After the disappointment of Suicide Squad (and the critical drubbing that Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice got, despite phenomenal box-office receipts), there was a lot of pressure on Wonder Woman to be the film that turns the corner for the DC Extended Universe. Early reviews were fulsome in their praise and the hype-wagon started to roll. But is it as good as everyone is saying it is?
Yes. Yes, it damn well is.
For me, it's easily the best DCEU film so far- head and shoulders above the rest.
It's kind of an origin story, showing the Amazonian princess growing up on the idyllic female-only island of Themyscira. When an American pilot, Steve Trevor, crash-lands off the coast, Diana saves him... which brings the horrors of the First World War to the island. Distressed but determined to end war as we know it, Diana accompanies Steve to London and then to the Front in search of the errant God of War, Ares.
Patty Jenkins' last feature film was the harrowing Monster (2003), in which she directed Charlize Theron in an Oscar-winning performance. Since then, she has directed episodes of TV shows and was originally attached to direct Thor: The Dark World although left the project due to creative differences (she had one vision for the film, Marvel had a different one and never the twain shall meet). Marvel missed a trick, frankly. Jenkins' direction is superb. She elicits brilliant performances from her whole cast and clearly has a good eye for an action sequence (although she's not from an action background).
The script, by Allan Heinberg (from a story by Heinberg, Zack Snyder and Jason Fuchs), is coherent and well-structured. It isn't just a superhero movie. It plays on elements of war films, innocents-abroad comedy, romance, and blends them together well. There are a few missteps along the way but it really shows the importance of having a solid foundation for your film.
For me, Gal Gadot was one of the highlights of Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice. She was graceful, charming and added some much-needed levity to proceedings. Here, she's superb. Diana's naivete and optimistic world view could have felt twee or Pollyanna-ish, but Gadot never plays the wide-eyed innocent too broadly. She's strong enough to walk into a council meeting full of men and say her piece. She's smart enough to decode Doctor Poison's encrypted notebook. She also gets a very defined character arc as the scales fall from her eyes and she realises the evil that men do. One scene, in a gassed village, is done entirely without dialogue but you can see the emotions clearly passing over her face. The other refreshing thing- and it may be because there's a female director at the helm, I don't know- but, whilst Gadot is a stunningly beautiful woman, she is never objectified or sexualised; the camera never lingers longingly on her. It's an assured and strong leading performance.
Chris Pine has the acting chops to be a leading man (his work in the Star Trek films shows that) but, here, he never steals the limelight from Gadot. They're equals throughout. He's boyish, charming, and handsome- and there's a lovely subversion of the usual tropes when he is made the object of desire and the object of the gaze when Diana interrupts him in the bath. There's a real chemistry between Pine and Gadot which adds an authenticity to their scenes; you truly believe that they are falling in love.
Of the supporting cast, Robin Wright is impressive as Amazonian general Antiope, kicking ass and taking names, whilst Connie Nielsen is suitably regal as Diana's mother Queen Hippolyta. Lucy Davis is used sparingly but to good effect as Steve's secretary Etta Candy, not just a comic relief character. David Thewlis is strong in his role as Sir Patrick Morgan whilst Danny Huston is menacing as German general Ludendorff. Said Taghmaoui, Ewen Bremner and Eugene Brave Rock are great as the band of soldiers who help Diana and Steve stop the plan.
Visually the film is very different to other DCEU films. There's a lot more light, to begin with. The opening scenes on Themyscira look beautiful- it's a literal paradise- which contrasts nicely with the mud and the squalour of the trenches later in the film. Matthew Jensen's cinematography is superb throughout. There are so many brilliantly shot sequences, but the standout must be Diana's walk across No Man's Land (the first time you see her in full costume). It is superb. Rupert Gregson-Williams' music is also great and Wonder Woman's absolutely electrifying theme (with the kickass electric violin) isn't overused but gave me a chill every time it was on.
That's not to say this film is perfect. The final boss fight between Diana and Ares lapses in the CGI-tastic destruction that blighted the end of the other DCEU films which is a shame as, up until this point, the action sequences were beautifully choreographed and were almost balletic, especially the Amazons facing off against the German soldiers on the beach at Themyscira. It's also a shame that, in a film full of strong female characters, the female villain- Doctor Poison (Elena Anaya)- felt undercooked.
Despite impressions to the contrary, I've taken no pleasure in criticising the previous DCEU films. I've wanted them to be good, better than good. I've wanted them to be an equal to the Marvel films. Wonder Woman is. Now the important thing for DCEU is to capitalise on this momentum and knock our socks off with the upcoming Justice League movie.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Tez
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