Katie and I saw Wonder Woman today and, while it was fine to see once, I was disappointed relative to all the hype that it has been receiving as a “best ever” / “game changer” comic book movie. Following are some more detailed thoughts, but WARNING: THERE BE SPOILERS BELOW!
THE GOOD
- The action scenes are really good. Production values are high and there is something just so refreshing about seeing a badass female hero in action.
- This movie is much more colorful than DC comic movies have been of late – again, very refreshing.
- The acting is really on point with great actors doing what they do best in both major and minor roles.
THE BAD
- The premise is very goofy, and it’s hard to get anyone who knows anything about Greek mythology to buy into the mess of a backstory. I wanted to get “into” this movie, but from the outset I kept getting pulled out with negative reactions to the mythology.
- The plot seemed very played out and I couldn’t help but thinking how much of it I had seen before in Captain America: The First Avenger.
- The plot was so cliché that it telegraphed everything. We were only minutes into the second act when Katie and I whispered to each other that Thewlis was probably the actual bad guy.
- Much of the humor felt really forced and fell flat for me.
- Like so many blockbusters – and especially comic book movies – these days, this had a very “made by committee” feel. Many elements were set up that never paid off so were presumably left somewhere on the cutting room floor. The sidekicks, for example, were introduced as having special skills that we never see used so they end up adding nothing to the narrative.
- The characters are very humdrum. Diana Prince is the only character who undergoes any kind of transformation and, even after 2h45m, hers isn’t earned/believable. We really aren’t vested in any of the other characters.
- There is no chemistry between the two leads. I assume that this is largely due to poor writing, as they both seem fine as individual actors.
- For this reason, the “love” subplot is entirely unbelievable. You know that it’s time for them to fall in love because the music is swelling, but it doesn’t make any sense. And then, because love is the reason for Wonder Woman’s resolve in the climax, that too feels totally unearned.
- Regardless, there is no tension in the climax anyway. Wonder Woman is invincibly overpowered and is never in any real danger. Aries has the upper hand at the start of their confrontation . . . because reasons and then suddenly she has the upper hand . . . because reasons.
THE UGLY
- To its credit, there isn’t much really terrible about this film. If I have to point to one thing, it would be that this was supposed to be this great example of a feminist superhero film. Instead it comes off as what men think female empowerment should be about. Sure, there are a couple of overt empowering lines like, “You don’t get to tell me what to do,” but they are massively overshadowed by all the covert stuff throughout the rest of the film. The “strong female lead” is highly sexualized, from her skimpy outfit (including metal boobs) to all of the humor about/around her. And, at the end of the day, she still has to be “shown the way” by a man through a love subplot. This was really disappointing and, for my money, I strongly prefer Moana, Rey, and Ripley as empowered female leads.
As a fun summer “popcorn film,” this was fine and it certainly is a cut above recent DC comics movies. Still, I was disappointed in the end result given its potential to have been something truly special. Perhaps there will be a director’s cut when it is released for home media, in which case I will readily give it a second chance.
Fortunately we ended our movie watching on a high note by watching The Princess Bride immediately afterward. Every time I see it I become more convinced that it is basically a perfect movie. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaas youuuuuuuuuuuuuu wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiish!