Well, the good news is that DC finally has the first movie worthy of its characters since Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. The less good news is that it’s not nearly as great as it could or should be. It’s a fun movie, full of great moments and interesting set pieces. However, I do think a lot of the credit is getting is in relation to the extremely low expectations given the prior movies in the DC canon.
Gal Gadot stars as the eponymous heroine fresh off the bleak and awful Batman vs. Superman. While that film (from world’s worst director Zack Snyder) introduced Wonder Woman, this film recounts her history and establishes her place in the holy trinity of DC heroes. Director Patty Jenkins does a worthy job, but there is still a sheen of Snyder’s hand, mostly in the dirty animation and anachronistic soundtrack. I could appreciate the cartoonistic CGI at first as a style choice but by the end CGI fest, it was just a little exhausting.
That aside, the best parts of the movie are due to Jenkins and Gadot having a great understanding of the character. Gadot plays her ferocious nature, as well as her playful innocence and does a phenomenal job. Chris Pine proves a worthy counterpart as her star-crossed romantic partner, Steve Trevor. There’s a lot that works here, from the opening scenes on Themyscira through to Wonder Woman’s butt-kicking romp through World War I. Ultimately, while a worthy effort and solid introduction, it’s still a bit thin on story. It’s true success is giving hope back for those wanting to see DC’s universe in the same league as the Marvel universe. Wonder Woman isn’t quite to Avengers level glory, but it’s as solid a kickoff as the first Captain America was.
My Grade – B
excellent awkward 