Cindy Prascik's Review of Wonder Woman

Dearest Blog, yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas to see Wonder Woman...with a side of Pirates of the Caribbean.

 

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

 

If your world (or your franchise) needs saving...ask a woman.

 

Regular reader(s) will know I generally don't read reviews until I've written mine, though of course I've seen headlines, most of which run along the lines of "DC Finally Gets It Right!" I'm of the rare opinion that DC always gets it right (yes, even Green Lantern!), so, if this review seems somewhat less gushing than most, it's only because the awesomeness was entirely expected.

 

Beginning with the obvious, our Wonder Woman is, indeed, a wonder. Strong and stunning, charming and smart, Gal Gadot carries this picture like it's old hat; she is perfect in every way. And how about Chris Pine?? I mean, if you're only catching onto the fact that he's more than just blue eyes and a dreamy smile, well...shame on you!! He's always great, but this might be his finest performance yet. The supporting cast is extremely solid, although...does Danny Huston play Nazis weirdly often, or does he just look like someone who does? How great to see Robin Wright in a badass role like this! As Wonder Woman's super support team, Said Taghmaoui, Ewen Bremner (yay!), and Eugene Brave Rock are the picture's unsung heroes, thoroughly engaging. I'm not a huge fan of all the super-slo-mo, but otherwise Wonder Woman's action sequences are well choreographed and don't run on too much. Thanks to spot-on humor, the movie never feels too dark, despite the high stakes, and I think we can all agree Wonder Woman has the coolest theme of any superhero! If I had one small complaint outside the overuse of slow-motion, it's that the movie definitely would have benefited from at least a small trim. It also feels a bit preachy at times, a side effect of its resolutely hopeful tone. 

 

Wonder Woman clocks in at 141 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sequences of violence and action, and some suggestive content."

 

Wonder Woman (movie) often debates whether humanity deserves Wonder Woman (hero). I guess we probably don't, but I'm sure glad we got her anyway. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Wonder Woman gets eight.

 

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: WONDER WOMAN

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-