Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review
Score: 85
from 7 reviewers
Review Date:
While 'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom' pales in comparison to its predecessor, its 4K UHD release boasts striking Dolby Vision HDR visuals and a solid, if imperfect, Dolby Atmos soundtrack.
Disc Release Date
True 4K
HDR10
Dolby Vision
Dolby Atmos
Dolby TrueHD
Video: 98
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom's 4K UHD Blu-ray disc delivers a vivid, razor-sharp visual experience with Dolby Vision and HDR10 enhancing the rich, saturated colors and deep black levels. The 8K source ensures exceptional detail and clarity, even in CGI-heavy scenes, despite occasional black crush and minor artifacts.
Audio: 92
The Dolby Atmos track on Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom delivers a captivating, immersive experience with precise surround channel usage, clear dialogue, and dynamic height channels. However, it occasionally underdelivers in intensity and low-frequency punch compared to its predecessor.
Extra: 82
The 4K UHD Extras for 'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom' offer a compelling mix of making-of features, character insights, and behind-the-scenes content, from exploring new worlds to delving into Black Manta's upgrade, all presented in high-definition, though some might find the material somewhat standard and EPK-like.
Movie: 77
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is an uneven sequel with amplified CGI and a goofy tone, but manages to deliver occasional enjoyable moments, better special effects, and a solid Dolby Atmos audio track. Critics appreciate the absurdity and fleeting thrills but fault the script's predictability and overemphasis on juvenile humor.
Video: 98
Warner Bros.' 4K UHD Blu-ray presentation of "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" is a visual triumph, leveraging an 8K source mastered to a 4K digital intermediate. The result is a stunning HEVC H.265 encode on a 100GB disc, accentuated by Dolby Vision HDR. The film's 1.78:1 aspect ratio, utilized throughout its runtime, maximizes the field of vision on modern displays. The detailed imagery captures every minutiae, from the finest textures in physical features to the complex patterns in underwater environments and costume designs. The visuals maintain consistently high sharpness and intricate clarity, even in the fast-paced CGI action scenes.
Color saturation frequently reaches vivid brilliance without overstepping into excess, staying true to the film's intended flamboyant aesthetic. The underwater sequences, in particular, are bathed in spectacular neon hues that showcase the richly saturated colors facilitated by Dolby Vision HDR. Black levels are remarkably deep and inky, enhancing the contrast and providing striking spot-on highlights without sacrificing detail even in darker shots. The presentation delivers a cinematic appeal that is both visually captivating and technically impeccable.
Foreground and background elements exhibit impressive depth, fitting seamlessly within various settings – be it deserts, jungles, oceans, or the Arctic. While skin tones can occasionally appear overly tanned, this seems to align with the film's stylistic choices. Texture definition remains top-notch, revealing granular details like sand grains and snowflakes exquisitely. While there are minor issues such as occasional black crush and minor ringing around characters in underwater shots, they do little to detract from the overall breathtaking quality. The seamless integration of high dynamic range detail affirms this Ultra HD Blu-ray as a must-have for showcasing advanced home theater systems.
Audio: 92
The Blu-Ray release of "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" features a superb Dolby Atmos audio track that pushes the envelope in terms of spatial sound design and immersive listening experience. The underwater sequences are a standout, utilizing height channels to capture the nuanced sounds of aquatic environments, such as water bubbles and flowing currents, which envelop the listener in a 360-degree sonic landscape. Notably, the positional effects are meticulously crafted, allowing voices and actions to seamlessly move from the front to the rear channels, creating a fluid auditory movement that enhances the on-screen action.
Despite the impressive dynamics and broad soundstage, some reviewers noted that the soundtrack occasionally feels too front-heavy and doesn't fully exploit the ceiling channels or the low-frequency range. Ambient effects typically moving between the surrounds and rears create an enveloping soundscape, yet the height channels sometimes lack the fullness expected in high-octane scenes. Nonetheless, dialogue clarity is maintained throughout, even during intense sequences, ensuring that vocal tracks remain precise amidst the sonic chaos.
While some felt that this sequel’s soundtrack fell slightly short of its predecessor in terms of low-end power, it still delivers robust bass punches, particularly in specific scenes like the 15-minute mark with a smooth low-frequency drop. The overall use of surround channels and height channels during weather-related events contributes significantly to an engaging and immersive audio experience. Optional subtitles in English (SDH), French, and Spanish are offered for accessibility. Despite some minor shortcomings, the Dolby Atmos mix in "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" remains a solid addition to any home theater setup, providing an auditory spectacle that complements its visual grandeur.
Extra: 82
The "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" 4K UHD Blu-ray comes with a robust set of extras that dive into the intricate details of the film's production and character development. These extras offer an informative behind-the-scenes look, incorporating interviews, concept art, and set designs to provide a thorough understanding of the creative processes involved. Each featurette is designed to cover various aspects, from the visual creation of new worlds to the evolution of key characters like Black Manta. This comprehensive suite of extras complements the visually engaging film and is an essential addition for fans who crave in-depth knowledge about its making.
Extras included in this disc:
Finding the Lost Kingdom: Go behind the scenes as director James Wan reveals how he and the cast and crew pulled off their biggest endeavor yet, an epic sequel to the largest grossing film in the history of DC.
Aquaman: Worlds Above and Below: When the filmmakers set out to create a sequel that eclipsed the original in scale and scope, they knew they would have to send Arthur and the rest of the cast to all kinds of new wild and wonderful worlds both above and below the sea.
It’s a Manta World: Black Manta is more powerful than ever now that he has discovered the Lost Kingdom of Necrus and taken possession of the Black Trident. From inspiration to execution, filmmakers reveal how they leveled Black Manta up to the realm of supervillains.
Necrus, The Lost Black City: Ages ago the great battle for the earth took place here, in this legendary lost Atlantean city. Discover how the filmmakers created the Black City from its surface city concept and its inhabitants: Undead Necrusians (Zombies), to its execution.
Escape from the Deserter World: From idea to execution, explore how the filmmakers created this barren desert landscape and the Deserter Prison, how its creatures and inhabitants were brought to life, and how they planned and executed the daring Orm breakout sequence.
Brawling at Kingfish’s Lair: The Citadel is the last frontier of the ocean, a deep trench filled with sunken old ships, stacked high like a rusty city. From concept to completion, discover Kingfish's Lair, a bar within, where the worst of the worst hang out.
Oh TOPO!: The Tactical Observation and Pursuit Operative Octopus is a living legend and all-time fan favorite. Director James Wan and the filmmakers discuss the decision behind bringing TOPO back to the sequel and its promotion to Arthur's on-screen sidekick.
Movie: 77
"Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" navigates its way to the screen five years after the original, bringing back director James Wan and leading man Jason Momoa. While the sequel attempts to recapture the fun and extravagant nature of its predecessor, it ends up polarizing audiences with its blend of campiness, inconsistent tone, and overstuffed plot. The movie starts with Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) seeking revenge, wielding the formidable Black Trident empowered by the malevolent spirit of Kordax. To combat this threat, Aquaman enlists his half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson), resulting in a mix of sibling bickering and buddy-comedy adventure.
The film excels in certain areas, notably with its vibrant underwater visuals and action sequences, which offer breathtaking views of Atlantis and rousing fight scenes. However, it also suffers from an over-reliance on CGI, which at times feels like visual clutter rather than narrative enhancement. The reintroduction of Black Manta as a recurring villain adds depth to his character and maintains continuity from the previous installment, yet the final antagonist feels underdeveloped, leading to an anticlimactic resolution.
Jason Momoa brings his signature charisma to Aquaman, albeit with a more slapstick approach that sometimes undercuts the film's serious moments. Patrick Wilson's Orm provides a steady counterpart, helping anchor the movie in its more dramatic scenes. Amber Heard’s performance as Mera is notably minimal due to her limited screen time, a choice shaped by off-screen controversies. The humor and camaraderie that worked well in the first film appear less effective this time around, partly due to the script's uneven pacing and simplistic plotting. While "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" is visually captivating and intermittently entertaining, it ultimately feels like a missed opportunity—a whirlwind of ideas that never quite settles into a coherent or compelling story.
Total: 85
James Wan's "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" arrives on 4K UHD Blu-ray, continuing the story of Arthur Curry with much anticipation. While the film attempts to recapture the charm of its predecessor, many elements fall short. Jason Momoa remains a charismatic lead, but the sequel fails to deliver the humor and swashbuckling adventure that defined the original. Despite these shortcomings, the film offers a vibrant visual spectacle with an impressive 1.85:1 HEVC encoding, complemented by a striking Dolby Vision HDR presentation. The underwater world of Atlantis is colorful and immersive, showcasing the strengths of the 4K medium.
The audio quality features an English Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 Core) track, alongside French and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 options, although it occasionally struggles to match its visual prowess. Subtitles are available in English SDH, French, and Spanish. While the lossless sound could have been more refined, it remains decent for most viewing experiences. This Ultra HD release also includes a fan-friendly collection of extras, though it lacks a bundled Blu-ray, which may disappoint some collectors.
In conclusion, "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" is a decent addition to the DCEU, though not without its flaws. As a direct follow-up, it doesn’t quite reach the heights of the first film. Nevertheless, its visual appeal and solid performance by Momoa offer enough to justify a viewing, especially for fans of the genre. It's worth a rental for comic book aficionados and those looking to showcase their home theater setup. However, it falls short as a must-own title and is best approached with tempered expectations.
Is "Aquaman 2" a good movie? Nah, but it’s not a horrible movie either. It’s a decent attempt at a comic book movie that is still light years better than pretty much anything that Marvel is putting out for the last four years, despite being literally the last hurrah for the DCEU. As a huge DC fan, I was disappointed with how much worse it was than the first film, but also surprised that it wasn’t worse than it is. The DCEU had some good points and will be missed, but "Aquaman 2" sadly doesn’t live up to how much fun I had back in 2018 when its predecessor came out. The 4K UHD (which sadly still doesn’t contain the Blu-ray; cummon WB, combo packs are highly desired for new releases) is a good looking film with a solid enough audio mix but is a bit rocky and slightly problematic on a film front. Worth a fun rental for comic book fans at the very least.
AV Nirvana review by Michael ScottRead review here
Video: 90
The overall image is quite superb with fantastic details, but the over abundance of CGI sort of makes the green screen and CGI bodies (many of the action shots are nearly fully CGI characters) all the...
Audio: 80
• Escape from the Deserter World - From idea to execution, explore how the filmmakers created this barren desert landscape and the Deserter Prison, how its creatures and inhabitants were brought to life,...
Extras: 60
Sure, that got overused a lot on the CW DC shows, but it works here, as Black Manta shows his cleverness an utilization of Atlantis technology to make himself more powerful and threatening this go around....
Movie: 60
Heck, even Amber Heard is basically muzzled for the entire movie except for maybe 10 minutes of screen time (she literally gets blasted by Manta and goes into a coma for half the movie, as the studio execs...
Total: 70
The 4K UHD (which sadly still doesn’t contain the Blu-ray, cummon WB, combo packs are highly desired for new releases) is a good looking film with a solid enough audio mix, but is a bit rocky and slightly...
Blu-ray.com review by Randy Miller IIIRead review here
Video: 100
So as not to belabor the point, if you loved how the original Aquaman looked on UHD you'll potentially find even more to enjoy here; it really is a great-looking disc, one that clearly takes advantage...
Audio: 0
Most other moments aren't subtle, at least in comparison, with the wide majority of Lost Kingdom sporting an largely active sound field (including the height channels, which are obviously used most often...
Extras: 100
Escape from the Deserter World (8:05) - Another like-minded featurette about the location -- or in this case, sequence -- featured in the film, a handful of familiar faces share about its creation and...
Movie: 50
Where Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom actually improves upon its predecessor is that it actually gets a bit more entertaining as it goes on; specifically almost anything that happens after the rescue of Aquaman's...
Total: 60
Five years later the glow has obviously worn off a bit, but what hurts Lost Kingdom as a whole is its inability to switch up the formula: highlights aside, much of what I didn't like about the original...
DoBlu review by Matt PaprockiRead review here
Video: 100
While not persistently colorful, the saturation and vividness do make a tremendous impact....
Audio: 100
On its own though, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is aural spectacle anyway, and bickering about a few decibels of LFE punch seems minor....
Extras: 40
...
Movie: 40
As the “kind of/sort of but not really official but it is end to the DC universe” movie, it’s a rightful send-off of jumbled drama and sci-fi fantasy that never seems to decide between the genres, and...
Total: 70
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’s noise factor is endless, and aside from a few moments of comic glee, it’s just a lot of technical fluff....
High-Def DigestRead review here
Video: 100
Even the many CGI and fast action sequences maintain distinct clarity with well-defined lines in the fantastical creatures and the individual pieces of debris dashing across the screen....
Audio: 80
The issue is that this is more of a front-heavy presentation that doesn't fully complement the visuals or ever really take full advantage of the audio system, almost as if holding back during the most...
Extras: 40
It's a Manta World (HD, 10 min) focuses on the David Kane/Black Manta character and his role in the sequel with interviews of Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and others Escape from the Deserter World (HD, 8 min)...
Movie: 40
Thankfully, Wan and cinematographer Don Burgess interrupt the monotony with stunning, spectacularly surreal visuals of the underwater civilizations and some admittedly rousing action sequences that pose...
Total: 80
Ignoring the legal dramas of one of its cast members, James Wan's Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is a direct follow-up that sadly pales in comparison to its predecessor, lacking the same humor and sense...
Home Theater Forum review by Todd ErwinRead review here
Video: 100
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom was captured in 8K resolution on Panavision Millenium DXL2 IMAX cameras and completed as a 4K digital intermediate in the 1.78:1 aspect ratio for IMAX engagements and 2.39:1...
Audio: 100
Chapter two is the place to go if you want to give your visitors a taste of what your Dolby Atmos-equipped home theater is capable of....
Extras: 60
Escape from the Deserter World (1080p; 8:05): A look at the sequence where Orm is freed from prison....
Movie: 70
The weaknesses, though, are in the villain, Black Manta, who never seems all that threatening, despite the apparent threat to all forms of life on the planet, and the fact that the movie doesn’t bring...
Total: 80
The DCEU comes to an end with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, a fun, entertaining yet rather forgettable two hours that will show off the capabilities of your home theater....
AVSForum review by Ralph PottsRead review here
Video: 100
Whether it be the finest minutia in physical features, or, visible textures seen in the underwater sequences, on the surfaces of instrument panels, caverns, or the wide-angle shots of the island/jungle,...
Audio: 76
Having said that, I do feel that the quality of the audio mix is the thing that I look forward to most....
Extras: 80
Aquaman: Worlds Above and Below • When the filmmakers set out to create a sequel that eclipsed the original in scale and scope, they knew they would have to send Arthur and the rest of the cast to all...
Movie: 50
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....
Total: 77
It comes to Blu-ray from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment in this Ultra HD Blu-ray/Digital release featuring excellent Ultra HD video quality, a fan friendly supplemental package and, decent lossless sound,...
Why So Blu?Read review here
Video: 100
Detail is tack sharp and no softness is in any shot!Depth: Foregrounds and backgrounds, indoors and outdoors, Aquaman and his world travels look incredible....
Audio: 100
Low-Frequency Extension: Music, oceans, ice, desert sandscapes and explosions are just a few things that bring bass to the mix....
Extras: 60
The Lost Black City (4K, 5:51)Escape from The Deserter World (4K, 8:05)Brawling at Kingfish’s Lair (4K, 4:07)Oh, Topo! (4K, 2:12)Features run the gamut of making of, development, story ideas, the lost...
Movie: 70
So, go into with lowered expectations and an open mind for simple and silly, and you just might have a great time with it....
Total: 70
It’s colorful and immersive and of course, this 4K UHD Blu-ray is the very best way to go about seeing it....
Director: James Wan
Actors: Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
PlotIn the vast and treacherous underwater world of the seven seas, Arthur Curry, also known as Aquaman, has taken on his role as the king of Atlantis and the protector of the deep. As tensions between the surface world and the undersea kingdom escalate, Arthur faces challenges to his leadership from both realms. His quest for peace is further complicated by ancient laws and the emergence of a formidable new adversary who seeks to claim the throne for himself, threatening to unleash chaos on both the underwater and surface worlds.
Arthur is forced to confront unresolved issues from his past, including his complicated relationship with his half-brother Orm, who is imprisoned for his previous attempts to wage war against the surface. Meanwhile, a new discovery leads Arthur and his allies on a dangerous journey into uncharted territories in search of the "Lost Kingdom," a mythic place that holds the key to preserving the balance between the surface world and the ocean depths. Along the way, they encounter mysterious creatures and ancient wonders, but they are not the only ones seeking the Lost Kingdom's secrets, setting the stage for a clash that will determine the fate of their world.
Writers: David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, James Wan, Jason Momoa
Release Date: 22 Dec 2023
Runtime: 124 min
Rating: PG-13
Country: United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Iceland
Language: English