The DC Extended Universe, or DCEU, began in 2013 as DC’s response to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
After 16 interconnected movies and a show on Max, DC is starting over from scratch.
The new cinematic universe, kicking off with “Superman: Legacy” in 2025, will be helmed by James Gunn, the man behind Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” trilogy.
Back in December, the DCEU’s final film was released: “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.”
But did the “Aquaman” sequel close out the DCEU with a bang? Was it a satisfying conclusion to ten years of storytelling?
On one hand, “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” had some impressive elements.
Unlike the action sequences in many superhero adaptations, the ones in this movie held my attention.
The opening fight stood out the most. It cuts back and forth between Aquaman taking down pirates and recreating the encounter with action figures for his son.
I also enjoyed the humor, something earlier DCEU films like “Man of Steel” and “Batman v Superman” lacked. The banter between Aquaman and his half-brother, Orm, when they’re forced to work together was especially funny.
On the other hand, the movie was lacking in some key areas.
For example, the villain, Black Manta, is carried over from the first “Aquaman.”
Also, his goal is the same—to avenge his father by destroying Aquaman. As a result, the character felt stale.
Certain plot points also felt unoriginal. One storyline involves Aquaman wanting to reveal the existence of Atlantis to the surface world.
By doing so, he hopes the two worlds can combine knowledge and resources to solve climate change.
This storyline was boring because a similar one was executed more successfully in the first “Black Panther” movie.
And, although the action scenes were fun, they lacked stakes because multiple characters took seemingly fatal blows, then recovered soon after.
So, did “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” end the DCEU with a bang? No.
However, the movie is a fitting end, because like the DCEU as a whole, it’s average.
The movie had both highs and lows, just as the DCEU had highs, like the first “Wonder Woman” movie, and lows, like the theatrical cut of “Justice League.”
The universe didn’t end on a high note for audiences, but the characters who inhabit it were given a hopeful ending.
Aquaman does end up revealing Atlantis to the surface world, and he promises to use the kingdom’s advanced technology to help end climate change.
For a universe so bleak even Batman and Superman killed their foes when it started, an optimistic ending was surprising, but welcome.
Even though I’ll never see them on the big screen again, it’s satisfying to imagine the heroes I’ve watched for 10 years having further adventures in a world they bettered.