Today’s quick review: Wonder Woman. When Captain Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) crashes on the hidden Amazonian island of Themyscira, he brings with him news of World War I. Recognizing the war as the work of the Amazons’ ancient enemy Ares, Diana (Gal Gadot), the daughter of the queen and a talented warrior, strikes a deal with Steve: she will help him return to Britain if he will help her hunt down and kill the God of War.
Wonder Woman is a superhero war movie based on the DC Comics character. Wonder Woman features polished and creative action, an unusual flavor of superhero plot, and a pair of surprisingly likable leads. The story follows Diana as she ventures out into the world of Man and one of its greatest wars to pursue an enemy her people believe to be dead. Steve Trevor acts as her guide while looking for intelligence that could end the war.
Wonder Woman’s action is a delight to watch. As an Amazon, Diana has the speed and strength to go toe-to-toe with dozens of German soldiers at once, pitting her ancient weapons against modern bullets and explosives. Diana’s powers grow as she tests her limits, and the audience gets to watch her figure them out as the movie progresses, putting her lifetime of training into practice. The stunts are backed by all the polished CGI and wire work of a big-budget action movie.
Wonder Woman handles the characters of Diana Prince and Steve Trevor remarkably well. Gal Gadot strikes a delicate balance between the strength and unflinching bravery of an Amazon warrior and the innocence and naivety of a sheltered immortal. For his part, Chris Pine plays a charming, cynical, and nonetheless heroic spy, who must weigh his own duty against his promise to help Diana.
Impressively, neither character feels superfluous. Steve helps Diana navigate the complexities of the modern world, while Diana’s superhuman prowess tips the scales in the Allies’ favor on the battlefield. The focus of the film is not on comedy, but enough of it follows naturally from Steve and Diana’s relationship that the movie feels fun, in spite of its mature setting.
Wonder Woman also engages with interesting moral themes. Unusually for a superhero movie, Wonder Woman has a villain who may not even exist. Diana is convinced Ares is to blame for the horrors of World War I, but she does not understand what atrocities men are capable of on their own. Diana’s black and white approach to morality is a seemingly poor fit for the grey situation she finds herself in, an incongruity that the movie puts to good use.
Other moral questions include when to sacrifice a lesser good for a greater one, what moral compromises are acceptable, and the role of heroes in an impersonal war. Wonder Woman works these questions into the movie organically, with satisfying and thought-provoking results. As a result, Wonder Woman boasts a richer moral backbone than most superhero films, helping to distinguish it from its contemporaries.
The movie does have a few weaknesses, including flawed casting outside the leading duo, a few plot elements that are less than satisfying, and a couple of lines that miss the mark. These missteps are minor enough not to ruin the fun of anyone who already likes the film, but they are noticeable enough to hamstring the film for anyone who isn’t already impressed. As such, it’s best watched by those who like the genre, even a little, and not by skeptics.
Check out Wonder Woman if you are a fan of the superhero genre. Wonder Woman’s strong writing, characters, and action make it a solid entry into the genre, while its World War I setting and interesting moral themes help give it an identity of its own. Skip it if you dislike superhero stories or are picky about plot logic, since the movie’s handful of faults are enough to grate at discerning viewers.
7.9 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it an 8.0 for strong writing, characters, and action.