Having failed to defeat Aquaman the first time, Black Manta, still driven by the need to avenge his father’s death, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down once and for all. This time Black Manta is more formidable than ever before, wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, which unleashes an ancient and malevolent force. To defeat him, Aquaman will turn to his imprisoned brother Orm, the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance. Together, they must set aside their differences in order to protect their kingdom and save Aquaman’s family, and the world, from irreversible destruction.
For in-depth thoughts on Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, please see my colleague Dom Fisher’s review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom offers a rich visual presentation, but without an accompanying Blu-Ray, we are unable to say the level of the upgrade this format provides. Anyone who has watched any recent DC film is aware of how well this format displays the vibrant and complex visual palette, and this swan song for the current era continues that streak. Even more so than the original film, this sequel increases the amount of visual effects conjured up to create this world, but these elements are blended consistently into the frame. There is some unique production design flourishes featured in the film which you can especially appreciate with this transfer. Any nagging digital anomalies such as compression artifacts or banding that might be present on the Blu-Ray are eliminated with this 4K UHD disc.
Things get mighty impressive with the implementation of Dolby Vision/HDR to enhance the colors to tremendous heights when it comes to depth and vibrancy. The color spectrum is shown to contain a staggering amount of hues. Highlights in the film are crisply defined with whites pure and balanced and no instances of blooming to be found. Black levels are deep with great detail throughout the presentation including elements in the film taking place in shadows. Skin tones appear natural and balanced throughout the ensemble. This 4K UHD presentation shines when it comes to stability, clarity, and color. Warner Bros. has knocked it out of the park.
Audio Quality
This 4K UHD Blu-Ray comes with a robust Dolby Atmos audio mix that faithfully brings this epic story to life. Dialogue comes through clearly, and it is never overshadowed by any competing sounds. The height channels are put to the test just as you desire from a big comic book film with characters traversing the world. There is pretty constant activity in the surrounds, but there is never difficulty distinguishing what each sound is trying to accomplish. This is a powerful track that provides all manner of destructive sound effects and a soaring score to keep you situated in this reality. There is an onslaught of activity in the low end that permeates the room in a way that brings the house down. All of the sounds are rendered with precision, and there are absolutely no technical issues with the track. This track is pretty incredible overall. There are optional English SDH, French, and Spanish subtitles provided.
Special Features
- Finding The Lost Kingdom: A nearly 22-minute behind-the-scenes featurette featuring the cast and the creative team in which they discuss the opportunities available with a sequel, the themes they wanted to tackle, the new and returning faces, the direction of James Wan, and more.
- Aquaman – Worlds Above and Below: A ten-minute look at how the team wanted to expand upon the worlds both on land and underwater in this epic sequel.
- Atlantean Blood Is Thicker Than Water: A four-minute piece that explores the unexpected brotherly bond of the sequel between Arthur and Orm.
- It’s A Manta World: A ten-minute featurette that takes a look at the villain for this outing and how his role is expanded in this entry.
- Necrus, The Lost Black City: A six-minute featurette that takes a look at the history and development of the lost seventh kingdom featured in the film.
- Escape From The Deserter World: An eight-minute look at the desert kingdom and the skills brought into making it a reality on screen from the production design to the creature effects.
- Brawling At Kingfish’s Lair: A four-minute featurette that looks at the unique setting found in the deep trench filled with unique creatures and intricate production design.
- Oh, Topo!: A two-minute look at the development of a fan-favorite character for the sequel.
Final Thoughts
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is a bit of a middling final entry in the DCEU as we know it. There have been some really significant lows in the cinematic output, so we cannot say that this is the worst of the bunch. Yet, it is still disappointing how pedestrian all of this feels after a rather thrilling first installment. Maybe there were outside forces at play even more than we know, but this feels rather scattershot and anticlimactic. The movie does deliver some passable superhero fun at times, but it does not reach its potential outside of the stunning visual effects. We hope this character can find life once again in the future. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a stellar A/V presentation and a great selection of special features. Even with its shortcomings, there is enough fun here to say it is worth a watch. Recommended
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will be available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, and DVD on March 12, 2024. The film is currently available on Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.