Wonder Woman (2017) ****/5: There are some hackneyed and inconsequential elements but this is still one of the best superhero films of the modern era.

(image courtesy of vox.com)

Wonder Woman is one of the best superhero films of the modern era that began in 1978.  There are some iconic visual moments in the film that will influence and define the character for this generation. Wonder Woman/Diana Prince bursts forth from relative obscurity and makes a grand impression. You have to take her seriously. She is a powerful character. Some will even start to wonder how powerful she is and if she won’t end up leading the line for DC. For years Batman and Superman led the line for DC films or films based on characters from DC comics and this culminated in the poorly conceptualized BvS released last year. Wonder Woman may have been featured in some series, animated or otherwise, since the beginning of the modern era of comic book films but there was no film produced featuring her heroics. Most comic book readers know that Wonder Woman, Batman and Superman form the holy trinity of DC comics. They tried to bring this forth in BvS last year in preparation for the formation of the Justice League. Wonder Woman is deserving of a good film because she is such an iconic character. This film is also the best superhero film ever made with a female as the lead. Like I said she is a powerful character and even the men will have to accept that even though some will not have seen such display of power by a female lead in a superhero film. It’s time that she was given her due.

The film stars Gal Gadot as the Wonder Woman, the amazon warrior from Themyscira, an ancient island which is home to the amazons who are all female. Diana is unaware of her godly heritage. She learns as she goes along. Diana leaves her secluded, sacred island to fight in World War 1 or the Great War so that she can confront Ares. She is ably assisted by Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) a British spy, who sounds a lot like an American, who crash lands on the secluded island carrying important secrets that will possibly end the war. It is he who informs the Amazons about what’s happening in the world outside especially the war to end all wars.  Several other male characters also line up alongside her and join in the fight and form an unlikely band of warriors with Diana as the de facto leader.

Positives

The main positive of this film are the iconic visual elements that will come to define how Wonder Woman is identified. Obviously the casting of Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman/Diana prince has a lot to do with but when she is revealed in all her Wonder Woman glory with all the traditional garb and begins to assume a leadership position on the battlefield then you come to realize how iconic she is. I didn’t have much problem with the final battle because although some people are complaining that it’s typical super hero fare I also saw it as Wonder Woman coming of age where her power reaches its ultimate height. The visual elements surrounding Ares was also significant and seems to be rounded in the visual conception of the Wonder Woman world. The visuals are very important here and so I don’t agree with one critic that the CGI in the final battle could have been from any other film. The visual elements say a lot about Wonder Woman’s world. And when she goes into action you do realize why she is iconic. The bright yellowing light or golden sheen will come to define the character and make her distinctive along with Gal Gadot in the lead. If one looks at the atmosphere of war torn Europe in 1918 with its greying look then you’ll understand why Wonder Woman’s golden sheen look stands out so much. It contrasts with the period.   Gal Gadot does well and she has the look of Wonder Woman and this was immediately identifiable when watching BvS last year. Her naïve charm early on in the film is eventually replaced by the demeanour of a veteran or someone coming into their own and realizing their full potential. The movie does well enough to ensure that Wonder Woman assumes her rightful place. A lot of Diana’s look has to do with the bright Themyscira and it’s good that the filmmakers spent some time explaining how it came into being. I don’t mind exposition because I’m a historian.

I liked the portrayal of European society during World War1. We get a good look at English society and we also get a glimpse of war torn Continental Europe (Belgium and to  a lesser extent Germany) and the contrast between the elites and the casualties of war. There is even some time spent with the Ottomans or in Ottoman territory. I actually liked the character of General Ludendorff (Danny Huston) and what he represents. He is one example of how men are corrupted by war and take relish in destruction. I also understood the Ares element better particularly as the war was coming to an end.

The contrast between Diana and Steve is well played. The ordinary mortal alongside a godly figure. It is interesting and romantic but largely about how he convinces her to embrace the more ordinary aspects of life. Life that is not about the Gods on high or great battles to be fought. Just simple tales of the heart. So it’s well done. And the acting is pretty good.

The action is pretty good. I wasn’t that impressed by some of the slow motion sequences but seeing Wonder woman in full flight is pretty interesting. Seeing a female superhero lead showcase that kind of power is truly something. I didn’t hear much cheers in the audience for what she did but there was quiet acknowledgment that she’s the real deal especially when she was in full flight with bracelet, shield, sword and lasso.

I was pretty surprised that Diana’s heroics didn’t generate as much excitement in the world she inhabited. There was not much question about who is this powerful woman on the battlefield. I’m just glad she wasn’t on American soil. Maybe it was deliberate that she was made into an obscure heroic figure because of the upcoming Justice League films.

Negatives

The primary negative for me is that the film does have some hackneyed elements. Diana clearly doesn’t understand the real world and her message about love saving the world is a bit too corny for my liking. Hopefully in other films they will show how the world is built on racial and class struggles. Wonder Woman does not represent other minorities and is clearly another example of the white race showcasing its power although the island of Themyscira does have a good racial mixture.  Based on Wonder Woman’s reasoning there is not only war to be addressed but the various systems of exploitation all over the world even during peace time. It is these systems that eventually lead to the cycle of war and peace. Her beating Ares did not seem like an earth shattering event. It had to do more with her character than about the fate of the world.  It did not seem as if she achieved much by beating him especially as the war was almost over by the time of their final battle. If Diana’s actions were more effective during the course of the war then the final battle would have been more effective. Was Diana even active during World War 2? Maybe that could be the subject of a sequel. I was not clear why Wonder Woman was made into such an obscure figure. Why was she not celebrated more? This is probably due to her battles being very inconsequential. It would have been good if she went on more campaigns during the war in her quest for Ares and then ending up finding him in the midst of the battlefield stirring up the soldiers. In the film they do mention that Ares is likely to be present at the most intense part of the battle but the war is almost over so then what.

It’s a good origin story but I still wasn’t clear on the role of the Amazons. Diana keeps talking about their purpose yet this race of women prefer to remain secluded. Why are all the gods dead? That shouldn’t necessarily be the case and I think Diana’s world would have been richer if more gods were a part of her world. As a fan of Greek myth I would have preferred if they were still around so that we could have some more insight into how they viewed the world. How is Ares so powerful that he is the only one remaining?  Diana is the sole representative but hopefully the Themyscira will play an important role in future DC films

Overall well done Patty Jenkins.