Did it flop? CGI, characterization and direction in ‘Aquaman 2’ didn’t win over fans

‘Aquaman 2: The Lost Kingdom’ recently premiered in theaters, and expectations were abruptly dashed, as the film caused disappointment among fans and critics.

The character Aquaman, played by Jason Momoa, has won the hearts of viewers since his introduction into the DC cinematic universe. However, the new chapter in the saga seems to have not reached the same level as its predecessor.

How was the first film?

Before we get into the reviews for ‘Aquaman 2’, it’s worth revisiting the success of the first film. ‘Aquaman’ was released with great expectations and managed to positively surprise both fans and critics. In particular, the film received high approval from critics, reaching almost 70% on the Rotten Tomatoes website.

The film’s gripping narrative, stunning visual effects, and charismatic performance by Jason Momoa contributed to its success.

‘Aquaman 2’: The Lost Approval

The sequel, which arrived at big screens on December 20, did not follow the same triumphant path.

In a year where the film industry has faced significant challenges, with many people preferring to watch movies at home, ‘Aquaman 2: The Lost Kingdom’ appears to have suffered the most from low reception.

In 2023, the focus of producers shifted a little from cinemas to concentrate more on superhero series.

So, as expected given these factors, the film’s approval rating is remarkably low, registering just 36% on Rotten Tomatoes.

This puts ‘Aquaman 2’ in an unfavorable position within the DC cinematic universe, as it was surpassed only by ‘Batman v Superman’ in terms of disapproval.

Reasons for failure

Deadline highlighted several issues responsible for the reception negative.

“[…] struggles with inconsistent characterization, substandard CGI, and a lack of narrative direction,” the site notes.

These elements seem to have frustrated critics, who were expecting a work that lived up to the wonderful saga established by the first ‘Aquaman’.

Amid a challenging year for superhero films, ‘Aquaman 2: The Lost Kingdom’ appears to have faced additional hurdles that have hurt its reception.

It remains to be seen whether, from now on, they will be able to reverse this trend and restore the glory of the underwater kingdom in the eyes of fans and critics.