The DC Movies Thread v AQUAMAN

[gmillerdrake]

I think I'm in the minority when I say that the Aquaman Trailier looked REALLY cheesy to me. I think the lack of bubbles in the underwater scenes when they are speaking bothers me more than it should. They just look like they're flying around...not even under water. And the color scheme of the underwater shots is entirely too bright and shiny. It doesn't 'feel' or 'read' under water to me at all.

And by no means is this anywhere near an 'original' story idea. Unless something drastic happens between what we've seen on the trailer and the movie it appears to be a rehash of a story that's been told a thousand times.

[Adami]

I think I'm in the minority when I say that the Aquaman Trailier looked REALLY cheesy to me. I think the lack of bubbles in the underwater scenes when they are speaking bothers me more than it should. They just look like they're flying around...not even under water. And the color scheme of the underwater shots is entirely too bright and shiny. It doesn't 'feel' or 'read' under water to me at all.

And by no means is this anywhere near an 'original' story idea. Unless something drastic happens between what we've seen on the trailer and the movie it appears to be a rehash of a story that's been told a thousand times.

If you’re in the minority, we’re in it together.

[jingle.boy]

I think I'm in the minority when I say that the Aquaman Trailier looked REALLY cheesy to me. I think the lack of bubbles in the underwater scenes when they are speaking bothers me more than it should. They just look like they're flying around...not even under water. And the color scheme of the underwater shots is entirely too bright and shiny. It doesn't 'feel' or 'read' under water to me at all.

And by no means is this anywhere near an 'original' story idea. Unless something drastic happens between what we've seen on the trailer and the movie it appears to be a rehash of a story that's been told a thousand times.

If you’re in the minority, we’re in it together.

+ another.

[jammindude]

Me too. Aquaman looks like a yawn fest

[ZirconBlue]

I think I'm in the minority when I say that the Aquaman Trailier looked REALLY cheesy to me. I think the lack of bubbles in the underwater scenes when they are speaking bothers me more than it should.

Presumably, they are breathing through gills or something.  It's not like they're holding their breath the whole time they're underwater.  If they aren't using air as the medium of speech, there wouldn't be any air bubbles.

And by no means is this anywhere near an 'original' story idea.

The character has been around since 1941.  What's better, an "original" story, or one true to the history of the character?

[gmillerdrake]

I think I'm in the minority when I say that the Aquaman Trailier looked REALLY cheesy to me. I think the lack of bubbles in the underwater scenes when they are speaking bothers me more than it should.

Presumably, they are breathing through gills or something.  It's not like they're holding their breath the whole time they're underwater.  If they aren't using air as the medium of speech, there wouldn't be any air bubbles.

And by no means is this anywhere near an 'original' story idea.

The character has been around since 1941.  What's better, an "original" story, or one true to the history of the character?

Just re-watched it to take a look and I don’t see gills. I’ll stick to my initial ‘cheesy’ assessment.....especially after a second view.

Their speech isn’t anyway modulated or affected under the water? I get you can’t muffle it and make it incomprehensible but making no effort at all to throw an ‘underwater effect’ on their speech?

They look like they’re flying....not swimming. There were a few scenes that showed some bubbles and associated shock waves from weapon movement....but still nothing with the speech.

Still maintain the ‘look’ of the under water world is way to bright and ‘cheery’. I get there are bioluminescent creatures in deep oceans that ‘light up’ the environment but they are specks on the backdrop of darkness. Those city scenes look like something out of a futuristic film/site ala Blade Runner.

As far as the story....for a Marvel Movie with that type of $$$ behind it the story should be innovative and interesting. This whole “He’s the rightful prince/ruler and his ‘evil’ brother is planning to destroy the world etc etc” is sooooo freaking tired by now. Throw some creativity into the mix would ya?

Just my opinion(s).....not intentionally trying to bag on the movie even before it’s released but I personally can’t get past that trailer given the resources available to make that movie.

[Adami]

Yea. I remember reading early on how they found creative ways to deal with being underwater.

Apparently they just filmed it normally and added some bouncy hair.

[gmillerdrake]

Yea. I remember reading early on how they found creative ways to deal with being underwater.

Apparently they just filmed it normally and added some bouncy hair.

 

[King Postwhore]

Yea. I remember reading early on how they found creative ways to deal with being underwater.

Apparently they just filmed it normally and added some bouncy hair.

Sounds like an 80's porn.

[Accelerando]

You guys are nuts. Aquaman looks great. The effects aren't also 100%, but please, let's give Thanos a pass in that early Infinity War trailer. He looked awful, but looked way better in the finished movie.

[Zantera]

You guys are nuts. Aquaman looks great. The effects aren't also 100%, but please, let's give Thanos a pass in that early Infinity War trailer. He looked awful, but looked way better in the finished movie.

For me CGI overload is what kills it. It's hard to sell me on a full CGI character in a real set but it can be done, but when a whole world is made CGI it really takes me out of it. Same with Avatar or the SW prequels when they were out. You can say CGI is improving and thats true but fake will always be fake. It can be better looking fake, but there's always that element of error when I see it.

[Adami]

You guys are nuts. Aquaman looks great. The effects aren't also 100%, but please, let's give Thanos a pass in that early Infinity War trailer. He looked awful, but looked way better in the finished movie.

This isn’t a Marvel Vs DC thing. The trailer just looked goofy. We’re very much allowed that opinion. I doubt completes CG will make how they conceive of underwater shots to be better.

[King Postwhore]

You guys are nuts. Aquaman looks great. The effects aren't also 100%, but please, let's give Thanos a pass in that early Infinity War trailer. He looked awful, but looked way better in the finished movie.

For me CGI overload is what kills it. It's hard to sell me on a full CGI character in a real set but it can be done, but when a whole world is made CGI it really takes me out of it. Same with Avatar or the SW prequels when they were out. You can say CGI is improving and thats true but fake will always be fake. It can be better looking fake, but there's always that element of error when I see it.

Hard to make half of a movie underwater.  Lol

[Zantera]

You guys are nuts. Aquaman looks great. The effects aren't also 100%, but please, let's give Thanos a pass in that early Infinity War trailer. He looked awful, but looked way better in the finished movie.

For me CGI overload is what kills it. It's hard to sell me on a full CGI character in a real set but it can be done, but when a whole world is made CGI it really takes me out of it. Same with Avatar or the SW prequels when they were out. You can say CGI is improving and thats true but fake will always be fake. It can be better looking fake, but there's always that element of error when I see it.

Hard to make half of a movie underwater.  Lol

Well yeah but the big issue is the low quality of the DC movies so far. If they had been knocking it out of the park with the earlier movies I'd be hyped for this one - subpar CGI in the trailer or not.

The trailer makes me think about the CGI brain spasm inducing nightmares that was Justice League or BvS or the second half of MoS.

[King Postwhore]

To me it's the writing that's sub par so far for DC.  Most would not complain about the CGI if the storyline was better.

[Zantera]

To me it's the writing that's sub par so far for DC.  Most would not complain about the CGI if the storyline was better.

Definitely and there was nothing in the Aquaman trailer that looked interesting from a writing perspective. I understand why some would get hyped over a CGI underwater world if effects is what gets you going but from a story perspective it seems like a generic evil guy wants the throne that protagonist can claim and protagonist needs to overcome his personal issues and defeat bad guy and show he is worthy of the throne. Plus I mean just generally Aquaman was never a favorite hero of mine.

Like I said earlier I'll still probably end up seeing it in cinema but not sold after the trailer.

[The Walrus]

So... are we gonna talk about how Henry Cavill is apparently out as Superman?

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/henry-cavill-as-superman-warner-bros-dc-universe-shake-up-1142306

Just please wipe this filthy slate clean and reboot in a few years. To quote a Reddit comment, "They're sitting on a goldmine and flooding it with diarrhea."

[Adami]

So... are we gonna talk about how Henry Cavill is apparently out as Superman?

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/henry-cavill-as-superman-warner-bros-dc-universe-shake-up-1142306

Just please wipe this filthy slate clean and reboot in a few years. To quote a Reddit comment, "They're sitting on a goldmine and flooding it with diarrhea."

Woah. I didn't catch that. Such a lame situation.

I really love Gal Gadot's wonder woman (though I really didn't like the last 1/3 of her movie) and I actually really like Ezra Miller as The Flash.

But now with Superman and Bat-Man I guess gone? It's pretty difficult to find a way to keep half but not another half. Especially with an Aqua Man movie coming out?

Such a huge mess. I hope they make great movies eventually. Looking forward to Shazam. Not so much Aqua-man.

[gzarruk]

Man, the DC movie universe is a total mess

[bosk1]

Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, and Lex Luthor were good characters. 

[Adami]

Wonder Woman and Harley Quinn were good characters.

Agreed. Plus a few others I'm sure.

[ariich]

I snipped the last few posts of the DC TV thread and moved them here as they were about the movies.

[The Walrus]

Wonder Woman and Harley Quinn were good characters.

Agreed. Plus a few others I'm sure.

Yeah I'm down with that - Gal is a great WW and Margot Robbie is the perfect Harley but that Lex Luthor.. well, he sure is something else 

[bosk1]

Wonder Woman and Harley Quinn were good characters.

Agreed. Plus a few others I'm sure.

Yeah I'm down with that - Gal is a great WW and Margot Robbie is the perfect Harley but that Lex Luthor.. well, he sure is something else 

He was a VERY different interpretation of the character, sure, so I can see how plenty of people might not have liked it.  But I thought it was well done.

[Samsara]

I for one am VERY glad that Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill are OUT as Batman and Superman, respectively. I also hope Jared Leto is done as Joker. I think Joaquin Phoenix was a good choice for that role.

Cavill was always so bland, and I never got the feeling he got the character of Superman quite right. And Affleck -- the guy is a really good writer and director, and I hated him as an actor. I think his Batman/Bruce Wayne portrayal wasn't as horrible as I thought it would initially be, but it wasn't GOOD either.

Frankly, I would love to see the script Affleck wrote for "The Batman." A few people who read it said it was the best Batman story they've read. And I believe it, because Affleck is a huge Batman fan. Would have been nice to see an Affleck story with a better Batman actor.

[bosk1]

And Affleck -- the guy is a really good writer and director, and I hated him as an actor. I think his Batman/Bruce Wayne portrayal wasn't as horrible as I thought it would initially be, but it wasn't GOOD either.

I would rate it slightly higher as "good," but not "great."  And I'm not disagreeing with you, but in response to your point about his portrayal, how much of what you didn't like was his actual acting vs. how the character was written?  Again, I'm not disagreeing with you, but just asking the question.  It just seemed to me that the story that was written didn't really allow a lot of room for Batman to not feel a bit shallow no matter who was playing him.  But I could be wrong.

And a follow-up question:  How much of your reaction is just a visceral reaction because it wasn't Bale's/Nolan's Batman?  As enamored as you are with that on-screen portrayal of Batman (and right so--I am as well), is it possible that that is influencing your feelings, even if only a little bit?  Maybe for you, it isn't an issue.  But I will fully admit that those films have me inherently biased against anyone else trying to portray that character.

[Samsara]

I would rate it slightly higher as "good," but not "great."  And I'm not disagreeing with you, but in response to your point about his portrayal, how much of what you didn't like was his actual acting vs. how the character was written?  Again, I'm not disagreeing with you, but just asking the question.  It just seemed to me that the story that was written didn't really allow a lot of room for Batman to not feel a bit shallow no matter who was playing him.  But I could be wrong.

Unfortunately with Affleck, he's one of those actors that very rarely seems to be able to be fully immerse me in a role that I forget it is the actor. He has in a couple of films, but his Batman/Bruce Wayne...it never felt like I forgot he was Ben Affleck. It could be just the scripts, obviously, and the lack of character development for sure.

And a follow-up question:  How much of your reaction is just a visceral reaction because it wasn't Bale's/Nolan's Batman?  As enamored as you are with that on-screen portrayal of Batman (and right so--I am as well), is it possible that that is influencing your feelings, even if only a little bit?  Maybe for you, it isn't an issue.  But I will fully admit that those films have me inherently biased against anyone else trying to portray that character.

Fair question. You know me better than anyone on here, and know I'm as hardcore a Bat-fan and collector as they come, including me absolutely being a Dark Knight Trilogy fanboy. But I was just as fond of Keaton's portrayal of the character back in the day. So I'd say it may have had a little bit of influence in how I felt when it was announced, but by the time I saw both Affleck films, it was at home, and enough time had passed where i just was looking to enjoy it. And he just didn't deliver for me. It never felt right. Bale is my favorite, for sure, but even he wasn't perfect. But its all in the test of "do I forget the actor when I see the movie and just watch the character?" For Keaton, that answer was yes. For Bale, that was yes. For Kilmer...it was spotty. For Clooney it was an absolute no. And Affleck - no. (Not counting Adam West, or animated Batman that is voiced by Conroy - who incidentally has the best Bat-voice.) I think he (Affleck) probably would have been better than Clooney in his own solo Bat-movie, but still, no. It was just "oh there's Affleck playing Batman," as opposed to "That's Batman." It's a feel thing. And that has been a problem with Affleck for me, for his entire career.

I totally understand why people dig him as Batman, and I obviously know there are people who despised the Nolan trilogy and Bale as Batman. Totally get it, and that's fine. Affleck wasn't for me. Rumors circulating about Kit Harrington as Batman. Not sure about that. Then again, I wasn't sold on Heath Ledger as the Joker until I saw it. And that was incredible. So who knows.

p.s. it also didn't help that the movies themselves (Bat v. Supes, Justice League) both sucked, IMO. I am very disappointed in DC/Warners. I thought they got Wonder Woman down pretty well, and have hopes for Aquaman, but I am in general very disappointed with Warners in the post-Dark Knight Trilogy era. They had a chance to fashion a more realistic way of presenting superheros, and instead they just got greedy and tried to be Marvel. I'm very glad the Dark Knight Trilogy is considered a full-on standalone. It's a shining pillar in a sea of mediocrity.

[Adami]

I can only comment on Cavil, but I think that's a really unfortunate thing. I actually really like Cavil and think it's the writing/directed that resulted in such a sub-par Superman.

I remember someone telling a story of being at a party that he was at and being really upset and he came over and was super kind and cheered her up and she was like "this guy is naturally Superman". I feel like if they played to his strengths and didn't write Superman as this angry, sad, whatever angsty character, he'd be amazing in the role.

Affleck? Eh. He's fine. But we've had a ton of Batmans, and very few good ones.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I don't know really anything about Cavill or even Superman for that matter, so this may not be worth anything, but from what I've heard the guy is a really talented actor and could be a great Superman if the writing for DC's films wasn't restricting him to being an emotionless machine.

[Adami]

So... are we gonna talk about how Henry Cavill is apparently out as Superman?

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/henry-cavill-as-superman-warner-bros-dc-universe-shake-up-1142306

Just please wipe this filthy slate clean and reboot in a few years. To quote a Reddit comment, "They're sitting on a goldmine and flooding it with diarrhea."

You know, actually reading through that, there's nothing in there that proves he's leaving other than "sources". No official statements from anyone that say he's out. Just a ton of conjecture and sources. The same sources that have said 10000 other things about DC that don't pan out.

[Accelerando]

At this point, WB shouldn’t worry about creating a DC shared cinematic universe, and just start making DC movies that don’t connect with each other, like their animated movies. Get good scripts written, get some talented filmmakers in, and make good movies. If Cavill is truly gone, that’s the course correction I would take.

[Accelerando]

The DC streaming service is now live, and it makes me feel things that the 90% of the DCEU hasn't been able to. This fully restored Batman The Animated Series is so god damn beautiful 

[Samsara]

The DC streaming service is now live, and it makes me feel things that the 90% of the DCEU hasn't been able to. This fully restored Batman The Animated Series is so god damn beautiful 

Not planning to subscribe, but I do have the full deluxe remastered set of BTAS pre-ordered!

[bosk1]

I have the BTAS on DVD in its original format, and I like it just fine.  Now leave me alone so I can go watch it on my 13" black and white tube TV.  (...as soon as I finish screwing the converter box into the UHF antenna screws on the back so I can hook up the DVD player) 

[Samsara]

I have the BTAS on DVD in its original format, and I like it just fine.  Now leave me alone so I can go watch it on my 13" black and white tube TV.  (...as soon as I finish screwing the converter box into the UHF antenna screws on the back so I can hook up the DVD player) 

I sold it at Dimple, and then took the cash and put it toward the upgrade. The upgrade looks really, really good. Much clearer, richer color. But I'm just a PINCH more of a Bat-fanatic than you.