Aquaman

ARE YA READY KIDS?!
AYE-AYE CAP'N!
I CAN'T HEAR YOU
AYE-AYE CAP'N!
OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
WHO BEATS UP BAD GUYS AND IS KINDA MAUI?
AR-THUR CURR-Y!
TATTOOED AND BURLY AND MIGHTY IS HE!
AR-THUR CURR-Y!
IF ADVENTURE WITH WATER IS SOMETHING YOU WISH,
AR-THUR CURR-Y!
THEN WATCH THE MOVIE ABOUT THE TALKER TO FISH!
...
"Aquaman."

Fresh off his adventure with an American alien, a furry detective, an uberfraulein, a quick kid, and a tin man, Arthur Curry's latest exploits involve a whirlwind of events that include finally visiting his homeland, fighting his half-brother for the throne, failing, then going on a quest for their version of Excalibur so that there will be peace between just not the undersea realms, but also between the air breathers and the people who can swim really fast via super-farts.

Jason Mamoa carries over his boisterous bruiser personality from "Justice League" to this movie, but unlike the loner who is strongest alone from that one, here, he's actually a chill dude. On one hand, he is still the man tormented by his Tarzan-like ostracizing from both landlubbers and his homeland of highbrow haughties. On the other hand, he will gladly grab a beer with you at the pub and crack wise whilst beating up pirates.  Unlike "Man of Steel" and "Wonder Woman" before him though, his supporting cast is phenomenal and actually helpful.  His love interest that gives them the relationship of every first half of a romantic comedy, his wise old mentor (Willem Dafoe in a NONvillainous role? Weird...) which teaches him his essential water Asgardian skills all throughout his life, and even his parents are loving and supportive of him, a rarity in most superhero media. Saying nothing about the villains with actual depth to them.  Black Manta's motivations comes from a very realistic place and it's cool to see him develop from ineffectual threat to legitimate challenge for the big kahuna.  The racist motivations of Orm the Ocean Master aside, his desire to reunite his fractured kingdom and restore balance to the two halves of the world can be understood as well (especially since his first act of terrorism involves him dumping ALL the garbage of the Atlantic Ocean back onto mankind's shores).

Like "Black Panther" before it, the aesthetic of the hidden society is top notch. It really looks like how  a portion of humanity long removed from the natural flow of history would fashion their architecture, armor, ships, and their version of the mounted forces...with the only exception probably being Antoni Gaudi's visions of Casa Batllo. Saying nothing about the secondary greatness of the movie, the "National Treasure" kind of quest that intersects into this movie the wonder of ancient ruins so that this globe-trotting adventure isn't confined solely to the kingdoms of the seven seas and Maine.  Director James Wan's penchant for horror also manages to incorporate elements of past fears of the deep with the inclusion of The Trench creatures, which some people around the Internet have lovingly called Seanomorphs.

Overall, a grand time at the theater with a solid, likable superhero, a versatile cast, gorgeous visuals, fun action, a good dose of comedy and horror, and a familiar, yet distinct story. Watch it to know why that ol' Jamaican crab sang nearly 20+ years ago, "Darling it's better down where it's wetter."

For a creative overview from a fellow movie-reviewing friend, go here.
For a SPOILER-FILLED rundown of the movie's events told in a rapidfire way, go here.  

I quote from the much-maligned "Phantom Menace" this one piece of wisdom from Liam Neeson: "there's always a bigger fish."