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It’s been a long time coming. For a new Patty Jenkins film. For a female led superhero film. For a female superhero film directed by a female director. Patty Jenkins is the first woman to direct a film with a budget over a hundred million dollars and she knocked it out of the park. Diana Prince is one of the most iconic characters of all time. Let’s forget comics, she is a symbol for many women (and men) of what they can strive to be. Strong, independent, and intelligent, I fell in love with Wonder Woman almost immediately. Is it without its shortcomings? No. But if this is what the DC Extended Universe is gonna be from here on out, sign me up.
Diana (Gal Gadot), Princess of Themyscira, is admired by all the Amazons on the island. Wanting to fight her whole life, her mother, Queen Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen) has her train under her sister and Diana’s aunt Antiope (Robin Wright) to be the best warrior among the Amazons. One day Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) crash lands on Themyscira, bringing World War 1 right to its doorstep. Taking this as a sign of Ares, the god of war, finally trying to destroy mankind, Diana enters the world of men as Diana Prince to bring an end to the war and destroy Ares once and for all.
This reminded me of Mad Max: Fury Road in many ways, in that this film doesn’t make too big of a deal that Diana can kick your ass and be graceful about it. The feminist themes are done so well and are so expertly woven into the narrative that most people (read men) won’t even notice. Having this take place during World War 1 was the smartest choice as Patty expertly weaves in gender dynamics and politics as well as minority struggles. I felt like Steve in this film in that not only did I respect Diana as a warrior, but I too did fall in love with her strength, character and beauty.
This is going to be an inspiration to many little girls for ages to come. Throughout the film, I was reminded of how I felt as a little boy watching Richard Donner’s 1978 film Superman. I was filled with such awe and, no pun intended, wonder, that I had a grin on my face for much of the run time. This film is so filled with optimism and hope that it’s infectious without being cloying. As we get to see WW1-era London through Diana’s eyes it works as we move throughout Europe and Diana slowly comes to realize that the world of men isn’t as black and white as she thinks.
Patty Jenkins and her DP shift color palettes multiple times and it works for both storytelling and visual purposes. I love how bright and beautiful Themyscria is. In fact, I wanted to spend more time in Themyscria. I’m serious, a whole film of Connie Nielsen and Robin Wright in Themyscria would kill. To make Themyscria pop in contrast to London and Europe is crazy. As a matter of fact, when we do get to London and Europe the grey skied hue matches the tone and still fits. Patty uses slow motion to good and bad effect. The stuff you see in the trailers where Diana is fighting in the dilapidated office buildings against German soldiers is even more badass in context of the film. As are the heroics of Diana stepping onto the battlefield and going against a barrage of bullets and mortar shells. However, the fight on the beaches of Themyscria did not warrant slo-mo even if those fights were well choreographed.
The way the Lasso of Truth is used in the film is top notch. In the action scenes, it pops as its golden glow stands out as it whips and twirls villains around the screen with finesse. In a scene in which the Amazons use the Lasso to interrogate Steve, it’s one of pure amazement. There are quiet scenes that are just as exciting as the sequences of action. The Lasso is such an important part of this film and is used in ways that it doesn’t call attention to itself. As a matter of fact, the way it’s presented as it’s not really that big of a deal is smart.
Anyone who thought Gal Gadot couldn’t carry a movie was dead wrong. Gal brings grace and strength to Diana without making her lose her innocence. She has a presence that radiates beauty and elegance that has been missing from these big budget films for a minute. I mean this in the most positive way possible, she reminded me of Christopher Reeves. Chris Pine plays Steve Trevor as an honorable man even when he’s lying to Diana. Chris also commands the screen, and while he and Gal have an unique dynamic together, he never steals the show from Gal. Connie Nielsen and Robin Wright almost steal the film with their respective roles early in the film. In fact, I’d like to see Robin Wright in more action films from here on out. In addition to Diana being a fish out of water, Lucy Davis as Etta Candy, Steve’s secretary adds to the comic relief. As does Steve’s friends who all have baggage of some sort. They are Saïd Taghmaoui as Sameer, Ewen Bremner as Charlie and Eugene Brave Rock portrays Chief.
Danny Huston and Elena Anaya suffer from what most comic book films suffer from which are underdeveloped villains. As matter of fact, this is the film’s biggest weakness. There’s a third act reveal that is very undeserved, as I would have not only liked more build up, but would have liked the arrival of Ares to happen much, much sooner. In fact, when he does arrive the stakes are not there, as they’ve waited so late in the game for him to reveal himself. And even though the fight takes place on a battlefield of mostly enemies and is much more scaled down from the previous films in this universe, they need to stop leaving a literal crater in the ground after their final fights.
The score by Rupert Gregson-Williams is elegant and inspired. I’ll admit that I found the theme Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL gave Wonder Woman in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice to be obnoxious. It sounded like a low rent Evanescence instrumental by a fifteen-year-old kid jamming out in his garage screaming “Yeah bro!”. Here, Rupert takes that theme and remixes it, making it fit with the score he created. In fact, when the theme kicks in during the action scenes, it only made the film that much more badass.
Being such a standalone film away from the DCEU worked in this film’s favor so much. With the film being bookended by the tie-ins to the overall universe, this could’ve been a mess. But with narrative focus, as well as lightening up greatly, we have the strongest film in the DCEU. And this is coming from someone who hated their output last year: if this is the future of DC from here on out, sign me up. If WB was smart, they’d greenlight the sequel ASAP. This was so good that I’m now looking forward to James Wan’s Aquaman. ------------------------------------------
America from 9:00 on: https://youtu.be/GUwLCQU10KQ
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