Director Report Card: James Wan (2023)

11. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

I, as an average citizen, should know nothing about the business side of Hollywood. The names of entertainment company CEOs, ideally, would remain complete mysteries to me. I'm here for the art, man, not to learn about stock numbers. Unfortunately, we live in an imperfect world which means I know who David Zaslav is. Warner Brothers' 2022 merger with Discovery Media and Zaslav's appointment to the corporation's throne seems to have thrown things into chaos. WB's attempt to build their own superhero cinematic universe to rival Disney/Marvel's became a load-bearing wall in the company's existence, despite the series always trailing behind their direct competition. James Wan's "Aquaman" had been one of the few unarguable hits of the DC Extended Universe, which obviously meant a sequel immediately went into production. Zaslav, however, pinned the entire future of the franchise on "The Flash," the kind of behind-the-scenes fiascos that books are written about. (Following "Justice League," already an example of an equally staggering production clusterfuck.) By the time "Aquaman 2" made it to theaters, "The Flash" had bombed to such a degree that an entire reboot of the cinematic DC Universe was already announced. This meant "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" was the dying gasps of a failed endeavor, the unintentionally final chapter in an attempt to build an international brand. That's not the only reason the sequel failed to repeat the original's billion dollar success. Many other factors were involved in "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" being the latest victim of superhero fatigue. Few of them where the fault of James Wan and the rest of the creative team. As a genuine fan of Aquaman as a comic book character, let me attempt to autopsy what the sequel got right, what it did wrong, and why it failed to resonate with a public that ate up the first one. 

Since defeating his brother and ascending to the throne of Atlantis, Arthur Curry's life has changed considerably. He's taken Mera as his queen and beget a son, Arthur Jr. Balancing the duties of fatherhood, ruling a kingdom, and being a head-smashing oceanic superhero has been difficult though. As a global climate crisis cripples Atlantis, Arthur is faced with an old foe returning. Black Manta, still determined to take revenge on Aquaman, has acquired an ancient black trident. The weapon is possessed by the spirit of Kordax, the inhuman king of a cursed Atlantean kingdom that was imprisoned in Arctic ice centuries ago. Kordax is using Manta's hunger for revenge to burn Orichalcum, a powerful fuel source with disastrous effects on the environment, to free himself and his army. Arthur seeks out the help of an unexpected source to stop Black Manta's destructive quest: His brother Orm, the Ocean Master. The two will have to overcome their legendary sibling rivalry if they hope to save the world. 

Much of the first "Aquaman's" success, I suspect, can be attributed to the public's love of Jason Momoa's goofy dude-bro persona. Momoa's sex appeal and charm turned a character probably regarded as a joke by many into a huge moneymaker. Not unreasonably, Momoa was given more control over the sequel, first pitching an idea for a follow-up during production of the original. This means "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" features far more of Momoa's silly machismo. He begins the film with a monologue about how boring he finds his kingly duties and how much more he'd rather be fighting bad guys. The subsequent action scene is scored to "Born to Be Wild," among the most obvious of dad rock needle drops. Throughout the sequel, he extols the virtues of cheeseburgers, beer, and fist fights. Now that Aquaman is a dad, the sequel turns Arthur Curry into more of a meat-headed tough guy with a heart of gold that loves his son. It removes the cinematic Aquaman further from the complex character he is on the page while also showing the limits of Momoa's charms. He's amusing when doing the cartoonish surfer guy angle but the sequel is unable to add much more depth. Momoa and Arthur Curry with him becomes a more two-dimensional – and perhaps annoying at times –  caricature. 

This goes hand-in-hand with an overall goofier tone. There are multiple jokes throughout the first ten minutes about Arthur Jr. peeing in his dad's face. The image of an infant telepathically communicating via psychic waves emanating from his head crops up a few times. Topo the Octopus played the drums in one scene in the first "Aquaman," an in-joke that became an internet meme. Now Topo has graduated to a proper supporting player, leading to the hero dismissively making rude comments to the squishy cephalopod. John Rhys Davis as the Brine King, the odd crab humanoid, is given a larger role too while Storm the giant seahorse also gets the spotlight for a sequence. Arthur tricking his brother into eating a cockroach is a running gag. All of this and more contributes to a far sillier, jokier tone. Wan's first "Aquaman" didn't take itself that seriously and it was a license for the film to embrace a delightful, imaginative looseness. The sequel doubles down on the silly without raising the amusement and imagination much, making the limitations of this approach much more evident.

James Wan and David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick supposedly took inspiration from the Silver Age era of comics when writing “The Lost Kingdom.” This is fitting, as that was the era when Aquaman became one of the few superheroes to be an active family man. During that time, Mera would often accompany him on his adventures, Aqualad and Aquagirl became part of the team, and even Arthur Jr. was sometimes involved in the shenanigans under the name Aquababy. This era would come to a definitive end with issue #452 of “Adventure Comics,” published in August of 1977. That is when Black Manta murdered Arthur's toddler son, in what is surely one of the darkest events in superhero comics up to that point. It's a notorious story and one the sequel hints at, with Black Manta abducting the child in the last third. All throughout production, the question of whether “Aquaman 2” would go that far floated over it. That would certainly distinguish the film from the rest of the superhero lot.

Unsurprisingly, this light-hearted superhero adventure does not climax with infanticide. Unwilling to murder a baby, the sequel instead attempts to emphasize the theme of family. Mera getting injured by Black Manta is what drives him on this mission. His dad and mother get larger roles, with the plot eventually bending towards the two brothers learning to forgive each other. It's a nice idea but it proves to be an element more informed than depicted. Amber Heard somehow became the center point of right-wing hatred after she sued her alcoholic ex-husband with a history of erratic behavior. How exactly this effected the production of “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” remains largely within the realm of tabloid gossip. However, we do know that Amber Heard's role in the film was reduced during reshoots. Mera is practically a non-entity throughout long stretches of the film. Meanwhile, it's tricky to fight crime with a baby strapped to your back, meaning Arthur Jr. spends a lot of time with his granddad. Ultimately, it's hard to take the movie's claims of being about a love of family when it intentionally forces the hero apart from his wife and son for long stretches of its runtime. 

Superhero movies being subjected to extensive re-shoots and essentially rewritten in the editing room has become standard practice over the last decade. You might go so far as to call it the Marvel Method. While we can only speculate exactly on how “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” was re-shuffled after filming, the effect is undeniably felt. The sequel is overly burdened with exposition and back-story all throughout. Concepts – like the nature of the desert prison Orm is kept in or this mysterious fuel source Manta is exploiting – are sloppily introduced in voice-over during visual montages. Seemingly important plot points, like a plague sweeping through Atlantis and killing Willem DaFoe's Vulko, are relegated to easily missed lines of dialogue. The worst example of this occurs in the last third. The entire backstory of Kordax and the Lost Kingdom – otherwise known as the thing that gives the sequel its subtitle – is delivered in one massive exposition dump with less than an hour to go. The impression that the film had a litany of ideas and concepts to introduce, but no organic way to set them up in the narrative, occurs throughout all of “Aquaman 2.”

These are not the only ideas in “The Lost Kingdom” that seem like they are going to be important but are abandoned quickly. The opening montage suggests that weary is the head that wears the crown, Arthur finding himself ill-suited to being royalty. This is a frequent theme in the “Aquaman” comics and seems like it's going to add additional tension to the sequel's story. Arthur busting Orm out of jail potentially makes him a traitor to his own state. Instead, this idea never really builds to anything. Similarly, earlier scenes also suggest that Atlantis revealing itself to the surface is going to be a major plot thread throughout. It's not, being mentioned in this early sequence and coming back for the final sequence, but never actually being incorporated into the plot. All of this suggests that many different ideas were floated for “Aquaman 2,” some of them being incorporated into different drafts and cuts of the film, and the final result is a compromised combination of all of them.

In other words, “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” is a bit of a mess, clearly at the mercy of behind-the-scenes studio politics and endless re-structuring in post-production. Despite that, the movie still managed to entertain me. Once Arthur and Orm are teamed-up, the sequel becomes a rather entertaining movie in the buddy cop mold. Two guys who don't like each other, for reasons perhaps more personal than usual, are forced together on an adventure. During this wild journey, they will learn to respect each other and maybe love each other too. Watching that play out, with recovering villain Orm proving himself or Arthur risking his neck for the guy, is the smoothest element of the script. Moreover, the chemistry between Jason Momoa and Patrick Wilson provides a lot of pep to the second half. Momoa, in full-on goofy surfer dude mode, plays nicely off Wilson as the humorless Orm. That the brothers literally come from different words, and have totally different perspectives on everything, makes their dynamic juicier. When the sequel doesn't let its own overdone script get in its way, and focuses on the spark between these two, is when it manages to be most amusing.

Something that made the first “Aquaman” a lot better than expected was James Wan fully embracing the Saturday morning cartoon nuttiness of the material. While the sequel is probably too goofy overall, you can tell that the director is having a great time playing around with this mega-sized budget. Wan's loyalty to New Line Cinema meant he never got the call from Disney to work on a “Star Wars.” No matter, because Wan simply makes an underwater “Star Wars” here. A battle through the transportation tubes of Atlantis, an elaborate CGI dog-fight with high-tech vehicles patterned after various aquatic animals, brings the trench run of George Lucas' space opera to mind. The influence becomes impossible to deny once Arthur and Orm visit a seedy hang-out for pirates. Full of bizarre aquatic creatures, a colorful band of inhuman singers, and a corpulent and monstrous crime boss at the center, it's a moment clearly evocative of Mos Eisley and Jabba's palace. Both of these scenes are a lot of fun too, featuring creative applications of the underwater setting and more moments of the heroes reacting to the strange shit around them.

“Star Wars” is not the only influence that Wan wears on his sleeve here. Black Manta's base of operation is a secluded volcanic island. The burning of Orichalcum has mutated the local flora and fauna. Which means Arthur and Orm have to run through an island gauntlet of giant killer bugs and man-eating plants. Yes, Wan is allowed to get a little "King Kong" into this brew. The homage is made obvious when the two brothers have to run across a statue precariously balanced between a massive gorge. Putting some enormous, flesh-eating locusts and giant carnivorous plants in your pulpy adventure story is a great way to win me over. Moreover, this represents "The Lost Kingdom" at its most fast-paced and fleet-footed, getting laughs and thrills out of this mismatched pair running from and outsmarting some king-sized beasties. Presumably the script for "Aquaman 2" being so overloaded is why the film didn't go the extra mile and make the setting Dinosaur Island, to further the "Kong" connection.

Among the influences James Wan actually pointed out was Mario Bava's “Planet of the Vampires.” I suppose this is evident in the sequences of old, undead monsters being awoken from an ancient sleep. The finale of Kordax and his army of undead warriors is the most obvious example of Wan sneaking his horror influence into his superhero sequel. Black-boned skeletons, shrouded in green-burning fire, and wielding medieval weapons is something that could fit on a heavy metal album cover. These zombie-like elements are mixed with tentacles creatures emerging from the deep, which brings certain Lovecraftian vibes to the material. Probably my favorite horror-esque touch are those blood-drinking, skeletal warriors living in the desert and running around on bizarre, reptilian monster steeds. That was cool.

That's what sticks in my mind about “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.” As a comic book, action movie spectacle, it still delivers some impressive moments. The desert chase concludes with Orm emerging from the beach, Patrick Wilson's rippling pectorals returned, and an impressive melee fighting. A battle in Black Manta's base with a huge, robotic octopus vehicle features a massive anchor on a chain being swung around, a dynamic prop. When Arthur and Black Manta finally go toe-to-toe in the last act, after a whole movie building up their confrontation, the resulting fight scene features some smooth, clever camera movements as the weapons swing through the air. These moments remind us that these movies are based on comic books, of striking images strung together panel by panel.

That the action scenes are exciting are nice. However, the sequel seems to lack a convincing villain. “The Lost Kingdom” redeems Ocean Master, Patrick Wilson allowed to turn the over-the-top bad guy of the first movie into someone more sympathetic. That means Black Manta, now established as Arthur's arch-nemesis with a potent grudge, should rise to the role of proper antagonist, right? Yahya Abdul-Mateen II remains incredibly intense throughout the part, almost comically so. He is bathed with a layer of sweat in every scene, his eyes always wide as he remains utterly focused on destroying his foe. And Manta does drive the plot... By being pushed around by the ancient spirit of Kordax. The villain spends the whole obsessing with Aquaman but doesn't actually confront him until the finale. The result is that the film's antagonist feels like a flunky for an eldritch entity. Who, by the way, is defeated in a hugely anticlimactic fashion. Ultimately, try as the film might, it can't make Aquaman's comic book adversaries – whether it be his all-time most frequent enemy or the green-skinned, blonde, one-armed, accursed prince – into truly memorable characters. 

“Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” also includes a moral about global warming. Out of control climate change is melting the polar ice caps, creating increasingly erratic weather patterns, and causing disease to spread among the Atlanteans. This is an important element to cook into your mass-appeal blockbuster, since climate change is a very real threat to all of us here in the real world. Unfortunately, there's a reason fantasy stories like this were not meant to directly address real world issues. Because the polar ice caps melting, in the DC Universe, isn't bad because it'll flood coastlines and lead to the deaths and displacements of millions... It's because it'll unleash an ancient evil. Similarly, the ice caps aren't melting because unchecked corporate greed keeps the majority of the globe dependent on fossil fuels. It's because a high-tech pirate is burning an ancient super-fuel that was locked away centuries before. The result comes off as good-intentioned but hopelessly clumsy. The moral is twisted, making real world evil an accessory to comic book supervillainy. 

The overall reaction to “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” seems to have been a negative one. Many seem to agree that the sequel strayed too far into its own goofiness. The controversary around Amber Heard – a manufactured attempt to disparage a woman leaving an abusive marriage, in my opinion – nevertheless stained the sequel's reputation. A vocal minority of embittered fanboys were still stung about Zack Snyder's miserabilist vision of the DC Universe being tossed aside. A combination of oversaturation and the extended pause of the COVID pandemic changing the world's priorities ended the era of superhero movies dominating our pop culture, it would seem. All these factors combined to prevent “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” from being a hit on the scale of the first. It's a deeply compromised, incredibly uneven movie, that probably was never meant to support the stakes placed on it. That doesn't mean there isn't some fun to be had here. Jason Momoa has hung up his trident, next scheduled to play intentionally ridiculous space biker Lobo, the DC character he probably should've been cast as from the get-go. His tenure as Aquaman – it remains to be seen if another actor will ever fill the green and orange tights – represents an interesting, sporadically fun attempt to turn the much malign superhero into a global phenomenon. [Grade: B-]

Among Wan's unrealized projects was a spin-off of “Aquman” centering on The Trench, the man-like fish monsters that popped up in a few scenes in the first movie. That shows the director's interest in horror stories about humanoids from the deep. That fascination seemed destined to climax with Wan directing a remake of “Creature from the Black Lagoon,” as part of Universal's latest attempt to retrofit their classic monster characters for the modern age. He's also working on a feature adaptation of Lovecraft's “The Call of Cthulhu,” further suggesting that gilled horrors from beyond the briny deep are on his mind lately. It's been about a year since we've heard any updates on either of those projects, so who knows if they'll make it to the screen. Until then, Wan is staying busy as a producer, shepherding other franchises and filmmakers through his Atomic Monster studio. I think Wan is mixed talent, having made some movies I liked and some I didn't care for much at all, but he's certainly a more distinctive filmmaker than I previously gave him credit for. I hope whatever he makes next is closer in tone to “Malignant” than “The Conjuring 2.”

Director Report Card: James Wan (2018)

9. Aquaman

In 1939, newsstands would be introduced to a superhero inspired by classic tales of seafaring adventure and the myth of Atlantis, ideas likely pushed into the zeitgeist by the naval battles of a quickly escalating World War II. The soon-to-be iconic character was named... Namor the Submariner, created by Bill Everett and first appearing in Marvel Comics #1, published by a company then known as Timely Comics. Two years later, in 1941, competitor DC Comics would introduce their own maritime do-gooder. First appearing in issue #73 of More Fun Comics, and created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, was Aquaman. Though fairly distinct from each other in the Golden Age, the two oceanic defenders would develop suspiciously similar profiles over the years. Aquaman grabbed Namor's origin, as the offspring of a surface dweller and a runaway Atlantean royalty, while Namor swiped Aquaman's telepathic rapport with all water-dwelling animals. Aquaman survived the end of the forties' fascination with superhero comics by being the back-up feature in Adventure Comics, a book anchored by the ever-popular Superboy. That's how a long-time second-stringer – who didn't have his own book or even appear on a cover until twenty years after his introduction – would slowly eclipse his watery rival in terms of public knowledge. That boost in popularity can probably be attributed to Aquaman, now with the civilian identity of Arthur Curry, becoming a founding member of the Justice League of America in 1960. 

That led to the character appearing on the Saturday morning cartoon series, "Super Friends." That show, in one form or another, ran for twelve years. In that time, it would reach a far wider audience than the most popular comic book ever could, despite the typically subpar standards of seventies television animation. While Superman and Batman's reputation survived co-starring alongside Wonder Dog and Gleek, Aquaman's largely did not. The seemingly scope-limiting requirement that his adventures take place near water, and his powers being widely mischaracterized as "talking to fish," combined to make Aquaman a favorite target of hacky comedians for years afterwards. As late as 2004, the character was still public shorthand for a lame superhero among people who don't actually read comic books. That is the year the idea of a big budget "Aquaman" movie became a running gag on "Entourage." Such a concept was considered that absurd and improbable at the time. 

That was before the decade defining success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which turned relatively obscure and easily mocked characters like Hawkeye, Rocket Raccoon and Ant-Man into the stars of billion-dollar grossing movies. Punchline though he may be, Aquaman was still way more famous than those guys. This meant Warner Brothers was completely serious about developing an "Aquaman" movie as part of their somewhat late, largely ill-fated attempt to create a Marvel-like franchise around their pantheon of DC Comics heroes. And comic writers had made many attempts to rehabilitate Aquaman's image over the years. His stories got a lot more intense, his archenemy killing his infant son and his marriage to longtime wife Mera falling apart. He led the Justice League for a bit. He got a cooler costume, quickly abandoned because it was too hard to draw. In the nineties, a well-received retooling from Peter David focused on the mythic fantasy element. That brought with it an edgy new look that included a pirate-like hook hand and beard. When Geoff Johns brought back the Silver Age look and origin – while occasionally nodding at the character's status as the butt of many lame jokes – that was successful as well. Various cartoons and video games leaned into the observation that Aquaman is actually pretty cool, playing up his status as a noble king, a family man, a large ham, an environmental protector, and a legitimate bad-ass that can go toe-to-toe with Superman and Batman. By the 2010s, the likelihood of the public turning out for a big budget "Aquaman" movie seemed totally plausible. 

Thus, Warner Brothers went ahead with the idea, saying in 2013 that a film based on the character was a high priority. Aquaman would appear in Zack Snyder's hyper-grim "Batman V. Superman" before having a starring role in the behind-the-scenes clusterfuck that was "Justice League." While neither film were the hits Warner Brothers needed them to be, casting Jason Momoa as the ocean protector was extremely well received. Especially the decision to make sure the TV heartthrob was shirtless as often as possible. By this time, I was seeing the friends of my mother and other people who have never gone near a comic shop in their lives declaring they "loved Aquaman." Warner Brothers had begun using New Line Cinema's horror flicks as a place to recruit directors who could work efficiently for their superhero productions. This is how James Wan made the leap from "The Conjuring" to "Aquaman." The director chose the character because he perceived him as having lower stakes, seeing more freedom to do his own thing with a less beloved property than a better known one. This promise of "funderwater adventure" was the right instinct to follow. Utilizing the same eye for outrageous action that made "Furious 7" a billion-dollar grosser, Wan's "Aquaman" would defy the odds and also become an eight figure success.

Drawing mostly from Johns' New 52 run, "Aquaman" explains the hero's origins as the son of lighthouse keeper Thomas Curry and Atlanta, aquatic royalty fleeing an arranged marriage. Arthur grows into a defender of the seas, able to breathe underwater, swim at superhuman speeds, telepathically control sea life, lift submarines with ease, and survive freezing, crushing depths. He is reluctant to embrace his status as Atlantean royalty however. The water manipulating Atlantean warrior Mera arrives to try and recruit Arthur. His half-brother King Orm has gone mad with power, seeking to declare himself master of the oceans and start a war with the surface world. As the son of the (still missing) queen, Arthur has the right to challenge his brother for the throne. He's slowly talked into it, beginning an adventure that takes him and Mera on a quest to retrieve the magical trident of the first king of Atlantis and prevent war. 

By 2018, the formula for superhero movies had been well established. You run through the hero's origin and introduce a villain for him to tangle with, hopefully one related to said origin in some way. There's a climax full of CGI destruction, sometimes with a beam of light shooting into the heavens. By the end, our good guy fully embraces his status as a superhero, ready for further adventures in potential sequels gratuitously hinted at in this first film. Working with a script from "The Conjuring 2's" David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Will Beall, Wan's "Aquaman" does not challenge this set-up. Barely acknowledging that it takes place after "Justice League," frequent flashbacks establish Arthur's beginnings as the son of two worlds and his training from a wise mentor. The sequence where Mera takes Arthur to Atlantis for the first time, and he's introduced to a dazzling and technologically advanced kingdom he had no idea existed, is clearly inspired by "Black Panther." The plot eventually turns into a standard MacGuffin chase, as Arthur and Mera seek a plot device that will solve all their problems. This takes them to a number of scenic locations, the constant pursuit from Orm's henchmen allowing for frequent action set-pieces. It concludes in a massive underwater war, equal parts "Avengers" and "Lord of the Rings." Shout-outs to the comics appear right on time to get cheers out of the nerds in the audience, a bigger world and history established that future continuations can explore. 

In other words, "Aquaman" is a bunch of phooey, derivative of other movies and comfortable existing totally within the perimeters of its genre. Which isn't to say the movie isn't wildly entertaining. Wan and his team keep the approach light throughout. "Aquaman" is, in many ways, a fish-out-of-water – pun fully intended – romantic comedy. As someone raised on land, thoroughly modern and common in his attitudes, Arthur finds Atlantis to be a strange, unusual and stuffy place. Likewise, Mera is unfamiliar with surface culture. This is illustrated in a cute scene where she makes friends with a little girl in an Italian villa. The two can't stand each other at first but, as Arthur proves his worthiness and Mera lightens up a little, they fall for each other. It's a cute progression, the movie following these two misfits as they learn more about each other's world and slowly develop feelings for one another. It's a good way to introduce the audience to this world and this duo. 

Making "Aquaman" into a partial rom-com plays to its leading man's strengths. In the comics, Aquaman is usually ambiguous about his status as king and often torn between the world he was raised in and the world he was born to protect. How often he uses humor to lighten his load or how much he sees superheroing as a burden or a joy varies from writer to writer. Mostly, he's a serious guy, his wife and family keeping him grounded as he grapples with protecting the seas and tricky Atlantean politics. As played by Jason Momoa, Arthur Curry becomes a long-haired, beer-gulping dude's dude. He is a super-macho brawler who carries a secret pain about being abandoned by his mom and rejected by both the sea and the surface. Mostly, he copes by being kind of a goofball. He's a stinky smart-ass that seems dim (though actually isn't) but mostly rejects the casual sexism once associated with the surfer bro attitude. He's a modern wholesome himbo, designed to appeal to a certain population of women who like their guys hunky and hyper-masculine but also sweet and non-intimidating. This makes Aquaman into a totally different character from what exists in the comics, not dissimilar to how Thor acts in the later Marvel movies. The script bends Aquaman around Jason Momoa's celebrity image as a self-aware sex symbol and chill biker guy, also incorporating his Polynesian heritage into Arthur's backstory. As a fan of the character's traditional portrayal, it definitely took me a little time to adapt to this wildly different take on the character. Momoa's schtick is amusing and he's an affable screen presence, making it difficult not to eventually be won over by him. I don't know if it's how I would've chosen to depict Aquaman in a movie but it is, nevertheless, a winning combination. 

Wan's "Aquaman" never comments on the cultural meme of its hero "talking to fish." In fact, Arthur Curry's telepathic bond with all the animals in the sea is shown as a devastating superpower with many practical combat applications. Don't think for a minute that the movie isn't well aware of how goofy this material supposedly is. Like many modern superhero films, "Aquaman" often uses comedy to let mainstream audiences know that it also thinks this shit is stupid and lame. One of Orm's henchman gets his head dunked in a toilet bowl. The chase through Florence often pauses for disbelieving stares from the locals. Momoa often doesn't go long without cracking a joke of some kind, which doesn't stop when the stakes are high. There's been much debate over taking such an approach to comic book material. When handled badly, random slapstick comedy and constant one-liners can drain any tension or grandeur from the story, coming off as if the filmmaker is embarrassed to be working on this nerd shit and regards what he's adapting with patronizing insincerity, if not outright contempt. 

Perhaps James Wan was a little embarrassed to be working on an "Aquaman." There are definitely times when the film feels too in-on-its-own-joke. However, any director who considers Ed and Lorraine Warren to be real world defenders of good clearly isn't in any place to look down on Aquaman. For as much as the film jokes about its fantastical scenario, there's also a full-blown embracing of the wackiness of what we are seeing here. An octopus playing the drums or narwhals impaling people with their curly horns becoming deadly are silly but it's also awesome. The film is filled with humanoid fish creatures, crab men, laser guns, pocket dimensions and magical tridents. Rather than flee from the more “comic-book-y” elements of the material, the film embraces it. Aquaman rides a giant seahorse, Mera wears a gown made of jellyfish, and Orm actually refers to himself by the supervillain name of Ocean Master. The story is fully absorbed in the absurd mythology of its setting, throwing around names like Xebel and Atlan and the Brine King without any shame.

Another smart decision “Aquaman” makes tonally is packing the supporting cast with sturdy actors who never blink in the face of all this silliness. If Jason Momoa's lead performance is mostly tongue-in-cheek, he's surrounded by performers who play the material as grand opera. Nicole Kidman, as the misplaced queen, and Patrick Wilson as Orm all approach their roles as larger-than-life mythic figures. Wilson brings an edge of Olympian melodrama to his gestures and dialogue, while Kidman is totally committed to the nonsense she has to spew here. Willem Dafoe is similarly straight-faced in the even more standard role of Vulko, a generic wise mentor role imbued with Dafoe's gravelly charm. Amber Heard and Dolph Lundgren – inexplicably cast as daughter and father – aren't consumite pros on the level of Kidman or Dafoe. Heard is never as enchanting as Mera needs to be, doing better as the bitchy straight-woman to Momoa's antics. Dolph does bring some regality to a mostly thankless supporting part. Mostly, it's simply neat to see him in a high-profile film like this after years in the direct-to-video ghetto.  

As in “Furious 7,” Wan approaches the action in a largely theatrical style. The action scene in Italy feels the most like a sequence from one of the “Fast” movies, a high-impact foot chase across the rooftops of the village. People smashing through walls and buildings stand in for cars and trucks flipping and crashing. The climax of this sequence is a cool shot of Black Manta tossed from a cliff, the camera careening down the mountainside with him. The superhero genre allows for flashier special effects, of course. Mera's hard water powers lead to several novel images. When Aquaman boards a submarine under siege from pirates, the movie delights in using the tight interiors of the location to creates some comic panel-like shots. Don Burgess' cinematography suits this material much better than “The Conjuring,” the camera weaving dramatically through the CGI sets. The oceanic setting lends itself to some colorful visuals, like Atlantis being lit by bioluminescence or a flare falling through the deep.

The latter image is the climax of another high-light of “Aquaman.” On their quest to locate the mythical Trident of Atlan, Arthur and Mera encounter the Trench. That's an underwater race of monstrous fish-men, heavily recalling Lovecraft's Deep Ones and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. The set piece, of the monsters swarming around Arthur and Mera on a storm-tossed boat, heavily recalls Wan's horror work. This is not the only time the director is clearly using the superhero movie budget to indulge his inner monster kid. The plot weaves in a lost world setting, allowing some dinosaurs to appear. This is shortly before the movie throws in a proper kaiju, in the form of a Kraken-like enormous cephalopod. All of these elements are taken from the “Aquaman” comics. However, you can tell the chance to include stuff he obviously loves was probably a deciding factor in Wan choosing this superhero over The Flash or anyone else. 

In its climax, “Aquaman” fully embraces its status as computer-generated spectacle. The finale is a massive underwater war sequence, with lots of crustacean casualties, Mosasaur steeds, subaquatic explosions, and every thing that swims and crawls in the sea being weaponized. It is an unending assault on all the senses, unbearably loud and frenetic, with any number of digital effects being tossed directly into the viewer. (Literally if you saw the movie projected in 3D.)  Alternatively, it is a gleefully goofy burst of epic nonsense, the movie going out of its way to top itself in the last half-hour. Just when the film seems to have pushed past the point of total ridiculousness, it's reeled back in for the final showdown between Arthur and Orm, which smartly takes place as a one-on-one melee. If you have the patience or tolerance for superhero movie shenanigans, there's no denying that this is a well done example. I suppose it depends on if you think a fleet of murderous orcas coming to the rescue of a John Rhys Davis-voiced crab monster is delightful or intolerable. 

“Aquaman” wouldn't be a modern superhero movie if it didn't go out of its way to leave some narrative crumbs for a sequel to exploit. This is mostly apparent in the subplot surrounding Black Manta. Anybody a little familiar with the source material probably know that Black Manta is Aquaman's number one foe and most persistent enemy. Ocean Master obviously makes more sense as the bad guy for a first “Aquaman” adventure but he wasn't on the Legion of Doom, so who cares, right? The movie, smartly skipping the militant black separatist or evil autism origins, goes out of its way to establish the personal grudge between the sea pirate and the next King of Atlantis. The distinctively helmeted enemy weaves in and out of the story, never quite justifying his appearances beyond the expectation that he'll get more to do next time. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, an actor Hollywood was really insisting on turning into a big star around this time, cranks the blustery, sweaty intensity up as high as possible in the part. It's the most blatant example of the movie setting up shit for a follow-up but, I will say, at least the suit looks really good. 

In fact, all the costumes in “Aquaman” are quite good. Arthur suiting up in the orange and green is rightfully treated as a cheer-worthy moment, while Mera and Orm's own duds look suitably accurate to the comic book source material. Rupert Gregson-Williams' score is full of sweeping themes and ear-catching melodies, adding a properly grand feeling. As a final display of the sincerity with which it approaches the characters, the end credits are accompanied by a nineties-style love ballad written specifically for the film. Obviously, I'm unusually fond of this particular strain of bullshit. Considering how little respect Aquaman usually gets as a character, his big movie only being a little self-reflectively dumb might have been a best case scenario. By no means rising above the standards of the genre, it's still a joyfully silly two hours and twenty-three minutes. Any movie that casts Julie Andrews as a sea monster is having too much fun to ultimately denied. That the public ate it up is all the more delightful to me. The “Aquaman” movie pleased this long-time fan while also making this particular corner of the DC universe appealing to a wide audience. It also beat that other aquatic superhero to the big screen by four years, once again solidifying Aquaman as the preferred deep sea defender by the public at large. [Grade: B+]

2018 Film Preview:

I'm going to be thirty this year. That's a terrifying thought to me, one of those goddamn millennials, forever stuck in a state of arrested development. I'm beginning my third decade on this planet and I feel like there's still so much I haven't accomplished, still so many things I've screwed up. I can feel myself getting older. I have aches and pains that weren't there before. I'm tired all the time. The hours slip away and there's always so much to do.

Even as my latest existential crisis mounts, one thing has never abandoned me: The movies. I feel myself getting older in that regard too. It's getting harder to muster enthusiasm for the constant cycle of blockbuster cinema. (Not like that will stop me from seeing them...) Yet that's just one part of the spectrum that cinema offers me. Films from all corners of the country and world beckon to me, each one offering new possibilities and experiences.

I haven't spent nearly thirty years looking up at the big screen for no reason. I love the movies and, more often than not, they give that love back. So here's ten (plus many more) movies I'm excited for in 2018. Some will disappoint, some will impress, some will probably disappear without getting made. But there's always that chance that a new favorite will emerge. So here's to this year.


My Top Ten Most Anticipated Films of 2018:

1. The Nightingale

In 2015, “The Babadook” blew me away, a terrifying and emotionally cathartic horror film that still hasn't been topped. Since then, I've been eagerly anticipating director Jennifer Kent's follow-up. And it sounds fucking amazing. Set in Tasmania in 1825, it follows a woman going on a hellish journey through the countryside, seeking revenge for her family with the help of an Aboriginal tracker.

Kent has described the movie as a brutal story, dealing with Australia's historical treatment of native people and women.  It sounds exactly like the uncompromising and emotional rending story Kent specializes in and I can't wait.

2. The Incredibles 2

And I've been waiting even longer for this one. Pixar and Disney began making unnecessary sequels to their films a while ago, with the Mouse Factory rolling out “Wreck-It Ralph 2” this year as well. Meanwhile, the only one of their films that actually cried out for a continuation remained a stand alone story.

After Brad Bird's trip to “Tomorrowland” failed to divert audiences, he finally returned to his widely beloved superhero family. The sequel will supposedly pick up right where the original left out and focus primarily on baby Jack-Jack. I have no idea if this long awaited follow-up will live up to the original. In fact, considering Pixar's diminishing returns lately, I suspect it won't. Yet the chance to see these beloved characters again is still so exciting.

3. Isle of Dogs

The last time Wes Anderson made a stop-motion directed movie, it was during a slight slump in his career. Anderson's second animated feature is coming off two of the best films of his entire career. Besides, “Isle of Dogs” has a much more interesting story than an adaptation of everyone's sixth favorite Roald Dahl book. Described as an extended homage to Kurosawa, set in a futuristic Japan, it's set on an island inhabited by intelligent dogs who are making their first tentative contact with humans in years. The trailer, gorgeous in that particular Wes Anderson-esque way, promises a quirky, dryly funny, immaculately designed, and softly melancholic experience. Whatever the outcome of this one, I'm sure they will remain good dogs.

4. Summer of '84

“Turbo Kid” appeared to be another nostalgia-baiting, tongue-in-cheek, throwback horror movie. Instead, it was a hilarious, creative, and weirdly touching genuine cult movie item. Now the same trio of directors – François Simard, Anouk Whissell and Yoann-Karl Whissell – have returned with a follow-up.

“Summer of '84” sounds like it will have a darker relationship with eighties nostalgia. About a group of adolescents who discover their next-door-neighbor is a serial killer, the film sounds like an especially dark take on the kids-on-an-adventure movies. This couldn't be more timely, since “Stranger Things” and “It” has led to something of a revival of this subgenre. The premise also reminds me of one of my favorite Purple Stuff Podcast episodes, which might actually be the primary reason I'm excited for this.

5. Love Child

There's no guarantee the next two entries on my list will actually come out in 2018. Considering both haven't even started filming yet, it's actually really unlikely. But this wouldn't be the first time something on my Most Anticipated list wouldn't come out for several more years. If they even come out at all.

So what's “Love Child?” It's the latest film from Todd Solondz, everyone's favorite purveyor of extreme neuroses, suburban misery, and blackly comical sexual depravity. It sounds like “Love Child” will have plenty of all three. It's a modern retelling of the Oedipal story, concerning an eleven year old boy with an unhealthy fixation on his mother, who convinces another man to seduce his mom and murder his abusive father. Penelope Cruz and Edgar Rameriz are set to star, while the key roles of the boy and the dad remain uncast. This is exactly the type of super disturbing psychological disorder that Solondz can spin into deeply humanistic and highly troubling gold.

6. Freak Shift

I'm touch and go on Ben Wheatly, really enjoying some of his films and being underwhelmed by others. His most recent film, “Free Fire,” didn't really work for me. His next project, which also hasn't started filming, sounds one-hundred percent like my kind of shit though. Wheatley has boiled the premise down to “Women with shotguns fighting giant crabs,” which is really enough to sell me. To be more specific, it's set in the future and follows a misfit team of cops hunting monsters underground. Fifties sci-fi, Paul Verhoeven, “Hill Street Blues,” “Doom,” and 2000 A.D. have been cited as influences. Alicia Vikander and Armie Hammer will star and I'm super pumped for it.

7. Apostle

Gareth Evans' “The Raid” series already seems primed to be the defining action films of our time. Evans' next movie sounds like it will similarly mine a simple premise for maximum intensity. Set at the turn of the century, it'll follow a man rescuing his sister from a doomsday cult. Considering cults are a source of fascination for me, that sounds pretty cool already. Adding to my anticipation level is that Dan Stevens, hopefully returning to “The Guest” territory, will be starring. Sounds all around bad-ass.

8. Aquaman

Following the underwhelming response to “Justice League,” DC Comics' cinematic universe is still struggling to obtain their biggest rival's level of success. Nevertheless, I keep getting drawn back. There's an obvious reason for that. Simply put, Aquaman is my favorite superhero. I never thought, in a thousand years, that he would ever be getting his own movie. And yet here we are.

Despite WB/DC's less than stellar track record, there's even some reasons to suspect “Aquaman” will be good! Jason Momoa's cool dude-bro take on the character was a highlight of “Justice League.” Director James Wan has promised “funderwater adventure” and compared the tone to a classic swashbuckler story. Considering Wan's background in horror, I wonder if the Trench or some other aquatic monstrosity will appear. Mostly, it's absolutely mind-blowing to me that characters like Mera, Black Manta, Ocean Master, Vulko and Queen Atlanna will actually be appearing on the big screen. Here's hoping for the best.

9. The Legacy of a Whitetail Deer Hunter

You know, I've never seen “Eastbound and Down” or “Vice Principals,” though both on our my long list of TV shows to catch up with. However, I'm a big fan of creator/director Jody Hill's “Observe and Report,” essentially a rewrite of “Taxi Driver” as a mall-set comedy. Hill is returning to features with the exquisitely entitled “The Legacy of a Whitetail Deer Hunter.”

The film's premise can't help but resonate with me personally. It follows a teenager forced to tag along with his weirdo dad on a hunting trip. Oh boy, I can relate to that concept a little too well. Considering how delightfully fucked-up Hill's antiheroes usually are, I'm preemptively declaring “Legacy of a Whitetail Deer Hunter” the movie about my dad, though presumably with less cocaine and Foghat. Probably.

10. The Man Who Killed Don Quixote

Here's another sign that we are inching ever closer to the apocalypse. “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” is actually coming out. I'm not even that big of a fan of Terry Gilliam but this movie's release is a momentous occasion. I'm sure you all know the story about how Gilliam has attempted to make this film at least three times over the last twenty years, only for production to be canceled due to disastrous circumstances.

Somehow, the stars have aligned and the director has managed to finally completely film a movie with this title. The premise has mutated quite a bit over the years – it's now a meta story about a filmmaker making a movie about Don Quixote, instead of the time traveling adventure originally pitched – but it's still amazing Gilliam got as far as he did. The cast is solid too. Adam Driver and Olga Kurylenko are the leads, with Jonathan Pryce playing Quixote.

There's already been at least one lawsuit to halt the current production but that seems to be resolved now. Assuming the hard drives the production company is keeping the film on don't explode or the Toddler-in-Chief doesn't start World War III, we may be watching this legendarily delayed motion picture by this time next year.


Other Upcoming Films of Note:

Alita: Battle Angel
Speaking of long delayed projects! James Cameron has been talking about adapting this relatively obscure anime to film since the mid-nineties. Since he's too busy in “Avatar” land for the foreseeable future, Cameron passed the project onto Robert Rodriguez. We've already seen a teaser trailer and “Battle Angel” looks weird, imaginative, and dynamic in its action. American adaptations of anime rarely turn out well but this has the potential to be one of next summer's biggest surprises.

Anna and the Apocalypse
Just when I think the zombie genre is entirely burned out, here comes a new take on things. “Anna and the Apocalypse” is a horror/comedy set at Christmas, a combination that always appeals to me. It's also a musical. How's that for a combination of styles? The film has already played the festival circuit and the buzz has been highly favorable thus far.

Avengers: Infinity Wars, Black Panther, and Ant-Man and the Wasp
The Marvel machine marches on. Despite generally enjoying the superhero studio's output, I'm finding it difficult to get too excited for their 2018 slate of films. “Black Panther” looks cool but the good trailers are only do so much to counteract my lack of knowledge of the character. “Ant-Man and the Wasp” is probably the Marvel film I'm most looking forward to this year, as the first “Ant-Man” was a lot of fun and I'm hoping the sequel explores the psychedelic microverse some more.

Lastly, there's “Avengers: Infinity Wars,” a massive event movie acting as the culmination of the first ten years of Marvel's movies. Between the gargantuan hype and the enormous cast, I see no way for this film to be anything but disappointing. At least, that's what I'm telling myself.

Bumblebee
With the underperformance of last year's “Transformers: The Last Knight,” it seems like control of the robot franchise is finally being wrestled away from Michael Bay. “Bumblebee” is not a straight-up reboot but a eighties-set prequel, so presumably it won't be totally divorced from the nonsensical mythology of Bay's films. However, in the film's favor is Travis Knight, who previously directed “Kubo and the Two Strings,” a fantastically imaginative film. Combined with a decent cast, and we've got a shot at a “Transformers” movie that isn't totally hateful garbage.

Godzilla: Monster Planet
Toho continues to take their 21st century Godzilla series in new directions. The follow-up to “Shin Godzilla” will forego a theatrical release, going straight to Netflix. It also, in another series first, will be animated. At first, the idea of an animated Godzilla movie struck me as fantastic. That could allow the already imaginative series to go to even wilder places! The premise, a far future sci-fi tale of humanity returning to an Earth ruled by kaiju, sounded just right. But then I saw the trailer, with that ugly cell-shaded quasi-CGI animation, and all that enthusiasm dried up. Hopefully it'll be better than I'm thinking.

Halloween
The latest attempt to reboot the “Halloween” franchise has more going for it than previous iterations, I'll give it that. John Carpenter seems to be more involved, beyond just rubber stamping the use of his characters, and may even compose the music, which would be really cool. I'm only familiar with David Gordon Green's stoner comedies but his more down-to-Earth films suggest he at least knows what he's doing. Say what you will about Blumhouse but they know how to get casual audiences excited for horror movies.

It's the story details that concern me about the latest “Halloween.” It's yet another reboot, in a franchise that doesn't really need anymore of those. The idea of Jamie Lee Curtis coming back is neat but the film risks the chances of simply being a retrend of “Halloween H20,” one of the better sequels. And now Nick Castle, the original Michael Myers, is reprising the role. So we're going to have a senior citizen Shape? I'm really not sure where they're going with this one.

The Happytime Murders
“The Happytime Murders” is a project that Brian Henson has been developing since 2008. It sounds like the film is finally coming out this year. Described as a sex, violence, and drug filled murder mystery that just happens to be about muppets, the film has cycled through several stars during its long developmental process. The latest actor to come aboard is Melissa McCarthy, who has a bad habit of destroying clever comedies with her overly broad mugging. That's what is keeping me from being more excited about this bonkers sounding project.

Hard Powder
Liam Neeson remains the reigning king of the Dadsploitation movie, to the point that his latest entry into the genre almost sounds like a parody. In “Hard Powder,” Neeson plays a snowplow driver seeking revenge for the murder of his son, eventually running afoul of a local crime boss. If that sounds like a typical Dadsploitation flick, keep in mind that Hans Petter Moland is directing. Moland previously made “A Somewhat Gentle Man” and “In Order of Disappearance” (the latter of which this is a remake of), both of which where somewhat sarcastic riffs on the crime genre. I'd love to see Neeson poke fun at his own image a little.

Hold the Dark
I'm very disappointed that Jeremy Saulnier, director of “Blue Ruin” and “Green Room,” didn't include a color out of the title of his latest film. In seriousness, the director sounds like he's bringing his particular brand of intense action to the man vs. wilderness genre. The film is about Jeffrey Wright searching for a missing child in the Alaskan winter, amid rumors that wolves are killing local kids. Sounds dark and intense, which is right up Saulnier's alley.

The House That Jack Built
Lars von Trier, Europe's most irrepressible provocateur, previously made “Nymphomaniac,” a five hour long movie following the history of a woman's sexual misadventures. He follows that up with “The House That Jack Built,” following the history of a man's life as a serial killer. I can't help but think of the two as companion pieces. Something about society encouraging women to be sexually submissive and wanting men to be proactive and violent. This one will presumably not be five hours long though. Matt Dillion is the titular Jack. No word on who is playing the house he builds. 

I Think We're Alone Now and Piercing
It's a good year for willowy blonde waifs having tense, solitary confrontations with men. First off is “I Think We're Alone Now.” The film follows Peter Dinklage as a recluse who welcomes the apocalypse, as a chance to have more alone time. Elle Fanning will presumably play the woman who disrupts his isolation. Yes, I'm expecting either Tiffany or Tommy Shondell to make an appearance.

After that is “Piercing,” which has Mia Wiaskowska playing a prostitute who turns the tables on an abusive john. Which reminds me of “Hard Candy.” I love switcharoo stories like that.

Incident in a Ghost Land
Pascal Laugier exploded onto the indie horror scene with “Martyrs,” a movie which managed to be more disturbing than any American torture horror films while actually being about something. Laugier followed that film up with “The Tall Man,” an uneven thriller derailed by a frustrating twist. Since then, Pascal has been pretty quiet. “Incident in a Ghost Land” is his first feature in seven years. The premise sounds like its mixing a home invasion story with something weirder. Hopefully Laugier hasn't lost any of his spark over the years.

The Kid Who Would Be King
Another director we haven't heard from in a while is Joe Cornish. “Attack the Block” was an impressive debut. Despite being attached to a few other things, Cornish has been picky with his folow-up. He finally returns with “The Kid Who Would Be King.” Sadly, the premise doesn't strike me as especially interesting. The film is described as a family/fantasy flick following a band of teenagers taking down a medieval menace. Not the most unique set-up. Hopefully Wright brings something special to the table.

The New Mutants, Deadpool 2, and X-Men: Dark Phoenix
With Disney speeding ahead the corporate oligarchy by just flat-out buying their competition, the future of Fox's “X-Men” series is in question. The buy-out couldn't have come at a more awkward time either, as the studio has three mutant themed super-flicks on the horizon. First up will be “The New Mutants.” I have zero attachment to the four-color version of this team but the promise that the film will be more horror movie than superhero movie – a promise the trailer seems to uphold –  definitely has me intrigued.

Next up is “Deadpool 2.” I don't object to anyone finding the character or his film annoying, but I was a big fan of the first “Deadpool.” The sequel is introducing some cool new characters and seems to be moving even further into the meta direction. The year caps off with “X-Men: Dark Phoenix.” I was one of the few people to really like “X-Men: Apocalypse” and am looking forward to the series going in a more cosmic direction, though this is clearly the least interesting X-film in 2018.

The Predator
For his follow-up to the amazing entertaining “The Nice Guys,” Shane Black is returning to the franchise he had a previous hand in. It's true that the “Predator” series has never had as much momentum as its sibling “Alien” franchise. The plot details we've gotten about Black's film sound like a very different take on the series. Apparently, it'll be set in the suburbs and prominently feature a young kid, played by Jacob Trembley. I won't say I trust Black implicitly but I imagine he can probably cook up an interesting take on the “Predator” formula.

Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich
Full Moon has been pumping out “Puppet Master” movies for the better part of twenty years. While I have a certain fondness for the earlier entries, the majority of the films are terrible. “Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich,” a studio-backed reboot, offers something the franchise hasn't seen in a long time: An actual budget. It's pretty sad that this will be the first time in years that a “Puppet Master” movie won't have to rely on stock footage and visible rod puppets. In addition to that, “Brawl in Cell Block 99” and "Dragged Across Concrete's" S. Craig Zahler is writing the script, suggesting this may be an extra-brutal entry in the series. The cast is inspired too, with Barbara Crampton returning to the series and Udo Kier playing Toulon, the puppet's creator.

Rampage
Out of all the video games that could've gotten film adaptations, “Rampage” would not have been my first pick for an adaptation. A game solely devoted to giant monsters wrecking cities and eating toilets doesn't offer much in the way of plot. But I guess the Rock's star power can get anything greenlit. The trailer makes “Rampage” look like a lot of fun, actually. The film seems to embrace the tropes of the kaiju genre and will feature three-way combat between a giant albino ape, a huge wolf, and a crocodile. It'll probably be dumb as hell but hopefully it's fun too.

Ready Player One
Watching the trailers for “Ready Player One” feels like eating at a buffet that only serves chocolate cake. I love chocolate cake but too much of it makes me sick. Here's a movie that will throw together Chun-Li, Freddy Krueger, King Kong, the original Gundam, Chucky, the Iron Giant, Tracer, the Battletoads and probably many more characters I adore. But stringing together a bunch of random pop culture references does not make a compelling story. From what I've read, this is a memo the book's original author did not get. Steven Spielberg has woven less than grand source material into gold before. The trailers for this make it seem like he's embracing the most excessive tendencies of modern day blockbuster filmmaking. If this results in anything worth while, beyond some cool cameos and neat effects, is yet to be seen.

Slaughterhouse Rulez
I'm very fond of Simon Pegg but there's no denying that his films made without Edgar Wright tend to be less than swell. “Slaughterhouse Rulez” has Pegg re-teaming with director Crispian Mills. The two previously made “A Fantastic Fear of Everything,” a movie I actually thought was alright but many people disliked. The film's premise, about a fancy prep school thrown into chaos when a portal to Hell opens up outside, sounds highly amusing. Pegg's main boy, Nick Frost, is joining him on this ride. That's a lot of things in this one's favor. For me, anyway.

The Widow
Neil Jordan has quietly been on a good run with his last few films. I loved both “Ondine” and “Byzantium” but neither were very widely seen. For his latest, Jordan has assembled a strong cast. Isabelle Huppert plays a widow that strikes up a friendship with two teenage girls, played by Chloe Grace Moretz and Maika Monroe. The film is classified as a thriller, so someone presumably has less than friendly intentions in mind. The combination of that cast and Jordan is enough to peak my interests.


Further films I'm looking forward to in 2018 include:

The Art of Self-Defense, Damsel, Destroyer, Domino, The Endless, Gags, Hellboy, Hotel Artemis, The Irishman, Jin-Roh, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Mandy, The Meg, My Abandonment, Nosferatu, Outlaw King, Pacific Rim: Uprising, Poor Agnes, Proud Mary, Revenge, Ruin Me, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Thoroughbred, and Tully.