An Amazon
princess (Gal Gadot) finds her idyllic life on an island occupied only by
female warriors interrupted when a pilot (Chris Pine) crash-lands nearby. After
rescuing him, she learns that World War I is engulfing the planet, and vows to
use her superpowers to restore peace. Directed by Patty Jenkins (Patty
Jenkins). ~ Violet LeVoit, Rovi
Director: Patty
Jenkins
Cast: Gal
Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, David Thewlis
Release
Date: Jun 02, 2017
Rated: Rated
pg-13 Some Suggestive Content, Sequences of Violence and Action
Runtime: 2
hr. 21 min.
Genres:
Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Review:
I’ll start
off by saying that I’m terribly biased when it comes to Wonder Woman thanks to
reruns of Lynda Carter’s iteration from the 70’s which led to a lifelong
fandom. Wonder Woman has always been my
favorite superhero and I’ve actually read a handful of comics and watched
endless amounts of Bruce Timm produced animation. Needless to say, I can understand why it’s so
difficult to nail the character. Patty
Jenkins and Batman vs. Superman scene stealer Gal Gadot had a large task in
front of them. Thankfully they nailed
it. Wonder Woman’s first foray onto the
big screen is a rousing success. Patty
Jenkins layers the film with a handful of themes but they are done subtly and
organically throughout. Most
importantly, it’ll all feel right for long time fans of the character. Wonder Woman is a tough blend since she’s a
warrior but also incredibly compassionate and caring. Gal Gadot is able convey all of this with
relative ease throughout, all the while showing off glimpses of some fine
comedic talent.
Gadot has a magnetic
energy about her that’s just incredibly infectious. Moving the film’s setting to World War 1 is an
incredibly smart move since it gives us and Gadot a chance to show off an
innocence in Diana’s character as she explores man’s world for the first
time. Chris Pine comes off as a pleasant
surprise, in what is easily my favorite performance from him. Pine and Gadot have an undeniable and
realistic chemistry that’s as playful as it’s heartfelt. Once the action moves into the battlefield,
Jenkins and her cast show off an excellent handle on how to do action sequences
properly. There are 2 sequences that are
sure to give longtime fans goosebumps.
If there is a minor complaint, it’s a tab bit of overuse of slow
mo. The sequences would have been better
served if they’d held back on that just a tad.
Some of the minor drawbacks are the villains, Danny Huston’s character
is about as one note as they come and Dr. Maru aka Dr. Poison comes a bit too
cartoony for my taste. Additionally, the
third act does fall into the big battle trope most superhero films use. A tad bit of trimming could have helped it since
it overstays its welcome by a few minutes.
Regardless, when the film is done you can’t help but be impressed by how
fun, emotionally layered and loving crafted Wonder Woman is by all those
involved.
A-
omg i loved the slo mo! I just wasn't expecting the significance of the love story. GREAT movie tho
ReplyDeleteYeah the slow mo is a minor gripe, very minor. The love story could have felt really tacked on but I thought it was worked in very well. I loved it, even on the second viewing!
DeleteThank you Daniel! I always appreciate your reviews and point of view. Happy to know you became a WW fan due Linda Carter. I glad Gal Gadot proudly carries the tourch
ReplyDeleteThank you Sharon, Lynda Carter is always going to have a soft spot in my heart. Gal Gadot is great as the newest incarnation.
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