Review: ‘Wonder Woman’

With the DC cinematic universe hanging in the balance, Warner Bros. put their faith in director Patty Jenkins and actress Gal Gadot to bring the long overdue first Wonder Woman movie to the big screen and deliver they did. The film is exciting, humorous, beautifully filmed and one of the best superhero films so far. If we’ve learned nothing else, we know now to never send a man to do a woman’s job.

The film opens with a young Diana learning the ways of the Amazonians. Raised by her mother, Hippolyta, Queen of Themyscira (Connie Nielson), Diana has been sheltered from the warrior ways of her people. Her Aunt Antiope (Robin Wright) is the finest general in the Amazonian army and determined to teach Diana to defend herself against her sister’s wishes. A reluctant Hippolyta agrees to Diana’s training as long as she is trained harder and more vigorously than any Amazonian before her. Now grown, Diana (Gal Gadot) begins to learn the challenges of her position and comes to understand that there is a power in her greater than she’s ever known.

A plane is shot down and crashes off the coast of Themyscira and pilot Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) finds himself rescued by Diana and faced with the explaining his uninvited entrance.  A German warship captained by general Ludendorff (Danny Huston) has followed Trevor’s downed plane to find Themyscira and the Amazonians, setting their sights on annihilation of the foreign foe. Driven back for the time being, Trevor must confide in Diana and the Amazonians as to why he is there and to the severity of his mission. Knowing she cannot sit by while a world she knows nothing about is destroyed, Diana sets off with Steve Trevor to enter the war and stand up for those who cannot help themselves.

And the film’s just getting started! What follows can easily be taken as a spoiler to some so we’ll stop the summary right there. Director Patty Jenkins has created a wonderfully empowering film for women everywhere, a rarity in Hollywood, and one that should and will be celebrated. Gal Gadot is the perfect embodiment of Diana Prince and a true treasure to behold. Gadot’s portrayal is a strong symbol of the importance of Wonder Woman in pop culture and the feminist movement and young children to look up to. Chris Pine is marvelous with his witty humor and his tried and true valor. Pine compliments Gadot’s performance perfectly and never overshadows.

Overall, Wonder Woman is a near perfect superhero film and a bright shining light in the dismal DC cinematic universe so far. A film that hearkens back to the spirit of Capatin America: The First Avenger while never feeling or trying to be a retread. Wonder Woman is a true gem.

Stars:

4 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

None

Trailer:

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