Released: June 2017
Director: Patty Jenkins
Rated PG-13
Run Time: 141 Minutes
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Genre: Action/Fantasy
Cast:
Gal Gadot: Diana
Chris Pine: Steve Trevor
Connie Nielson: Hippolyta
Robin Wright: Antiope
Danny Huston: Ludendorff
David Thewlis: Sir Patrick
Said Taghmaoui: Sameer
Ewen Bremner: Charlie
DC Comics and Warner Bros have had a very hard time getting their “DC Expanded Universe” off the ground. The film that launched the DCEU, Man of Steel, was released back in 2013. It was fairly well-received by critics and audiences alike. It wasn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but it worked well enough as a reboot of Superman. Afterwards, a follow-up film was announced. It was assumed that it was going to be another stand-alone Superman film. However, it ended up turning into Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice. I followed the film as things developed which included the casting of Ben Affleck as Batman. It seemed controversial at first, but the trailers made it seem pretty cool. Unfortunately, one of the trailers featured the super-villain known as Doomsday. From that point on, I knew where they were going with this. To me, it seemed too early. The theatrical release of Batman V. Superman was torn to shreds. It was not a good movie. There were too many plot points that went nowhere, a tone that was far too dark and grim to be enjoyed, and a villain that was too over-the-top. At the same time, Warner Bros had announced Suicide Squad, a film about villains coming together to save the world. Great concept, crap execution. It was during this time that Wonder Woman was announced as a stand-alone movie. After two movies that were considered to be disasters, Wonder Woman was facing an uphill battle, especially with Patty Jenkins at the helm. The one really standout thing from BvS was Wonder Woman’s appearance. So….how does Wonder Woman fare?
The film opens on the mysterious island of Themyscira, home of the Amazons. The Amazons were a large group of warrior women created by the Greek Gods to protect mankind. Young Princess Diana is seen chasing through a city on the island to see the Amazons training. Realizing that she can’t protect her daughter forever, Queen Hippolyta allows Diana to be trained. After an incident during training, Diana witnesses a lone bi-plane appear out of nowhere to crash near the island. Diving to rescue the plane’s occupant, Diana realizes that the pilot is a man, Steven Trevor. Not having seen a man before, she helps him to the shore, just before the island is attacked by German forces. Realizing that their island may no longer be safe, Diana decides to help Trevor get back to his people to fight the War to End All Wars. I think it was wise for the film-makers to set the story during World War I for a number of reasons. One: We don’t see a lot of movies set during this period, which changed the way wars were fought. Two: It allows the film to stand on its own away from the films that have been released. This is an origin story, through and through, no denying it. What sets this story apart from everything else is that the main character, Diana is innocent and naive. She leaves home to fight a war only to realize that the real world doesn’t work the way she was expecting it to.
I’m going to come right out and say it: This is a damned good movie. Let me explain why? Diana’s naivete allows for some very funny moments as well as some dramatic moments. For instance, there’s a scene in which Trevor needs her to blend in. When she tries on various outfits, her reactions are legitimately funny. It’s very much a “fish-out-of-water” kind of story. It works, though. Similarly, when Trevor is tied by the Lasso, he’s forced to tell the truth, even if he doesn’t want to. That’s also pretty funny. But there are other moments throughout the film that are tragic, heartwarming and exciting. A lot of these situations wouldn’t work if the actors weren’t up for it. Gal Gadot made her debut as Wonder Woman in last year’s Batman V. Superman in what many consider to be a career-defining role. While she wouldn’t have been my first pick as Diana, Gal Gadot has truly stepped up to the plate. She owns the role, both physically and dramatically. I think she was the right choice for the role. Like-wise, Chris Pine is absolutely phenomenal as Steven Trevor. The actor’s natural charisma shines through in a role that is also both humorous and dramatic. The characters are at the heart of the story, but we can’t forget the side-characters, either. You have Said Taghmaoui as Sameer, the espionage expert, and Ewen Bremner as Charlie, the sniper. The interactions between these characters feels natural. The chemistry between Diana and Trevor is also surprisingly strong.
It has to be said: The action in Wonder Woman is absolutely fantastic. From the opening battle with the Germans on Themyscira to the final battle of the film, the action is intense. While the film isn’t packed to the hilt with action, the action that does happen is mind-blowingly awesome. Gal Gadot just tears it up with her sword, shield and lasso. The lasso was used far more often than I was expecting. It’s an important part of Wonder Woman’s arsenal. Her gauntlet’s are awesome as well. There was a scene in the film, which from what I understand was going to be cut for one reason or another, but wasn’t. This was Diana running across No Man’s Land to take out the Germans. This will most likely become one of the most iconic scenes in cinema history. Not necessarily because it’s cool, but because we get to see Wonder Woman really let loose for the first time. From this point on, the movie really kicks into high-gear.
From a visual stand-point, Wonder Woman is an absolutely gorgeous film to behold. The island of Themyscira is on par with the Lord of the Rings‘ Minas Tirith. It’s not just the landscapes that are phenomenal, it’s the set designs as well. The costumes are out-of-this world. Wonder Woman’s actual outfit is absolutely beautiful. They nailed the look. It’s more like armor and it doesn’t reveal too much. The other costume designs are very period-specific and really sell the world in which the movie takes place. The visual effects are absolutely astounding as well. This is a superhero movie, so there is quite a bit of CGI, but that’s to be expected. It’s all done very well. The music by Rupert Gregson-Williams is absolutely epic. The flourishes and Wonder Woman’s theme just really nail the film’s atmosphere and story.
There are a couple of nitpicks here and there, though. For one the villains aren’t as well-developed as they could have been. The film’s main villain is often alluded to, but doesn’t make an appearance until the film’s almost over. It felt a little out of left-field. Overall, though, the nitpicks don’t bring down what is essentially the best DC movie since The Dark Knight. Easily. It’s a stand-alone movie that doesn’t require one to watch the others. This is the movie that DC and Warner Bros needed. It needed to work because it had a lot riding on it. It’s the first live-action Wonder Woman movie EVER, so it had to be good. It was also directed by a woman, Patty Jenkins, so it had to be good. Young girls and women haven’t really had a superhero to call their own before Wonder Woman and it’s taken over 70 years to get a movie. In a genre that’s male-dominated and drowned in sequels and reboots, it’s absolutely refreshing to see a stand-alone movie about one of the greatest superheroes in comic book history. Gal Gadot had some pretty big shoes to fill from Lynda Carter, and I think she did a fantastic job. Overall, I have to say that I’m extremely impressed with how Patty Jenkins managed to get this movie to work. It is one of the best superhero movies of the past decade. Honestly, if you’re even curious about it, go see it. Wonder Woman is HIGHLY recommended.
Final Score: 9.5/10