Its 2017, and the world *FINALLY* has the female-driven superhero film that it deserves. As a self-proclaimed super nerd, I have always wanted to see a character like Wonder Woman brought to life on the big screen - but in her own, stand alone film. In my opinion she saved Batman V Superman, and previous titles such as Halle Berry’s Catwoman and Jennifer Gardner’s Elektra or whatever that movie was called have been monumental flops both financially and critically. But despite the fact that DC has pretty much shot themselves in the foot with their last two films, BvS and Suicide Squad, Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman has reinvigorated the superhero genre and Warner Bros. entire creative effort to combat the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Set in the haze of World War 1, the film delivers what feels very reminiscent of Marvel’s Captain America: The First Avenger. We are given some much needed backstory, because many fans (including myself) may not have been fully aware of Wonder Woman’s origin. And right here is where the movie could potentially become polarizing - if you have the wrong mindset going into the film. I have always said that where Marvel films are slated in reality (or at least attempting to create a new, believable reality), DC is founded in the mythic. These stories are darker, take place in fictional cities with very few references to the real world (for example, the scene in BvS where Gal Gadot is looking through the incredibly fake-looking email that Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) sent her), and often find themselves providing over-the-top explanations for already hard-to-believe fictional superhero films. Its not a bad thing, necessarily. But you have to realize that going forward with a character such as Wonder Woman or you are going to be severely confused and skeptical.
Gal Gadot brings Diana to life, electrifying the role. She is the Amazonian Princess/ daughter of Hippolyta and Zeus, the two mythological gods. She has been born on the mystical island of Themyscira under the protection of her mother, aunt, and an entire army of bad-ass Amazonian women who are there to defend their home (and, one day, the entire world) from Aries, the god of war.
If, after reading this, you find yourself saying, “What the hell?” - you are not alone. Its hard to buy into, trust me. But that is the character. And that is the world you are entering once the film begins. But it also a world that you won’t want to leave.
One thing that I noticed right from the start is that the movie has its moments of both taking itself entirely too seriously, and times when it pokes fun at some superhero tropes. For instance, when Chris Pine’s character crash lands on Themyscira he asks Diana, “How do you speak English”. She responds by saying she speaks so many hundred different tongues, but nonetheless it was a quirky moment that made me smile.
As the film progresses, there are definitely some problems I have with it. First and foremost, the movie falls into the trap of most origin-story driven superhero films: Its pretty slow at times. Not unbearably slow, but the film definitely has its ups and downs in terms of action and dialogue. I also noticed a few continuity errors, and moments in which I said to myself, “How did that happen?” Most likely due to some wonky editing, but nonetheless it caught my eye. For this, the movie isn’t always a ‘smart’ film. But again, when you tell yourself, “I’m watching a movie starring one of the most powerful and kick-ass superheroes ever written, just relax and enjoy the film for what it is” everything kind of falls to the wayside. Especially when Wonder Woman rushes out into No Man’s Land and takes out an entire German trench by herself. That was truly a spectacular scene to watch. I wish it would have been longer so we could have seen Diana kicking even more butt, but I’m getting picky.
The next moment I found myself asking, “What did I Just watch” comes at the end of the movie when Wonder Woman all but blows up a watchtower inside of a German military base… and no one seems to notice. Everyone on the ground - all of the bad guys that Diana has come to stop from destroying the world - just doesn’t seem to realize that a superhero-sized battle just occurred only a few hundred feet away. So that bothered me. And the inclusion of a fake bad guy and a real bad guy as a cover up also bugged me.
Now the movie ends on a high note of genuine emotion, but not without a monumental CGI fight scene between Aries and Wonder Woman. This god-sized battle looks cool, and definitely isn’t as crazy as that of BvS. Plus, when Chris Pine flies off into the...sunset, I actually felt like the chapters had a genuine connection. And the 'shell shock' moment when Diana couldn't hear Pine was also a cool touch, in my opinion. So at least Patty Jenkins didn’t fall victim to Zach Snyder Syndrome (Even though he may be to blame for the shortcomings as one of the film's executive producers).
At the end of the film, I felt that the movie did a great job of actually staying true to the character, which can’t be said for many superhero films out. For that, I was pleasantly surprised. It was a bit cheesy and slow at times, but the movie (for the most part) legitimately felt character driven. Diana didn't change herself for the sake of making the movie 'cooler' or 'more marketable'. It also didn't try to fit in the biggest CGI explosion that money could buy as a way of justifying a lackluster script like BvS did.
Very much like The First Avenger set forth a new wave of films for Marvel Studios, so too can Wonder Woman for DC. The movie was a wonderful time. Fun, explosive, and charming. But that is because of the character and the story that was crafted around her. It is up to DC to embrace this going forward and not act like it was a one-time thing. And for the sake of nerds and geeks everywhere, I hope they follow through.
