Wonder Woman takes the grittiness of past DC movies and adds empathy into the formula, creating a relatable story for the female hero. Finally, DC has returned to good form with this installment in their cinematic universe. The casting is near-perfect with Gal Gadot (Fast & Furious 6) in the leading role. It is not very often that we see these kinds of powerful roles for actresses. Fortunately, Gadot reminds us that there is plenty of room for these roles in cinema. Chris Pine (Star Trek) is a nice addition as a supporting actor in the film. The two main roles play off of each other in a charmingly romantic style. Of course, there is a whole mix of other roles that also influence the characters and the plotline.
While Wonder Woman excels because of it's great casting, it stands even taller because of the themes recurring in the story. The struggle between human nature and free choice has always been a philosophical debate. The storyline is deep and emotional because of it's relativity to audiences. The writers take this debate and masterfully create a storyline around it. Previous DC films have struggled to bring this impact to their viewers. In the past, action has preceded the storyline. Batman v. Superman and Suicide Squad had the potential for emotional impact, but got muddled down with their action sequences.
Although Wonder Woman is a step forward for the DC universe, there are still some issues for the franchise to hash out. The last quarter of the film had some interesting action sequences, but felt too long. The action has a few too many effects, seeming unrealistic. I also saw the film for free in 3D, which in my opinion wouldn't have been worth the price. The first act has some fun 3D effects, but nothing else stands out later in the film. It is cool to watch at first, but eventually detracts from the ideals that the movie worked so hard to create. Still if this is the new base level for DC films, I cannot wait for the future installments. Patty Jenkins (Monster) brings hope to female filmmakers who want to helm big blockbusters.
The Bottom Line: Wonder Woman is the best DC film since The Dark Knight Rises, bringing justice to female superheroes and the franchise that has left them out for too long.
Score: 8.6/10
While Wonder Woman excels because of it's great casting, it stands even taller because of the themes recurring in the story. The struggle between human nature and free choice has always been a philosophical debate. The storyline is deep and emotional because of it's relativity to audiences. The writers take this debate and masterfully create a storyline around it. Previous DC films have struggled to bring this impact to their viewers. In the past, action has preceded the storyline. Batman v. Superman and Suicide Squad had the potential for emotional impact, but got muddled down with their action sequences.
Although Wonder Woman is a step forward for the DC universe, there are still some issues for the franchise to hash out. The last quarter of the film had some interesting action sequences, but felt too long. The action has a few too many effects, seeming unrealistic. I also saw the film for free in 3D, which in my opinion wouldn't have been worth the price. The first act has some fun 3D effects, but nothing else stands out later in the film. It is cool to watch at first, but eventually detracts from the ideals that the movie worked so hard to create. Still if this is the new base level for DC films, I cannot wait for the future installments. Patty Jenkins (Monster) brings hope to female filmmakers who want to helm big blockbusters.
The Bottom Line: Wonder Woman is the best DC film since The Dark Knight Rises, bringing justice to female superheroes and the franchise that has left them out for too long.
Score: 8.6/10
Image credit: By Gage Skidmore - File:Gal Gadot 2014 Comic Con.jpg, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40400532
