After a well-received Aquaman, directed by James Wan, which followed the plot of Arthur Curry/Aquaman (Jason Mamoa) going on a journey to attain the Trident of Atlan, to take his rightful place as King of Atlantis, while at the same time being hunted down by David Kane/Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) after he killed Kane’s father, Jesse Kane, a notorious hijacker, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom was released. The movie follows the plot of the now, King of Atlantis and father of Arthur Jr, Artur Curry/Aquaman balancing his life on the surface and his life as King of Atlantis, which came with hearings and meetings with the Council, resolving conflict between surrounding kingdoms, etc. During this time, David Kane/Black Manta is still going through with his plan of ending Aquaman but now wants to end his entire family. He begins with emitting greenhouse gasses, causing havoc in the ocean and on land. Coincidentally, during his reign of harming the ocean and surface, he finds the pieces of the Trident of Kordax, forged by dark magic, which further encourages him to carry out his plans.
Even with the negative reviews and reception from the audience, the movie was a step up from the last one. The storyline builds off of the original movie, which gives us more to look forward to, such as character development, and the introduction of new characters as well. It also has its fair share of comedic, action-packed, suspenseful, and even heart-wrenching moments, ultimately keeping audience members at the edge of their seats. The movie is an overall excellent pick for those invested in the DC and DC Extended Universe, and even for those who enjoy action-packed movies and thoughtfully developed storylines.