The recently-established DC Expanded Universe of films has gone through quite the rough patch in its infancy. Out of the three films previously released in the DCEU, none are actually good; the best one is “Man of Steel,” and given that film’s disappointing mediocrity, that’s not saying much. So to say the DCEU needed saving before this point was an understatement of cosmic proportions. A certain heroine has heeded the call.

Director Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman” is the latest installment in the DCEU, yet it doesn’t seem like it. Gone is the surly, broody, and edgy tone for the cinematic universe established in “Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice” and “Suicide Squad.” Easter Eggs and post-credit scenes are nowhere to be found. A strong female protagonist is the star of the show, not another male superhero. “Wonder Woman” is a breath of fresh air for the DCEU and--hopefully--a sign of things to come from the cinematic universe.

“Wonder Woman” is ultimately a story about courage, compassion in the face of great danger, and the willingness to push the boundaries for change. There’s a romantic subplot, an evil supervillain, and quirky allies like other superhero films. However, the film never falls back on these familiar elements just to get box office money; it sticks to the themes it claims to explore. Instead of just focusing on an arbitrary big bad and Wonder Woman’s quest to defeat him/her, the film spends more time and effort marinating on its Wonder Woman as a person and the interactions with the world and people around her.

And what does this focus on character bring out? Simply put, it allows us to explore the above themes through a feminist and socio-political lens, and it is in this respect that “Wonder Woman” is able to compete in the large sea of superhero films. The commentary is handled so subtly and deftly, mostly in blink-and-you’ll-miss-it visual and dialogue cues. It is brilliantly interwoven with the plot and doesn’t seem like it’s too heavy-handed or blatant. Like the best superhero films, “Wonder Woman” remembers that the superhero film subgenre is still subject to the tenets of good narrative filmmaking, specifically the need for good characters, drama, and a thematic plot.

Casting for “Wonder Woman” is fantastic, with particular kudos going to Chris Pine as the witty and likable spy Steve Trevor. By far the best cast member, however, is Gal Gadot as the titular Wonder Woman. Gadot beautifully captures the balance between wide-eyed optimist and battle-ready warrior woman that the story calls for. Her performance sells the essence of the character and the story: that kindness, love, compassion, and understanding are just as important as determination, the will to fight, and being bold.

With a big summer blockbuster film like this, you’d probably expect plenty of CGI and ostentatious action scenes. Yes, those things are there, but they’re thankfully handled in a controlled and sensible way, unlike in the other DCEU films released thus far. From a cinematographic standpoint, “Wonder Woman” is crisp, clean and unencumbered by frequent shaky cam or a promiscuous use of slow motion a la “300”--which is funny considering that “300” director Zack Snyder produced and assisted with the story for this film.

And the inevitable supervillain encounter at the end of the film, which is something that many comic book movies in the past have struggled to make believable and interesting, is actually quite decent here. There’s the usual song-and-dance involved--villain gives speech, hero doesn’t listen, hero fights, et cetera--but thanks to the excellent writing and character development beforehand, you actually care enough about the title heroine and what she’s involved in to put aside pointing out clichés.

“Wonder Woman” doesn’t reinvent the wheel for comic book movies--but it didn’t need to. All it really needed to do was tap into the potential that the subgenre possesses, to show that superhero tales of flight and fancy aren’t just sophomoric entertainment anymore. That was yesteryear. Today, they can be compelling, just like any other kind of genre fiction. What better way to show that then through a progressive, female-led superhero film?