Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Aquaman – Rage of Atlantis

Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Aquaman – Rage of Atlantis is a 2018 American animated superhero comedy film, based on the DC Comics and Lego brands featuring the character Aquaman. The film features the voice of Dee Bradley Baker as Aquaman, who loses the throne of Atlantis and must escape from the Red Lantern Corps to save the Justice League and the planet. Directed by Matt Peters, written by Jim Krieg and Jeremy Adams, and produced by DC Entertainment, the Lego Group, and Warner Bros. Animation, it is the eighth film in the Lego DC Comics Super Heroes series. Troy Baker, Grey Griffin, and Nolan North also star in the film.

Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Aquaman – Rage of Atlantis premiered at the San Diego Comic-Con International on July 22, 2018, and was released by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital on July 31, 2018. The film received mixed reviews, with praise for the animation but criticism for the consumerism.

Plot
At the Hall of Justice, Justice League newcomer Jessica Cruz is busy examining for suspicious activity when the Trouble Alert goes off, alerting Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and Cyborg about Lobo attacking a warehouse at Dread Lake storing alien technology. When Aquaman receives word of this, he attempts to join in. He soon realizes that Dread Lake is in fact a dry lake bed, leaving hiss abilities futile as he is beaten by Lobo until the League arrive. However, Lobo manages to escape with a glowing blue orb despite their efforts.

Wanting to lighten the mood, Aquaman invites the League to a feast in Atlantis honoring his anniversary as king. During the feast, Aquaman's brother Ocean Master soon gathers the inhabitants of Atlantis where the entire city is engulfed in a red light which begins to corrupt and enrage them, with the League being protected by Jessica's force field. With Atlantis under his influence, Ocean Master reveals a law that only a pure-blood Atlantean can be king. Since Aquaman is half-human, he reluctantly gives up the crown to Ocean Master.

Now in control, Ocean Master introduces his corrupted subjects to his new adviser, Red Lantern Corps leader Atrocitus, and demands the destruction of the League. Attempting to escape the corrupted Atlanteans, Aquaman and the League use a portal-creating device known as the Atlantean Gateway to escape. However, Cruz fails to enter the portal before it closes.

The League arrives on a desert world with a red sun (rendering Superman powerless) and find a factory of Red Lantern vehicles and robots. Noticing that this planet's end of the gateway is being powered by the orb Lobo stole, the League realize that Atrocitus plans to send his forces to Earth and have the Atlanteans invade the surface world. After escaping the factory, the League have Aquaman lead them to water and learn that it has become scarce ever since Atrocitus drained it dry. Fearing that Earth will suffer a similar fate, the League become determined to return home. Encountering Lobo, they learn that he was hired to steal the orb by Ocean Master and request his assistance in exchange for returning his beloved dolphin Fishy to him.

Back on Earth, Cruz is rescued by Mera who initially attempts to aid against the corrupted Atlanteans only to be corrupted herself. Escaping on a Red Lantern vehicle, Cruz makes it to a seaside fair where the Atlantean invasion begins. Cruz, Robin and Batgirl fend off the invading Atlanteans. Upon realizing that the entire world is watching her on the news, Cruz flees, but works up the courage to return when she sees Mera attempting to corrupt Batgirl and Robin. Using her power ring, Cruz defeats Mera and restores her to normal.

Elsewhere, the League attempt to return to Earth. They succeed in shutting down the Red Lantern factory and Gateway, but not before Fishy, Red Lantern Corps member Dex-Starr, and some Red Lantern drones make their way through it. Upset for their failure, Lobo storms off. The League temporarily reopen the Gateway and return to Earth, but are defeated and imprisoned by Ocean Master and Atrocitus.

At this moment, Atrocitus betrays Ocean Master and reveals his plan to drain Earth's water using a weapon known as the Submerged Limitless Underwater Rapid Pump (S.L.U.R.P.). Seeing the error of his ways, Ocean Master helps the League escape and protects them from the Red Lantern's light. Using the Trident of Poseidon, Aquaman defeats Atrocitus and destroys the Red Lantern power battery, undoing the effects of its light. The League, Batgirl, Robin and Mera attempt to destroy the S.L.U.R.P. but their efforts prove futile. Lobo arrives to aid the League, and they destroy the S.L.U.R.P. while Superman pushes the water that was already drained back to Earth.

With Atlantis peaceful once more, Ocean Master apologizes for his actions and even admits to creating the law that dethroned Aquaman. Atrocitus and Dex-Starr are captured by Lobo, who heads to Oa to collect the bounty placed on them. As the League celebrate their victory, Cyborg receives word that Gorilla Grodd is attacking Kathmandu, forcing them into action.

Reception
Renee Longstreet for Common Sense Media gave the film a two out of five star rating and commented, saying "Some light but relatable references to self-confidence play a small part in this tale, but the abundance of loud, busy battle sequences overpower the message, as well as some funny comic bits. While the story seems to be simple – good guys fight bad guys who threaten the planet – there are an awful lot of villains on the scene with plenty of evil motivations to go around, so younger kids may not be able to follow all the ins and outs of the plot. That hardly matters when they're engaged by the dozens of surprises emerging from Batman's utility belt and the smash, bang, boom of combat. On the plus side, the creative team smartly utilizes the solid voice performances of the actors who "appear" in the other animated versions, as well as this offering. It's notable that the release of Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Aquaman – Rage of Atlantis comes only months before the big screen Aquaman is set to open. It couldn't be purposeful advance marketing for kids, could it?"