Aquaman Review: 5 Ups & 5 Downs

4. James Wan's Dazzling Action Sequences

Though so much of Aquaman feels positively formulaic and workmanlike, director James Wan does a stellar job differentiating his action sequences from the usual coverage and shot selections you expect to see in movies like this.

Wan of course proved with Furious 7 that he could handle mega-budget action, and here he once again brings his sharp eye to some fundamentally tricky set-pieces.

The movie's easy highlight is the much-hyped Sicily chase sequence, which combines kinetic, sharply-edited close-quarters combat with a number of nifty long-take tracking shots to glorious effect.

If the underwater brawling between Arthur and Orm isn't quite as compelling, the climactic battle between the various warring armies compensates with its shameless nuttiness.

Given Wan's clear expertise at working on this scale, don't be surprised if he's confirmed to return for Aquaman 2 before Christmas...