I have not been a fan of the new DC films that have been trying to compete with Marvel. Man of Steel, Batman vs. Superman, Suicide Squad — not one got me into the theaters to see them, and what I’ve seen of them since has not made me regret that decision. But Wonder Woman was different — she isn’t just any hero, she is THE female superhero, a symbol of feminism and feminine power that has no equal in either comic company. Even before I saw the awesome trailer I was determined to go see it, because in this day and age, if any female-led project fails, the fact that it’s female-led takes the blame, but the trailer gave me genuine hope that a modern DC movie would finally, finally, deliver.
DID. THEY. EVER.
If you are remotely a fan of comics, superheroes, or blockbusters in general, go see it. I usually enjoy Marvel films and loved Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, but this is hands-down the better movie of the two (I honestly don’t see Spider-Man: Homecoming topping it either).
This is literally everything I could ever have wanted from a Wonder Woman movie. Gal Gadot plays Diana with a combination of naivete and strength, compassion and righteous anger, and just all-around nobility. Chris Pine’s Steve Trevor is a man of his time (1918), but a fairly progressive one. He may tend to lead Diana around with a constant hand on her back, but he also doesn’t hesitate to follow her lead. In this movie, the woman does the lion’s share of the fighting, and the man backs her up. They share great chemistry, and their relationship is based on mutual respect and trust and is really fun to watch.
The choice to set Diana’s departure from Themiscyra to the human world during World War I works very well. The sexism she encounters is omnipresent, from the clothes to the fact that she is immediately ignored or dismissed by the men in charge — as Etta Candy, Steve Trevor’s secretary notes, in 1918, American women can’t even vote. The chief antagonist, Ares, fans the flames of the War to End All Wars, but in the end Diana doesn’t simply get in a physical fight with soldiers or the God of War. Rather, she fights to find the power and compassion to confront the nature of evil itself as it exists in all people, and that’s a war she knows she may not be able to win.
Allan Heinberg’s script is smart and even surprising in places, and director Patty Jenkins balances the somberness of trench warfare with the joys of finding friendship love even in the darkest of times. The movie hits just the right notes of what Diana does and does not know of the real world — she is fluent in science and multiple languages, but doesn’t comprehend things like racism or sexism (An amusing touch is the idea that the Amazons have no concept of marriage but every concept of sex, for which they find men necessary only if procreation is involved). Her reaction to the suffering of soldiers and civilians alike as victims not of a particular ideology or national identity, but of war itself, is compelling and timely.
It can’t be easy to take on a project like this — the politics of making a film that will inevitably invoke feminism in a culture that had people threaten to boycott Mad Max: Fury Road and Ghostbusters for simply having female protagonists means that people were sharpening their knives well before anyone had even seen it. Add in the pressure to redeem the other lackluster entries in the buildup of the Justice League films and the silly brouhaha over an all-female screening in Austin, and a weaker film might have crumbled.
Nevertheless, she persisted!
Sidenote: my 78-year-old aunt, who does not normally like blockbusters in general or superhero movies in particular, went NUTS over this film. Make of that what you will.
Sunday, Jun 4, 2017 · 3:17:13 AM +00:00
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The Katwoman
Just want to apologize for the late responses — I was actually in charge of the Wonder Woman event in my store today, which was fun but tiring as I also dressed for the occasion. Most of the biggest responses came from women — one started singing the 70s theme song when she saw my outfit, and a whole group of mothers and daughters stopped in JUST for the event. The sweetest reactions came from two little boys: one, who was about four, came decked out in his own Wonder Woman costume to go see the movie, and we shared complements over each other’s outfits; the other, who seemed closer to six, looked at a stack of Wonder Woman comics and said, “I think my sister would like one,” took a comic, and after a moment, “And I would like one.” It’s one hell of a fictional character who can break down real world barriers — it’s no wonder she’s lasted 76 years and counting!