Film Review

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023) —superhero sequel flounders in the shallow end

To defend Atlantis against Black Manta, Aquaman forges an alliance with his imprisoned brother…

Ironically, the tagline for James Wan’s sequel to his $1.1BN-grossing Aquaman (2018) is “the tide is turning”. That’s an understatement for the comic-book movie genre right now, which is struggling to appeal to an audience suffocating from its box office dominance. And it’s doubly true of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), which comes to an ignoble end with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom after a decade spent mostly chasing the tail of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

It’s commonly said that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (hereafter Aquaman 2) struggled because we know this corner of Warner Bros. is being retired, so none of it matters now. I’m not convinced that’s true, as I know people who are unaware the DCEU is ending (or that it was even a thing), but they’ve simply chosen to avoid seeing a movie that feels like it’s not offering anything new and exciting.