Rating of
3/4
"Wonder Woman" by Yojimbo
Yojimbo - wrote on 06/14/19
Thus far the "DCU" has been a pale shadow of its Marvel counterpart. In Wonder Woman they have at last found a formula that can at least challenge that supremacy thanks to its well balanced combination of action and likeable characters. Gal Gadot in particular is a charismatic protagonist and the work of Patty Jenkins behind the camera tempers any overt attempt at sexualisation and finds time for some amusing gender-based social observation and "innocent abroad" based humour. In fact it is her very vulnerability that makes the film work and when it inevitably descends into an overblown CGI smackdown during which she displays god-like powers - despite immediately following a twist that actually would have worked much better without it - the plot becomes becomes far less convincing. But its biggest handicap is the fact that it's all been done before; an American hero willing to lay down his life to prevent WMDs falling into the hands of a German megalomaniac? A god-like being based in mythology who hurls lightning bolts? Because of this, by the finale Wonder Woman becomes little more than the love child of Captain America and Thor and despite all of the good work from Jenkins and Gadot, it all starts to feel a little second hand.
There are some great sequences however, and there is enough imagination and talent on hand to suggest that a sequel could be well worth waiting for.
