For several weeks, it’s seemed clear that Warner Bros has had solid faith in their upcoming film, Aquaman. They’ve allowed the general public to see the movie in select screenings, and before that, many critics had a chance to see it as well, with the majority of them being pretty positive in their social media responses.

But you never know. At the end of the day, in spite of the fanfare, critical reactions can often be much different from what many of us would expect. The embargo has just lifted for the film, and reviews are spilling into Rotten Tomatoes. So what’s the verdict so far? As of this writing, the aggregate site has 46 reviews up (it will likely end up with more than 250), and while there is no consensus yet, it is currently sitting at 78%.

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So what are people actually saying? Here are some snippets from reviews. So let’s start with the positive reviews.

Los Angeles Times

Audience reactions to blockbusters are difficult to predict, but it’s unlikely anyone will come out of “Aquaman” asking “Is this all there is?”

Not only does the new comic book superhero movie from the DC Extended Universe clock in at an over-extended 2 hours and 23 minutes, it throws everything at us except an undersea kitchen sink.

New York Post

From there, the movie becomes a mostly fun and effective blend of action sequences, Indiana Jones-style treasure hunting and (apologies) fish-out-of-water antics. Many of those gags are handed to Heard, who’s stolen Ariel’s wig from “The Little Mermaid” and could credibly begin belting out “Part of Your World” at any moment.

AV Club

Wan’s The Conjuring and The Conjuring 2 had their Spielbergian notes, and there’s a certain discount-Indiana-Jones logic to the stretch of the film that takes Arthur and Mera from the Sahara to Sicily. But for the most part, Aquaman’s medley of influences skew to the less timeless and trendy, quoting the more spectacular moments of George Lucas’ Star Wars prequels (the underwater and aboveground cities of Naboo from The Phantom Menace, the chase from Attack Of The Clones) along with some Stephen Sommers of similar vintage. (A little bit of the Brendan Frasier Mummy movies here, a little bit of G.I. Joe: Rise Of The Cobra there.) In the climax, he even manages to do Zack Snyder’s bombastic, grimacing slow-mo style better than Snyder did in his own DC superhero movies Man Of Steel, Batman V Superman, and Justice League.

Now, here are the not-so-positive reviews!

Entertainment Weekly

There was never a question that at this stage in Hollywood’s comic-book economy that every superhero would eventually get his or her own standalone blockbuster. Even Aquaman. But Wan, a director who’s proven himself to be a can’t-miss ace regardless of genre (from the horror formulas of The Conjuring and Insidious to the big-budget tentpole mayhem of Furious 7) seems to finally be out of his depth. He’s conjured an intriguing world, but populated that world with dramatic cotton candy and silly characters, including a hero who’s unsure if he wants to make us laugh or feel — and winds up doing neither. Pass the Dramamine.

Moviefone

“Aquaman” ultimately does not fail to impress on a visual level, but like “Thor,” it’s a film that makes you more excited for what comes next for the superhero — be that a sequel unbeholden to oppressive, even if necessary worldbuilding, or just a storyteller who can transform a promising idea into a real and compelling character.

As a side note, one of our own staff had a chance to see the film, and while he didn’t dislike it, he was of the opinion that this film could not save the DCEU. But it’s definitely a step in the right direction.

So what do you think? Are you excited to see Aquaman? Let us know down below!

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SOURCE: Various (Linked Above)