After the mostly dubious films we’ve been getting from the DC universe, I went into Aquaman with nearly no expectations, which resulted in me perhaps having the best experience I’ve had with these films so far.

From the get-go, Aquaman let’s you know that it is not like its predecessors and that it won’t be taking itself very seriously. The slow motion shots here wink at the brooding tone of the likes of Batman vs. Superman and Justice League, and is saved to emphasize the fabulousness of its heroes and villains.

This attitude is what makes the movie shine and makes even the dumber jokes land. It feels like a breath of fresh air in the sometimes too similar super hero flick genre, even while the story doesn’t leave room for surprises and sometimes drifts close to other works in its presentation – at times Aquaman reminded me of Star Wars: Episode III, Tomb Raider and Sword in the Stone, to name a few. It is notable though, how much a feel good story Aquaman is, and sometimes that is exactly what you need.

And let’s admit it, Aquaman pulled one of the greatest plot twists of the year by revealing that Arthur has been NORTED and was a Xehanort vessel all along:

(And no, I haven’t been playing too much Kingdom Hearts. There is no such thing as too much Kingdom Hearts!)

In the midst of all the fun, Aquaman tries to do some clever camerawork by showing important fights through one shot, which worked nicely in the first one featuring the Queen of Atlantis kicking ass inside a normal human house, but otherwise it failed to land properly.

Overall, Aquaman might not have been a cinematic wonder, but serves as a delightful break from all the grim stuff going on around the world. Personally, it was a rare treat in that instead of looking at Aquaman through the lens of my profession, I could let myself go and enjoy the pure fun of it all.