Wonder Woman (2017)
In a recent interview, Patty Jenkins commented on the ending of Wonder Woman, how the finale was originally “smaller” but that “the studio made me change it”. This prompted me to watch it again. Would I detect what might've been? Instead, I was reminded of how much I love this movie. The conclusion is big and extravagant. This doesn’t make it bad and before then, there’s so much to love in its action, romance, and characters it sweeps you off your feet.
Raised on magically isolated Themyscira, Princess Diana (Gal Gadot) and the Amazons learn of World War I when American pilot Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) crashes on the island’s shores. Convinced that this “war to end all wars” is orchestrated by Ares, the god of war, Diana leaves with Trevor as her guide. Armed with the Godkiller sword, she will fulfill her people's destiny to restore peace.
Origin stories tend to be bottom-heavy with a lot of exposition. That goes double when dealing with mythological adventures. Once the foundation’s established, this tale becomes uniquely empowering. Diana is not of our world. When she’s introduced to it, there’s much she doesn’t understand. At first, the fish-out-of-water scenario is effectively mined for comedy. It’s nice and light. Gadot and Pine have terrific chemistry. You’re excited to see what's next. As the story progresses, the gravity of the situation comes to the forefront. This war isn’t a game. Soldiers return home missing limbs, women and children are killed indiscriminately. Bombs and poisonous gasses kill in numbers an outsider could never imagine. Even when there was combat on Themyscira, the sandy beaches were bright. The glorious choreography of the women on horseback made you go “wow”! This? It’s like the world itself is dying and all color has bled out.
Diana’s unfamiliarity with London’s politics makes her speak out. She’s outraged by generals sitting comfortably in boardrooms talking about casualties in the thousands. Her protests are a wake-up call. The moment she gets fed up and steps into the line of fire is the film’s most powerful scene. It isn’t merely that Diana stops bullets with her bracelets and faces artillery head-on, or her physical strength; it’s that she's a hero by refusing to stand idly by. I found myself filled with unexpected emotions. I marveled at the stunts and choreography. Seeing her smash through pillars and punch through windows shows you what power is because it began as something small and human: her ability to see something wrong and to say “I’m going to do something about it”. Finally, we see Wonder Woman in her full attire. It makes you go “Woah” in ways no female-led superhero or action film has before - or since.
Though the film has several villains - Doctor Poison (Elena Anaya), German general Eric Ludendorff (Danny Huston), and Ares - none are the true antagonists, which is why the film’s conclusion is never as impactful as Diana entering No Man’s Land. The real struggle is internal. It may be naive of Diana to believe that Ares' death will end the war. In a world where magic lives - even if it’s only on a remote island - isn’t it possible? You want it to be, if only so she'll be ok. She experiences the worst we have to offer but the best too. Many superhero films feature romantic sub-plots. Here, it’s crucial to every aspect of the story from the comedy to the drama, all the way to the conclusion.
Wonder Woman is a joy to discover. The film is exciting, sensitive, and romantic. The heroine is beautiful and strong. She’s also human; capable of losing her faith, falling in love, or appreciating ice cream. (On Blu-ray, December 26, 2020)
