Wonder Woman: A Review

I have long been a defender of the DC Cinematic Universe. I argued here that Batman Vs Superman was both the 3rd best Batman movie and the 3rd best Superman movie. I also stated here that although Suicide Squad wasn't going to win any awards, it was still the type of fun, stupid movie that you need every now and then. But it looked like I was alone in my praise for the DC franchise. That was until a raven haired Amazon from the Island of Themyscira stepped onto the scene in Wonder Woman. It's been a hit at the box office and critics and fans have agreed this film is a real winner (which DC have needed after the negative response to the last two films).

Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) is Diana, Princess of Themyscira, The film starts with Diana as a young girl living a blissful life on Thmyscira but dreaming of being a warrior like her mother Queen Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen) and aunt Antiope (Robin Wright). Her mother doesn't want her to train to be a warrior but her aunt secretly trains her anyway, eventually becoming the greatest warrior of all. But she's never faced a real enemy before so how can she really be a warrior? Well that all changes when a plane crashes into the sea. She rescues the pilot, Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), he is followed by German bad guys who proceed to storm the beach of Themyscira but are eventually defeated by Diana and the Amazons. Steve then explains (while being interrogated with a magic lasso thing) that he is a spy and that the whole world is at war so Diana decides to go back with him as she believes that Ares, The god of war, has returned and it is the Amazons sole purpose to defeat Ares.

Steve has nicked notebook of secret naughty shit from more German bad guys and needs to get it back to London. The main antagonists are Dr. Maru (with the supervillain nickname Dr. Poison) and General Ludendorff a German Officer who is working with Dr. Poison. If I'm honest the baddies are a bit of a let down in the film. They are pretty generic (although Dr. Poison does have a gnarly disfigured face/mask thing going on) their plan is to release a new type of mustard gas, like I said pretty generic.

Back in London Steve and Diana head to British Intelligence to drop of the notebook and they meet Sir Patrick Morgan (David Thewlis) who comes across as a pacifist and is trying to broker an armistice. They also meet up with Steve's secretary Etta (who I only just realised is played by Lucy Davis while I write this), Etta provides some comic relief as she tries to get Diana to fit in with the London dress code. They soon recruit some more help with Charlie (Ewan Bremner) who is a sharpshooter, The Chief (Eugene Brave Rock) is a smuggler and Sameer (Said Taghmaoui) is a conman/actor who also provides some lighter moments. The group head into German occupied Belgium to stop the baddies.

Diana is convinced that Ludendorff is Ares and is determined to confront him. While Steve wants to stop Dr. Poison and destroy the gas. The final act does lose it's way a bit and there is a twist that I saw coming a mile away but Mrs. Cool and the kids weren't expecting. The final battle is impressive and Wonder Woman will obviously play a pivotal role in Justice League.

As a Dad of a little girl I'm so happy that there are starting to be some female role models in film for her to look up to and feel empowered by, but it's not just for girls me and the boys both really enjoyed the film too, I'm looking forward to the future of DC. With more superheroines like Captain Marvel, The Wasp and Batgirl appearing as main characters or in their own movies over the next few years female characters are set to get a strong push for the first time ever and this is what we've needed for a long time.

Well, that's all for now.

S

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