Uncategorized

Review: WONDER WOMAN [2017]

After the mixed reception to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and the (mostly) negative reception to Suicide Squad, the DC Extended Universe needed a home run. A film that not only pleased fans but also got their biggest critics on board. You can’t possibly go into the first Justice League film with four “mediocre” films on your stat sheet, can you? Thankfully we don’t even have to think about that. Wonder Woman is here to stop the nerd apocalypse. The film focuses on Diana’s origin story, and what makes her the hero we see in Batman v Superman.
We see Diana as a child [played by the adorable Lilly Aspell]. She wants to become a warrior like the rest of the Amazons. Her mother tells her that no one should want to be a warrior. Diana is the only child on the Island so she is a bit naive; not knowing that real pain of war. This also carries into her adulthood. Fast forward to Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), a pilot who crashes on the island. Thankfully Diana (Gal Gadot) rushes to his rescue. From here the real story begins. Diana and Steve are trying to stop World War One and bring peace to mankind.
Diana is a really fun character. She’s innocent, caring and will do anything in her power to help others. Steve, on the other hand, is sarcastic, smart, but still good at heart. Gadot and Pine are fantastic leads and really carry this film. Their chemistry is incredible. Director Patty Jenkins also did a marvelous job here. The film is gorgeous! The use of colors, the cinematography, humor, and even the score work so well together (even that rockin’ cello solo). It’s truly a work of art.

The rest of the supporting cast does their job. Robin Wright (Antiope) and Connie Nielsen (Hippolyta) are the only Amazons to get any real screen time, and that felt like a bit of a waste. The same can be said on the opposite side. Saïd Taghmaoui (Sameer), Lucy Davis (Etta Candy), and Ewen Bremmer (Charlie) don’t get much to do either. They’re all fine in their respective roles, but they weren’t given hardly anything to do. Which brings me to my next topic, the villain.

I’m not going to say much about the villain because we’d be entering spoiler territory. I will say he’s very weak. Thankfully it’s not Enchantress bad, but it still could’ve been stronger. Think, Ronan The Accuser from Guardians of the Galaxy. This isn’t really a bad thing because much of the focus is on our heroine. I’d rather develop Diana and Steve’s relationship than focus on the villain, especially in an origin story.
One more very minor nitpick; the film relies too heavily on slow motion for its action sequences. I noticed this in the trailers and it carried over into the film. It’s used so much that it starts to get distracting; but like I said earlier, it’s a nitpick.

Wonder Woman is inspiring in the way Superman was in 1978, or  Spider-Man was in 2002. Never in my life have I left a theater where people said: “I want to be just like her”. That’s huge, man. That’s what it’s all about. Inspiring people to be better, to be stronger, to be compassionate and loving to one another. This movie struck a chord with the men and women in that theater. It did something I’ve never seen a superhero movie do. It got people to want to be something more. She gave them an ideal to strive towards, and that is something I’ll never forget.

We’ve had six guys play Batman, three guys play Spider-Man, and three play Superman. We’ve only had one Wonder Woman – the amazing Lynda Carter. Now, Gal Gadot is Wonder Woman. She is the hero for a whole new generation, and I believe can be that hero for years to come. Wonder Woman is refreshing; not only because it’s the first female lead comic book film in the modern era, but because it’s something new. In a world of sequels and reboots, the film is something audiences have been craving. Wonder Woman is that breath of fresh air the genre desperately needed.
Wonder Woman hits theaters tomorrow!
Follow me on
Latest posts by Michael Thomas (see all)