The Flash, AKA the end of an era.

It ends here.

Fads come and go. What was once a matter of laughter in the film industry, became the ruling genre, and it ultimately imploded. Questions also came from every corner of the industry: producers, directors, actors, and a toxic, rather questionable fan base. The Flash was originally intended as the next step into Zack Snyder's DCU. Sadly, movies are now treated like products, people no longer root for the artistic elements that make a good movie. Now the world has turned its back to artists, and all it does is deliver headlines based on how much money these films are making or losing. There's also the unwanted comparison "our film is making more money than yours" and a neverending thread of negativity that really makes it seem social networks could be the worst idea of recent years. In  fact, I stopped reviewing films in 2017 (Wonder Woman) only to return briefly in 2020 with WW 84. Superhero exhaustion is real regardless what corporate  patronizing media says.

In the 80s (I was born in 1981) we had very few superhero films. Superman III, Supergirl, Superman IV and Batman. Although The Incredible Hulk TV show lasted until 1982, that's pretty much everything we had available, despite cartoons and older TV shows reruns. So, an 80s kid would get his/her comic book education mostly from actual comic books, and boy were the 80s a nice decade to get that superhero degree. So, I would say there are two kinds of superhero fans now. The casual ones, the ones that watch the movie, or TV show, and obviously the, let's say, dedicated ones. Those who read the comic book, and watch the movie and TV show with their critic eye looking for every similitude with the source material. but wait! there's more! there are fans of the superhero video-games, fans of the collectibles like action figures, wear, and a never ending etc. So how can you please every type of fan? Simple, you can't.

 

Two flashes for the price of one, and a Supergirl.

The reason to watch this film for older fans.

The Flash film is its own version of Flashpoint, or any based upon a multiverse story already told to exhaustion on paper by DC Comics for decades.In a nutshell, Barry Allen discovers by accident that if he goes faster than expected he can time travel. Obviously, any Flash fan at this point knows this can only mean one thing: He's going to prevent his mother's death. Moreover, in doing so, we all know this will have catastrophic consequences for reality as we know it. If you're one of the few unfamiliar with Flash's story, the film will explain it you with the aid of tomato sauce can, and spaghetti cooked by none other than Batman, the dark knight.

Production wise,  the scarlet speedster film faced a neverending season of problems that halted and delayed the project for five years. The internet incels, paid & biased media, made it really difficult for Warner Bros to develop a cohesive and coherent cinematic universe. On the one hand,every film, save for Wonder Woman & Aquaman "performed" really well ,although Wonder Woman's sequel flopped despite being released for free on streaming platforms for the pandemic. On the other hand, Aquaman's sequel has been halted and delayed by Amber Heard's divorce, and the many changes Warner Bros fat executives demanded. So in a strange universal alignment, real life problems seem to have defeated the idea of having a shared multiverse. Oh, I forgot the Shazam movies and the Blue Beetle one coming soon. They're also hot garbage, or at most filler material for something that will never be. Enter James Gunn, the new head of the cinematic reboot he promises will change the tide to smooth sailing. However, his The Suicide Squad film wasn't that much of a success. Perhaps, Peacemaker seemed like an original idea, a one hit wonder, in music terms but nothing worth calling groundbreaking.

 

Iris West and her unfinished arc.

His face relates to our experience as fans.

Anyway, going back to The Flash, the film would originally  Superman & Aquaman, and perhaps other Justice League members but nope. Henry Cavil was fired years ago, and despite all the love he gets on the internet, not even The Rock and his Black Adam cameo could save him. Moreover, Warner Bros, and James Gunn just didn't care at what millions of fans were asking for years on the internet. True, we got the Zack Snyder 4 hour cut of the Justice League Warner execs spent years saying it didn't exist. Oh, also that canceled Batgirl film. Not to mention Ezra Miller's legal problems which led a lot of people into boycotting this film.

At this point, we realize we're focusing on corporate business territory we shouldn't give a crap about. Sadly, this is how both social and official media work these days. We are told to celebrate those who get richer, and laugh at those who don't. So where is the art in that? Where are those cinema fans looking for a soul changing experience? Well, they're probably busy buying stuff they don't need.

The batmobile rides again (not)

A nice Supergirl with no future.

So in a world where everything is based on algorithms that will offer customized ads to maintain your brain busy consuming and avoiding at all costs thinking, how hard can it be for another superhero film to make sense? While The Flash flopped in theaters, it's actually doing pretty well on streaming and on-demand services. 

Useless business talk aside, The Flash offers an entertaining story that is outdone by what was happening outside in the real world. Going to the movies knowing this is a standalone project with no future led a lot of people into not buying the movie tickets. How can you root for characters that will never return? For example, Supergirl. Sasha Calle's version of Kara Zor-El while brief, leaves a mark, and a lot of people would have loved to see more of her. Same with Michael Keaton's return as Batman. Fans of his movies were thrilled when the official announcement was made, but nope, no more movies for him too. Moreover, Ben Affleck's Batman also shows up for one final adventure, and I know many people liked his take on the caped crusader. While comparisons are a bitch, the other film example I can think is Rogue One. A film that is completely wasted by the fact everyone knew every main character would die at the end. Bad idea! The viewer needs to establish an emotional interest in character development. If you already know what's coming you simply lose interest. I for one, think The Flash is a good movie, but it could have been larger than life had it not being devoured by behind the scenes trouble.

As above mentioned, time travel changes everything for Barry Allen. The first big change, is he meets a younger version of himself, and this is the best part of the movie. The way Ezra Miller is capable of portraying two very different versions of himself, proves he can act. Sadly, there won't be any more movies to see how much farther he could have expanded the fastest man alive story. 

Zod returns, and where is Superman?

Batfleck's final adventure.

Another interesting occurrence in The Flash is how much they reused from Man Of Steel to tell the main story. But, didn't people hate Man Of Steel? Why choose this particular film to be the setting of the story? I don't think I have an answer for that. Henry Cavil is nowhere to be found in the film, yet we get all his foes back searching for him, while they conveniently adjust the story to offer us Supergirl instead. 

 

Early on the movie also offers the last Justice League moment from the DCU. Batman, The Flash and Wonder Woman. I have to admit I jumped in happiness when she showed up! Gal Gadot did a wonderful job! I do hope she gets a chance to complete her trilogy of films. I mean, James Gunn gave Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn a chance, why stop there? Heads up! there is a rumor that James Gunn, Peter Safran, and Gal Gadot herself are working in Wonder Woman 3 as I'm posting this review.

 

Here to do a man's job.

The lasso of truth delivers the best joke.

 

Plot wise, Barry Allen discovers the mess he caused, so in teaching his younger version how to become The Flash, he loses his powers, which leads to laughter as the inexperienced young Barry attempts to master his powers as fast as he can. Of course, in this new reality there is no Superman, no Justice League, so while the original Barry knows there is no way he can defeat General Zod, because... he was there! In a cleverly placed sequence, we discover he was testing his powers with a proto-suit while Earth was invaded by Kal-El's not so friendly long lost relatives. So with no powers, and a younger version of himself, all they can do is hope The Batman still exists, which to our 40 year old happiness, it actually does! Bruce Wayne, The Batman returns from self-imposed exile, and it's none other than Michael Keaton himself. Tim Burton's Batman is back for one final adventure.

 

The batmobile, the batwing, the batcave and even a collection of bat-suits all return to the big screen bringing mostalgia to its peak once we hear him say "Yes, I'm Batman". However, he'll only help them find this Superman and then hit the sack. The white whale proves to be well guarded by mad scientists and a legion of soldiers. Obviously, Batman is a one man army, so with his aid, our two Barry Allens discover the shocking truth: There is no Superman! only a mysterious female prisoner that goes by the Kara Zor-El name. Phew! We're saved! As soon as she gets some vitamin D, she's ready to wear the red S suit and cape to take down the bad guys and see if she can find his long lost cousin.

 

Just in case, a few extra bat-suits.

 

 

Moving forward is the only way.

 

The concept of time travel in the movie offers one valuable life lesson. What if all the bad stuff in our lives was necessary to make us the people we are today? The question is not only raised by Ben Affleck's Batman, but also by many other characters throughout the film. Changing the past, or erasing it to save the pain, will not always be the best solution to our problems. Moreover, the original Barry realizes some things are impossible to fix, and all he's got left is learning how to come to terms with it.

 

Even though the movie features a lot of DC comics characters, make no mistake, this is a Flash film, he is the main character. His personal drama goes back and forth until he realizes what he really needs to do. The loss of his mother in the hands of a mysterious murderer (we know from comic books it is Reverse Flash,but not here, we're neither told, not shown), and how his father is unfairly sent to jail because of it, play an important part in the film.  

 

Some of the CGI from the movie.

 

Visual effects, or CGI has been one of the most criticized aspects from the film. Although director Andy Muschietti said: “We are in the perspective of The Flash. Everything is distorted in terms of lights and textures. We enter this ‘waterworld’, which is basically being in Barry’s POV.

“It was part of the design so if it looks a little weird to you that was intended,” he added.

All in all, The Flash doesn't win the superhero race, regardless of how fast he can go. The Marvel Cinematic Universe did it first, despite the fact we all know DC Comics came first with many of the most innovative stories and characters in the industry.  People talk about superhero fatigue, and I agree. It's time for the industry to push other kinds of TV Shows and films. We need more variety urgently.

WW 84

Neon colors from the 80s.

The pandemic struck hard in the world. Not only in health terms but also in unemployment rates, businesses going out of business, and the industry of entertainment struggling to find new ways to deliver their products to a world that could no longer go out to concerts, cafe venues, and movie theaters. Moreover, global warming, nonsensical wars, dictatorships and sexism continued to hurt a planet that is running out of batteries long ago. Of course, my fellow reader, I have no intentions of waking up to this sick sad world, I'm sure you are well aware of it.

Wonder Woman 1984, AKA WW 84 was supposed to premier in theaters in 3 different dates that were delayed until it was decided the movie would premier in selected theaters in the USA & Canada, while also premiering at HBO Max streaming service on December 25th, yes, Christmas Day! A little ray of hope in such uncertain times is more than a welcomed gesture.

By the way, I stopped reviewing superhero films years ago due to an overwhelming exhaustion caused by lots of these films. However, I can make an exception since this is the only superhero film to ever premier during the pandemic.

 

Barbara Minerva.

Maxwell Lord.

Background

WW84 is a 2020 American  superhero film based on the DC Comics character Wonder Woman. It is the sequel to 2017's Wonder Woman and the ninth installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). The film is once again directed by Patty Jenkins from a script she wrote with Geoff Johns (a real comic book person) and Dave Callaham, based on a story by Johns and Jenkins. Gal Gadot returns as Diana Prince / Wonder Woman, alongside Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal, Robin Wright, and Connie Nielsen. Set in 1984 during the Cold War, the film follows Diana and her past love Steve Trevor as they face off against Max Lord and Cheetah.

Discussion of a sequel began shortly after the release of the first film in June 2017 and the decision to proceed was confirmed the following month. Principal photography began on June 13, 2018, with filming taking place at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden in England, as well as the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia in the United States, London and Duxford in England, Tenerife and Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands, and Almería in Andalusia, Spain. Production wrapped on December 22, 2018, after a six-month shoot, with additional filming in July 2019.

 

Wonder Woman 1984 premiered on December 15, 2020, via the DC FanDome virtual platform. It was theatrically released in the United States by Warner Bros. Pictures on December 25, 2020, and also made available to be streamed digitally on HBO Max for a month before it will go to premium video on demand. In international markets that do not have HBO Max, the film was theatrically released beginning on December 16, 2020. It was praised for its "escapist qualities" and Jenkins' take on the 1980s, but many critics found it "overindulgent or cliché". A sequel is in development, with Jenkins and Gadot returning.

Steve Trevor and 80s fashion.

"Not a fan of your look Steve".

Plot

In her youth, Diana Prince participated in a multi-stage athletic competition on Themyscira against older Amazons overseen by Queen Hippolyta. After falling from her horse, Diana takes a shortcut to catch up to it and resumes the competition. Just before she wins, her aunt Antiope removes her from the competition, lecturing that "no true hero is born from lies".

In 1984, 66 years after the first film, Diana works as a senior anthropologist at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., specializing in ancient Mediterranean civilizations; Diana also secretly fights crime as Wonder Woman. At work, she meets new employee Barbara Ann Minerva, an insecure woman who comes to idolize and envy Diana. After Wonder Woman foils an attempted robbery, the FBI asks Barbara to identify a cache of stolen antiquities from the robbery. Both Barbara and Diana notice that one object — later revealed to be the "Dreamstone" — has a Latin inscription. 

Diana unknowingly uses the stone by wishing that her deceased lover Steve Trevor was alive; his soul then returns and inhabits another man's body. Later, after Diana saves her from an assault, Barbara wishes upon the stone to become like Diana, inadvertently attaining Diana's superpowers and godhood. Businessman Maxwell "Max Lord" Lorenzano visits the Smithsonian under the guise of a wealthy donor, secretly coveting the Dreamstone in hopes of saving his failing oil company. During a gala at the Smithsonian, Max seduces the unwitting Barbara, who is taken by his charm to gain access to her office and steal the Dreamstone. He later wishes to become the embodiment of the stone and gains its power to grant wishes while also having the ability to take whatever he desires from others.

Friend?

...Or foe?

Review

Superheroes are obviously still a trend in the film and TV industry. Despite a certain excessive amount of products related to them, audiences around the world are still craving for more, and that accurately connects with the "Be careful was you wish for" concept present in WW 84. 

Running two hours and 30 minutes WW 84 is a light hearted story that will surely appeal to the innocence of younger audiences looking forward for an adventure full of heroics and a simple plot with simpler antagonists. Grown ups, depending on which side of fandom you're standing on, will either enjoy it for its nostalgic approach, or hate it for its apparent lack of realistic drive which serious superhero  films have (?) But I'll leave that up to you, of course.

 

The opening scenes are all about WW saving the day. For some reason, this sequences strongly reminded me of the opening scenes from Superman IV The Quest For Peace. Anyway, after the nostalgic heroics we are taken back to Diana's childhood while slapped in the face with some ugly CGI. How can this be? I mean, aren't they resourceful enough to afford working with the best? Fortunately, things get way better in that department, as the movie moves on. 

Plot wise, this ancient stone (Dreamstone) works as a wishing well and I for one, think it's a nice Mcguffin, I mean even Diana Prince, Wonder Woman! couldn't help to wish for the one thing she wanted most in the world. From there on, it's all about facing the consequences of the "be careful what you wish for" idiom which by definition is described as follows: 

 

If you get things that you desire, there may be unforeseen and unpleasant consequences.

And here's where the film actually starts. As above mentioned (in plot) The main character and her two antagonist, wish for a few changes in their lives, so consequences will arise ready or not.

Flyboy is back.

Useless man next to a Goddess.

80s wise, the setting isn't THAT 80s. There isn't a bunch of songs from the decade playing in the background, and honestly, the shopping mall scene (which also briefly features a video arcade) is the most 80s scene. On the other hand clothing, especially, Barbara's is definitely 80s. And last but not least, the Cold War. All these secret nukes and red buttons are there, and they are very 80s. I mean, a lot of movies and TV shows from the 80s focused on secret missiles, double agents and nuclear bomb fears all over, so that's definitely the other 80ish element present in the film, but then again I do wish there was more neon lights and an actual soundtrack with cool songs by Blondie, Duran Duran, A-Ha, Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, The Cure, etc.

Now, let's talk about those consequences above mentioned. While the film is directed by a woman, you can easily see the influence of men from the production desk all over.

On the one hand we have, Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig) a professional woman who's not valued in her field because she isn't popular? because she doesn't have a perfect body? because she doesn't dress to kill? because she doesn't sleep with her colleagues? This is a big What the fucking fuck? moment in the movie. Moreover, Her overly anxious desire for popularity with men ultimately leads her to fight against WW, a woman that treated her kindly and befriended her! Oh, but women should hate the likes of Diana Prince! Smart, professional, independent and good looking! let's trash her! If this was a representation of women in the 80s, I'm not too sure the script had a lot of Patty Jenkins on it. it's more like it was 80% written by Geoff Johns and Dave Callaham and all Patty was left with, was to choose the dresses and hair styles.

 

Borrowing Saint Seiya's sagittarius armor.

Up up and away!

On the other hand Wonder Woman!, her movie is ruined as soon as Steve Trevor is back from the dead. Why? Well, because she becomes the good girl next to the "capable man". 

 

Look at her role as soon as Steve Trevor shows up. She helps him pick out clothes. She listens intently as he pontificates on flying. She risks herself to save children. And she appeals to the better nature of the power hungry man, to talk him off the ledge by reminding him that he has feelings... instead of snapping his damned neck like she does in the comics. 

 

You can like that. It's very likeable. That's the point. In the first film, she was defying femininity norms for the 1910s. In the sequel, Diana is embracing them: she's demure, humble, eventually selfless, supportive, but still emotionally and sexually available. She compliments men. She wants nothing for herself. How perfectly... traditional. 

 

This is no longer the woman who held the shield in No Man's Land, with the men following behind her. It's not that it's not, for the most part, an enjoyable movie. It is. I just feel guilty for liking it. Every good superhero movie has a "fuck you" quality about it. Something that uses inherent silliness to boost it. 

 

Superman was "fuck you I'm a guy in my underpants and a cape. I'm still cool. In fact, I'm cooler for making this work!"

 

Batman was "fuck you I can't even move my neck and I'm still taking dudes down."

 

Iron Man was "I'm Robert Downey Jr. and everyone said my career was dead! fuck you!"

 

Thor was "fuck you it's Shakespeare with muscles!"

 

The first Wonder Woman was a "fuck you I'm a woman in my metal underwear being scandalous". But in WW84 she spends more time getting effed than doing the effing. And if you were left feeling somewhat disappointed and can't put your finger on why, maybe that's it. 

 

It's not the plot holes. Superhero movies have those. It's not the required suspension of disbelief. It's that, in the scramble to SAY SOMETHING about the root causes of, among other things, Trumpism, everyone seemed to forget that it wasn't Maxwell Lord in superpowered Wall St. It's supposed to be a WONDER WOMAN movie. 

 

Now I'm worthy because men want to fuck me.

The Breakfast club.

Moving on to the good things about WW84 I can say, there were moments where Wonder Woman shows progress, evolution as a hero. This time her lasso of truth has become a much stronger weapon, and we get to see her cover big distances with it. I really liked that, and I liked it even more as later she learns to fly! because WW flies! In addition, I liked the fact she gets wounded and still continues to fight. The invisible plane nod was also nice. Moreover, the thing I liked the most is how she wins the big fight by not throwing a single punch to Maxwell Lord. What else? oh, the acting. We can't deny Kristen Wiig plays a convincing troubled woman. I can say the same thing about Pedro Pascal. He was good enough. Gal Gadot was also the best. that is,  when she had the chance.

Overall, an entertaining film that isn't good. it lacks most of the things it promised to be, considering WW should be an iconic feminist hero.

Here's the movie trailer:

 

Justice League

Justice League saves DC Movies alone!

Some would say the entire continuity of DC Films universe leaned on the Justice League movie's success since this is obviously a billion dollar industry. 

What started with modest success in 2013 with Man of Steel went downhill with 2016's Batman V Superman (one of the most divisive films of all time), and hit rock bottom full speed ahead with Suicide Squad the same year. However, many people liked these films despite official ratings and critiques. Moreover, Superman, Batman, The Flash & Aquaman are getting standalone movies & Suicide Squad has a sequel already in the works. 

Most movie enthusiasts and comic book fans alike agree Wonder Woman is the brightest and best DC Universe film made to date (released only 4 months ago!). But everyone can chillax now because thankfully, Justice League has a much leaner story and a lighter tone. This movie isn't just for the die-hard DC fans (like Batman V Superman was IMO). From kids to families, everyone's gonna have a blast watching this in the cinemas. And now that I think of it, Justice League just might be the most efficient franchise-saving, course-correcting sequel, of all time.

The Justice League lives!

Steppenwolf, a straightforward mean motherfucker.

What's really surprising in a positive manner, is the fact producers did learn from their mistakes and even had time to listen to what people was saying about the teasers & trailers even months before the film was complete and ready for worldwide distribution. Unlike, previous efforts, Snyder, Whedon & Co. saved everything for the premiere. The trailers & TV spots never gave away the story, and other relevant aspects of the film like it's level of catchiness remain a surprise until you hit the theater, and that is always the way to go. Specially, these days where we are flooded with superhero films several times a year.

Can't help but praise Zack Snyder's and Joss Whedon's work on this movie. Those guys did a fantastic job. And let me assure you, you can't tell which scene was shot by which director. There's the same tone throughout the movie. But with that being said, if you're familiar with Zack's usage of subtle humor and his shooting style, you'll feel his presence in 80-85% of the movie. In short, it's Zack's movie(as the opening titles state). Period. Also, quick shout-out to DC Films pres. Geoff Johns for bringing back hope and optimism to the DC movies.

I can't do it alone...

...Temporarily at least.

Cast wise, really strong performances all around. The banter and interactions between all the characters, specially the League, is just amazing. The way the story develops and evolves each character is really mesmerizing and by the end of the movie, you'll be counting days till Justice League 2. Believe me when I say this, the cast is the backbone of this movie. However, it takes some time for a couple of characters to  be thought of as "Oh, I get it, this is their new personality". Personalities which do make sense after you've seen the bigger picture this film is.

As with any movie, Justice League has a few weak sides too. First and foremost, the villain is your run-of-the-mill destroy-the-planet kind of guy. And sadly, that kind of diminishes any stakes in the story and kills the suspense and tension. Secondly, the movie had to fit everything into two hours(as mandated by the CEO of WB. Thanks a lot, dude!), so the rapid-fire pace of the movie can make parts of the movie seem uneven and too fast.

So this is the...

Faster than a speeding bullet!

The movie's score in charge of legendary Danny Elfman (Composer of Beetlejuice, Batman, Dick Tracy, Batman Returns, The Flash (1990 TV show), Mars Attack! and many more), borrows some of Hanz Zimmer's previous work with DC Comics and mixes it up with brand new pieces that resemble some of his past works. In addition, he even goes the extra mile and adds a few nods to John Williams' Superman theme & pays homage to himself with a few Batman moments and even a few seconds from TV Flash when the speedster is in action.

CGI wise, everything is pretty standard for the current state of technology at the service of entertainment. However, there are a couple of moments where you'd wish they polished things better. I mean, for a $300 Million movie, it's not about saving money, right?.

Plot wise, as briefly stated some paragraphs before, the story works for everyone. You neither need to be a super hero movie fan or an avid comic book reader to get the idea. Essentially, there's this super powered bad guy from outer space that wants pretty much what every super villain wants in every superhero movie. On the other hand, the superheroes do what they're known for worldwide: save the day. 

Aquaman is no longer an Adult Swim joke.

Mera, tough Atlantis woman.

Now comes the tough question, how does the Justice League film connects with the rest of the already established DC Movies? The answer is surprisingly positive and moreover, with only two hours, Justice League not only saves Earth from a mean inter galactic motherfucker, it also sets things right in a gently manner that suffices more than 75 years of Comic Book story writing. 

All in all, the film DC Comics was looking for has finally arrived. Justice League is a triumph considering director Zack Snyder and his wife producer Deborah Snyder stepped down from finishing the film, after the suicide of Zack Snyder's daughter in March 2017. They tried to remain on the film as a way to work through the difficulty, but decided after two months to step away from the project to spend time with their family. Joss Whedon, who had signed on for Batgirl, took over as director, managing additional scenes.  

Wonder Woman takes the lead!

Come at me bro'.

This movie was initially going to be split into two parts: Justice League Part One and Justice League Part Two, with an alleged singular continuing story line. But by the time filming the idea of the film being in two parts seemed to have quietly gone away, and it is now rumored to be two self-contained movies with two related but separate plots. 

This film will be released on the 25th anniversary of The Death of Superman comic, which was released November 17, 1992; and the 16th anniversary of Justice League (2001) which premiered its first episode November 17, 2001. And some of us, lucky bastards, got tickets for the avant premiere!. Sorry, not sorry.

Here's the movie trailer:



The world premiere live from L.A.:



A brief interview with the cast:

Wonder Woman

Empowering!

"Long ago when time was new..." Are the first lines uttered by Queen Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen) to explain a preschooler Diana of Themyscira (Lilly Aspell) how war changed the world forever. Before women followed a separate path from men, the almighty Zeus went into a war against Ares, his own son who grew jealous of mankind and poisoned men with deadly sins, thus unraveling a deadly war between God & men. 

Directed by Patty Jenkins & written by Zack Snyder, Allan Heinberg & Jason Fuchs, Wonder Woman is a cinematic triumph that comes 77 years after the conception of the first fully independent female superhero of all time. 

In a world of peaceful women...

...There's no place for men.

In a 1943 issue of The American Scholar, William Moulton Marston AKA Charles Moulton (creator of Wonder Woman) wrote: "Not even girls want to be girls so long as our feminine archetype lacks force, strength, and power. Not wanting to be girls, they don't want to be tender, submissive, peace-loving as good women are. Women's strong qualities have become despised because of their weakness. The obvious remedy is to create a feminine character with all the strength of Superman plus all the allure of a good and beautiful woman."

Today, in 2017 we're living in a world that is always in motion with social issues and the fight for equality still has a long way to go for the final blow. Wonder Woman is the very first live action film about a super heroine (let's just not count that awful 2004 Catwoman flick that had nothing to do with comic books) The last known interpretation of the character was the cult 70's series starred by Lynda Carter & Lyle Wagoner from 1977 to 1979. There was an aborted attempt at a 2011 WW series and besides animated DC Comics film, the industry is beginning to pay a long overdue debt with female audiences. 

Diana, the most powerful amazon.

More than meets the eye.

We join Diana Prince/Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) at the Louvre. She tells us a little about her past and her mixed views on mankind. She's working at her desk when representatives from Wayne Enterprises come into her office. They come offering gifts however and Diana accepts the briefcase they give her. Inside is the original photograph of her and her compatriots: Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), Sameer (Said Tagmhaoui), Charlie (Ewen Brenner) and The Chief (Eugene Brave Rock). They fought together in war-torn Belgium during the First World War. With the photo comes a note from Bruce saying that "someday Diana has to tell Bruce her story". The photo is precious to Diana and she begins to fill us in on what happened to her so long ago.

When Batman v Superman featured the same photo I figured the WW film had to be the story behind the picture. Obviously, that was the WW1 setting which brought a unique backdrop full of interesting moments like Wonder Woman's fight across No Man's Land. WW1 is rarely covered in Hollywood and they make connections to real WW1 issues like the introduction of gas attacks into warfare. I thought it was impressive that they capitalized on such a strong concept, I have to credit the writers and director Patty Jenkins for doing such an excellent job.
 

"I'll help you find Ares Diana".

Fitting in.

It wasn't that long ago that Warner Bros. and DC were hearing tons of complaints about Gal Gadot being cast as Wonder Woman. Crap like "She's not American", "She's no actress" and a long list of fanboy nonsense proved the world (of haters at least) wrong and proved Gadot right!. WW was never American! She's an Amazonian! and her Israeli English accent is fitting for the role. Unlike what Lynda Carter did earlier in the 70's. After all, she was 1972's Miss World America. Gal Gadot's WW is strong yet vulnerable and completely holds up her end as Diana from both dramatic and action oriented standpoints. They made a good call casting somebody of Pine's caliber beside her. He has a cool character to work with but he also balances his character's responsibilities as a spy and a guide to Diana for this new world she's experiencing. Danny Huston and Elena Anaya are both good but they're undercut by their characters in the end. I really liked the other members of Diana's crew even if they're not as central to the plot as they make them seen. I especially thought Said did a good job, he helps sell some of the nuanced emotional moments. Robin Wright and Connie Nielsen are also really good, the stuff with Diana's past could have been hokey but they handle it so well that it actually works.

Wonder Woman includes everything you want in the superhero genre. The action is well shot, it's not necessarily anything mind-blowing but there are a few nice set pieces. It joins Deadpool and Captain America: The First Avenger in being one of the few superhero movies where they have a romantic subplot that actually works. There are also some funny moments, most of them at Diana's expense of not knowing what the world was like in the 1910s. Lucy Davis is largely there as comedic relief as Etta and she does a decent job helping keep things light.

Good woman.

Bad woman.

For all the glowing reviews Wonder Woman, its not perfect. They do a great job setting up the villains and they even throw a curve ball at the end. But I didn't think they were very memorable and you're not going to remember Wonder Woman for their characters. They also gouge a few of the background villains pretty badly to lend some credibility to the main villain which wasn't my favorite choice. The ending wasn't poorly done but it devolves into the same fight we've seen in a dozen other superhero movies. I get we need a big finish but the rest of the movie deserved a better finale.

I've been a little more forgiving of some of DCs franchises so far (I thought Man of Steel and Suicide Squad had their moments) but this is easily DCs best movie since Christopher Nolan was in control of Batman. They take advantage of an underused setting, Wonder Woman is a great protagonist and the cast (specifically Gal Gadot and Chris Pine) deliver strong performances. The movie isn't flawless however and I think the hype train has gotten a little out of control. It actually falls victim to some pretty typical minor issues for the genre. We should celebrate the fact that DC gave us a well-made and satisfying origin for Wonder Woman, if you have a chance to go see it, I would recommend it. 

Here's the movie trailer: