another
superhero movie.

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