Wonder Woman

S’wonderful

Wonder Woman is getting a huge critical boost for being the first DC Extended Universe film whose strengths outweigh its weaknesses. It seems to have learned from the mistakes of the unbalanced and dour messes of Man of Steel, Batman v Superman, and Suicide Squad, and preoccupies itself with bringing fun and hope to this cinematic universe.

Remarkably, Wonder Woman, at most turns, does not feel like a placating amalgam of studio and preview screening notes strung together to form a flimsy narrative created solely so that people will finally like a DC film. Though it still falls victim to several laughable misfires and thematic slipups, Wonder Woman manages to feel fresh and invigorating in our cinematic climate of superhero overload.

Set during the final days of World War I, Wonder Woman presents the origin story of Diana (Gal Gadot), a daughter of the fierce and mythical Amazons who were created by Zeus to inspire peace and hope in the corrupted hearts of men. When American spy Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) crash lands on their secluded island home and informs the tribe of the War, Diana seizes the opportunity to venture into the outside world to kill Ares, the god of war who initially polluted mankind’s souls.

The necessary setup to Diana’s origin story is helped by the character’s middling status in global consciousness. While Wonder Woman is a name that can be recognized worldwide, her fanbase outside of the comic book community pales in comparison to those of Batman or Superman. Wonder Woman is thus an origin story that is able to truly introduce its title character to a mass audience, and what an entrance she makes.

From Girl to Woman

Gadot’s performance is the film’s greatest strength. Admittedly helped by the fact that her biggest competition in the role is Lynda Carter from the obscure 70’s TV show (poor Henry Cavill never stood a chance against Christopher Reeve), Gadot nevertheless takes full possession of the character within the opening ten minutes.

Gadot portrays Diana as a innocent child who adheres to the simple morals of the Amazon’s mythological history. Her belief in doing what’s right in the face of destruction and pure evil unclouded by compromises of harsh reality (one of the many cues the film takes from 2011’s Captain America) is the perfect personality to exist within the most badass warrior the Amazons have ever produced.

Friends and Foes

Pine does amazingly well in the role of Diana’s beefcake sidekick/romantic interest. The two share multiple coy repartees that poke fun at gender role reversals and frank matters of sexuality that also manage to retain a palpable chemistry and growing sense of respect between the two. If their lines are intermittently sappy and overly precious, it still comes as a relief amidst a world tearing itself apart.

Against such a true-blue hero, Diana’s foes, ruthless German commander Ludendorff (Danny Huston) and sadistic chemist Dr. Maru (Elena Anaya), leave much to be desired. Meant to embody mankind’s seemingly instinctive tendency to pursue new technological leaps to inflict maximum destruction and suffering, the pair instead come off like Rocky and Bullwinkle’s bumbling nemeses Boris and Natasha with their subpar dialogue and overblown portrayal of villainy for villainy’s sake.

The Hero We Need

This pothole is significantly covered up by the fact that, thematically speaking, Diana fights the ideas of the war rather than its combatants (though it is fun to watch her take on an entire German trench on her own). The film adequately captures the period of uncertainty in our history where our greatest leaps seemed to be in weapons development rather than the pursuit of peace. Adequate screen time is devoted to images of devastation among the innocents, and Gadot’s looks of heartbreak sell each moment of her initiation to the outside world.

While given several sequences to prove her title as the Amazon’s greatest warrior, Diana’s messianic mission into the destructive void is the most inspiring element of the film. Her value as a strong female role model stems not only from her ability to beat up the bad guys in spectacular fashion, but to jump into the fray because of compassion and a desire to defeat the evil within the human heart.

The Honest Truth

While the film comes to some sappy conclusions about that dark nature, it is still laced with hope and ethical actions that inspire. Regrettably, some of that thematic weight is severely undercut by a third-act twist that comes off as double-handed and not confident in its convictions.

This twist also portrays the worst elements of the hit or miss action sequences. While many are well-choreographed and competently shot, several fall victim to ill-placed slow motion and overreliance on CGI. Coupled with the uncertain rules regarding Diana’s power, many elements of these fights don’t seem to add up.

While these missteps impair the film from becoming the true superhero revelation it aspires to be, I am won over by its sincerity and exceptional lead performance. Even the easy jokes regarding Diana’s caveman-esque curiosity about the modern world sat decently with me (mainly because I found it refreshing that a DC film was trying to tell jokes that fit the characters at all).

These concessions border on being overly apologetic, but so much of Wonder Woman charmed and surprised me. Undoubtedly the best part of Batman v Superman, I look forward to Diana’s contributions to Justice League as a force that inspires hope and justice when none of the other heroes (including Diana’s Kryptonian competitor for messianic idol) do anything to inspire hope.

But Wonder Woman’s strengths don’t rely solely on its superiority to other films of the DC universe, though you’d be hard-pressed not to admit it undoubtedly helps. Its power derives from its ability to stand on its own as an enjoyable and lively origin story, and for the powerhouse performance that makes Diana a defender of our most treasured heroic ideals.

3 Stars