Aquaman *** (2018)

As escapist entertainment Aquaman gets a passing grade with its goofy sense of adventure that's unashamedly heavy on the CGI. Although I'm not familiar with classic DC character, he was introduced into the movie universe in the 2017 film Justice League. Jason Momoa brings an old school swashbuckler approach to the character, he'll save the world if needed, but would soon be as happy drinking pints all day. The plot involves power struggles between kingdoms of the sea that recalls Thor, but William Dafoe and Patrick Wilson ham it enough to keep things from getting too serious. Amber Heard as Mara, a princess from a rival kingdom, becomes Aquaman's partner in crime. CGI overkill usually derails a film, but director James Wan kept things weird enough and visually interesting enough, such as a fight among the ruins of Sicily with Ray Harryhausen overtones, to lift it above standard comic book fare.