Aquaman Review: 5 Ups & 5 Downs

4. The Inconsistent Visual Effects

Obviously the vast majority of Aquaman's colossal budget went to crafting its visual effects, which in typical DCEU form are totally all over the place.

Almost every shot in the film features some kind of CGI, and though this results in some pretty spectacular Atlantean vistas and a few delirious action sequences, there are also countless moments in the film that look genuinely ugly.

Especially repulsive to behold are the early shots of young Arthur swimming underwater for the first time, the garish digital de-aging tech applied to Willem Dafoe's Nuidis Vulko in flashbacks, and a hideous scene where Arthur is chained up in Orm's lair.

Having characters frequently converse with one another underwater also results in a peculiar uncanny valley effect, where actors' faces just look a little off, as though they've been crudely pasted over a digital double.

Nobody's doubting Aquaman's insane technical ambition and complexity, but while it was clearly shooting for an Avatar-esque level of wonderment, the effects are nowhere near that level of finesse or consistency.