Written by Louie Fecou
Let’s be honest, the DC Universe lags quite dramatically behind the Marvel one. Marvel movies seem to hit the spot with winners such as Guardians and Civil War, while Suicide Squad and BVS left fans divided and cold. Well the good news is that Wonder Woman is a real contender here, and probably DC’s first real hit.
Forget box office for a moment, and think more about what the fans want from their super hero movies. We want to see our idols well represented and filled with the joy,wonder and excitement that we once had when reading their adventures in comic books. Thankfully the people behind Wonder Woman somehow realised this and gave the fans what they want.
Wonder Woman is an epic in the same way that Superman was when released in 1978. The Christopher Reeve film told the story of Supes from Krypton to Earth, from baby to teen to adult, and WW does more or less the same thing, and with just the same reverence. Like Richard Donner, WW director Patty Jenkins, treats the source material with just the right amount of respect, staying true to the character and adding as she goes.
Like Clark Kent, Diana Prince is a stranger in a strange land, that finds her way through the maze with the help of her supporting cast. Clark had Lois, Diana has Steve, and like magic, the chemistry between the leads works well.
Gone is the dark and moody Zach Snyder portrayals we received in BVS, and instead we have beauty and humor that lights up the screen like no DC movie in the last 10 years. So inspired by Superman, Jenkins pays homage to the film with a scene stolen straight from the 1978 movie. I won’t spoil it here for you, see if you can spot it when you go.
As far as the two leads go, Gal Gadot was born to play this part. She is simply stunning in the role, her Goddess like physique perfect for Diana, and as well as looking great, she plays the part with empathy and grace.
Chris Pine also excels here as Steve Trevor. Mirroring the stranger in a strange land experience that awaits Diana in the second act, Pine has just enough charm and ruggedness to carry him from war to paradise and back again, assembling a rag tag brigade of mercenaries along the way.
As we move into the final act, things do indeed get a little more serious. The scenes in the trenches of the first world war, take the subject matter as far as it could go in a 12A movie, and the villains of the piece are suitably evil. The action sequences are well done, there are some epic showdowns, enhanced in slow motion, and some truly warranted punch the air moments.
When Gadot runs into no man’s land, taking the full fire power of the enemy in our first real look at Wonder Woman in costume, it is heroic and breathtaking. The big boss battle at the film’s climax is also well done and we are left with a satisfying conclusion.
This could be the film that gives the DC Universe hope, I pray it does great box office and more importantly is a hit with the fans, they deserve it.
Rating: 10/10
