[4K Review] ‘AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM’ finds some treasure in its presentation

The long, troubled film saga known as the DCEU can finally rest after constantly struggling to stay afloat since its inception with MAN OF STEEL 11 years ago. 

With the release of the series’ final entry, AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM, now available to own on 4K UHD, fans can look to the future with James Gunn’s newly revamped DCU whether they like it or not. There was, in fact, a time when Jason Momoa, Gal Gadot, and Ezra Miller were expected to continue in their respective roles with James Gunn’s new cinematic universe, but the overwhelmingly disappointing box office results of last year’s THE FLASH seem to have given the suits at Warner Bros a change of heart. 

So, with that in mind, fans of Mamoa as the titular Aquaman can now own his second and final outing as the superhero who talks to fish.

Movie Grade: B-

From our theatrical review:

“While AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM hasn’t lost its predecessor’s shine, nor its main ingredient of bananas, there’s a noticeable cutting of corners in the aesthetics and narrative that dull its former brilliance. Wan and company double down on a few broad ideas from the previous picture and, in doing so, raise the internal and external stakes for these characters in a suitably fitting manner. Thankfully, it rises above some inconsistent visual effects and a few bad wigs to give us a decent send-off. The director and stars have every reason to phone it in, but don’t.

Aquaman/ Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) has a lot on the line – and he’s feeling the pinch as a man torn between two worlds. As the King of the waterworld of Atlantis, he’s frustrated and bored. On land, he’s a househusband to Queen Mera (Amber Heard) and the father of a bouncing baby son, Junior (played by what seems like a record total of nine infant actors). Yet things change when Manta/ David (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), still seeking to avenge his dead dad, rebuilds his Atlantean tech suit and reawakens a long-dormant evil force from its Arctic prison. With the fate of the world in his hands, Arthur must bust his jealous half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson) out of jail to defeat his nemesis’ forces, who are harnessing the deadly power of ancient tech (most of which looks like scrapped designs for THE MATRIX’s Sentinels).

Wan and screenwriter David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick blessedly don’t skimp on the ludicrousness: Atlanna (Nicole Kidman, who later drops the best line of the film) is reintroduced riding on a mechanical whale like it’s a motorbike; Mera delivers her baby via a shoreline water birth; Orm coaxes out the best audience ick (that Wilson plays to the hilt) munching on a cockroach; and a few of the action sequences employ gags like the use of an invisibility cloak and the bully essentially getting his shoelaces tied together. Performances are what they are. Everyone is committed to the bit. And an honorable mention goes to a campy Martin Short, providing the voice of a fatso fish lord. But the real MVPs are Topo, who serves as Aquaman’s tactical operations partner, and the Brine King (voiced by John Rhys-Davies), who’s the comedic relief.

Nitpicks aside, if you enjoyed the first film, you’ll probably dig this too. Detractors might easily mistake this fishy feature as the cinematic death knell of a once-promising era for DC. However, Wan and company handle the proceedings with gleeful gusto, a deft touch and ebullient attitude. All isn’t lost.”

Video/Audio Grade: A

While certainly not a perfect film, AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM may well be as close to a perfect 4K disc as one could hope. Like its predecessor, this disc maintains the 1.78:1 IMAX aspect ratio that removes the black bars at the top and bottom of the screen, giving the viewer the most immersive experience possible. THE LOST KINGDOM is also presented in a native 4K resolution after being captured on an 8K negative. To put it simply, this is a gorgeous 4K presentation. Practical sets and costumes look fantastic, which, surprisingly enough, aren’t as rare as one might expect in a superhero film like this. Sure, the underwater scenes are mostly done on a computer for obvious reasons. Still, the numerous action set pieces on dry ground seem to be shot as practically as possible, and the attention to detail pays off. 

The digital effects are somewhat hit and miss however. Some elements, like the robotic submarines featured in the first act, look stunningly photo-realistic, but these moments are held back by the outlandish wide shots of digital armies having at each other. These scenes aren’t necessarily bad on their own, but the outstanding visual fidelity of everything else on screen sadly makes the digital elements all the more apparent. The inclusion of Dolby Vision elevates the visuals in nearly every way. The deep dark tones used on the black trident and Black Manta’s costume pair wonderfully with the brighter tones on Aquaman’s trademark orange-scaled armored suit. The scenes in Atlantis itself are also a neon-coated fever dream that is an excellent demo to showcase Dolby Vision. The stellar Dolby Atmos audio mix is also top notch. The sounds of swimming underwater or near missing laser blasts make excellent use of the overhead and side channels, while the dialogue is never drowned out under all the louder effects.

Extras Grade: B-

With no standard Blu-ray included for the 4K release, all special features are included on the 4K disc. The number of features is actually somewhat substantial, but in a turn of events that will come as a shock to absolutely nobody, none of these features make any mention of the legacy of the DCEU, even though this is the last official entry of the series. Instead, they play things very safe and only cover the film’s production on its own. A digital copy code and slipcover are also included. 

A full list of special features is broken down below.

• Finding the Lost Kingdom (21:22)
• Aquaman: Worlds Above and Below (9:39)
• Atlantean Blood is Thicker than Water (4:17)
• It’s a Manta World (10:08)
• Necrus, the Lost Black City (5:51)
• Escape from the Deserter World (8:05)
• Brawling at Kingfish’s Lair (4:07)
• Oh, Topo! (2:12)

Final Grade: B+

In what should have been a proper send off to the DCEU, AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM seems more content with existing in a vacuum and doing its own thing for better or for worse. The movie itself may be a bittersweet conclusion for fans of the series, but it’s safe to say that the visual and audio quality of this 4K disc blows it out of the water.