Director Patty Jenkins accomplished in Wonder Woman what until now I thought was impossible, she has made a film that is an updated version of Superman: The Movie, in terms of structure, character, and wonder. Also, I have to note that the screenwriter is Allan Heinberg, who wrote the comic book arc, "Who is Wonder Woman?" So spoilers ahead, but you might have already entered spoiler territory if you know the actor who plays Ares and seen all of the trailers.
Gal Gadot of course is perfect in the role as an Amazon in the Patriarch’s World, capable and fierce as a fighter, but naive to the harsh, war-torn world. The other part is Zeus, really there are only two gods, Zeus and Ares. The original comic book by William Moulton Marston and Harry G. Peter had Aphrodite as the patron goddess of the Amazons. The later versions had Artemis and Athena, but there seems to be no goddesses in the cinematic version. This takes a bit away from Diana’s female based origin and life. Still, none of this takes away from the power of the film.
Gal Gadot of course is perfect in the role as an Amazon in the Patriarch’s World, capable and fierce as a fighter, but naive to the harsh, war-torn world. The other part is Zeus, really there are only two gods, Zeus and Ares. The original comic book by William Moulton Marston and Harry G. Peter had Aphrodite as the patron goddess of the Amazons. The later versions had Artemis and Athena, but there seems to be no goddesses in the cinematic version. This takes a bit away from Diana’s female based origin and life. Still, none of this takes away from the power of the film.
The opening has Diana narrating her thoughts about the world; it goes from the globe to hurtle down to modern Paris, and Diana walking to the Louvre. She is wearing a red, hooded coat in contrast to her later blue one. Diana sees the photo of herself circa World War I sent by Bruce Wayne. Diana flashes back to when she was a child (played by the charming Lilly Aspel) running through the streets. She looks at the Amazons training and tries to duplicate their moves.
The island is not full of models, Doutzen Kroes does play Venelia, but it is an island of full of Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor! Diana is seen by her aunt, Antiope (Robin Wright) who is training her warriors. Wright played Claire Underwood in the series House of Cards becoming President of the United States. Young Diana is caught by her mother, Hippolyta. (Connie Nielsen). The actress was in the action movie Stratton (2017). She wants her daughter to learn and not fight, then shows her the tower that holds the Godkiller Sword. This was a weapon introduced in DC Sneak Peek: Deathstroke (2015). Antiope fears an invasion and decides to train Diana herself.
The island is not full of models, Doutzen Kroes does play Venelia, but it is an island of full of Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor! Diana is seen by her aunt, Antiope (Robin Wright) who is training her warriors. Wright played Claire Underwood in the series House of Cards becoming President of the United States. Young Diana is caught by her mother, Hippolyta. (Connie Nielsen). The actress was in the action movie Stratton (2017). She wants her daughter to learn and not fight, then shows her the tower that holds the Godkiller Sword. This was a weapon introduced in DC Sneak Peek: Deathstroke (2015). Antiope fears an invasion and decides to train Diana herself.
They are caught by Hippolyta who wants her sister to train Diana to be the best Amazon warrior. This shifts from a teen Diana (Emily Carey) to the adult Gal Gadot Diana. What is left unknown in the film is what Amazons are capable of, in the comics, they are bulletproof and super strong. I was uncertain if this applies to Diana or all of the Amazons. They are incredibly graceful fighters, but a super-strong arrow would punch through a regular soldier. Antiope walks into her training and when Diana looks up, she unleashes sword strikes.
Diana is knocked down, and (shown in the trailer), locks her gauntlets which blasts everyone back (Gadot calls this her BOOSH!) and injures Antiope. A secret is being kept by Hippolyta about Diana. She walks to a cliff and then sees a plane breaks through the island’s invisible barrier. This is not explained well, if it is just an illusionary barrier, then anything can drift to the island. The plane crashes and Diana leaps into the sea. In the plane, is of course pilot Steve Trevor played by Chris Pine. The actor played Captain Kirk in Star Trek: Beyond (2016).
Diana is knocked down, and (shown in the trailer), locks her gauntlets which blasts everyone back (Gadot calls this her BOOSH!) and injures Antiope. A secret is being kept by Hippolyta about Diana. She walks to a cliff and then sees a plane breaks through the island’s invisible barrier. This is not explained well, if it is just an illusionary barrier, then anything can drift to the island. The plane crashes and Diana leaps into the sea. In the plane, is of course pilot Steve Trevor played by Chris Pine. The actor played Captain Kirk in Star Trek: Beyond (2016).
He has the Lois Lane role here, investigating the villain’s plans, but he has to constantly step in her way for the disapproving Patriarch’s World. The plane sinks and Diana takes him ashore. There are no consequences for men stepping on Themyscira. In the comics, Amazons lose their immortality. Also, a German soldier has seen through the barrier and several boats make a landing. The Amazons are there and send volleys of arrows at them, apparently rifles don’t have range to fire back, and it is a brutal battle.
Antiope leads horse riders, not kangas, but the Amazons start to fall under the bullets. Diana is fighting with all of the Amazons and Antiope sacrifices herself before the battle is finished. This part of the movie made me think the use of 3D is brilliant, but I just didn’t notice it from that point. Steve is brought before Hippolyta and tries to resist the Lasso of Hestia, not called the Lasso of Truth. The struggle to keep his military secrets is funny. It is explained that Amazons have learned many languages, I understand they know ancient languages, but English is relatively new with different dialects and expressions.
Antiope leads horse riders, not kangas, but the Amazons start to fall under the bullets. Diana is fighting with all of the Amazons and Antiope sacrifices herself before the battle is finished. This part of the movie made me think the use of 3D is brilliant, but I just didn’t notice it from that point. Steve is brought before Hippolyta and tries to resist the Lasso of Hestia, not called the Lasso of Truth. The struggle to keep his military secrets is funny. It is explained that Amazons have learned many languages, I understand they know ancient languages, but English is relatively new with different dialects and expressions.
He flashes back to his work as an American spy working for the British forces. Steve Trevor was in a lab and sees the half-masked Dr. Isabel Maru (Elena Anaya), known as Doctor Poison who was introduced in Sensation Comics #2 (1942). Anaya played Vera Cruz in Pedro Almodóvar's The Skin I Live In (2011). Her research in finding a gas that can melt gas masks is watched by General Erich Ludendorff (Danny Huston). He played Victor created a modern day Frankenstein (2015). The general is a real life figure from World War I made Quartermaster General. It is a failure and Steve slips away Doctor Poison’s journal notes and escapes in a plane.
Hippolyta wants to defend the island and forbids any Amazon to join the Great War. Diana suspects that Ares is behind in the conflict. She makes the climb up the tower and takes the God Killer Sword, lasso, and shield. Diana makes Steve promise to take her to the battlefield and in exchange she will free him. He agrees eager to get the journal to British intelligence. Diana defies her mother and is banished from returning to Themyscira, they don’t have a great tourist policy. On a boat, they travel to London, I imagine that Themyscira is not that distant, they don’t seem to be taking food and water. They are met by Etta Candy (Lucy Davis), who is funny, but all of her best lines are in the trailers.
Steve and Diana take the journal to the military meeting led by Sir Patrick (David Thewlis). They are told not to go to the battlefield so Steve Trevor forms his own renegade team; Sameer (Said Taghmoui) who wants to be an actor, Charlie (Ewen Bremner), a Scottish, drunk sharpshooter, and Chief (Eugene Brave Rock), a diverse group. Still, the most jaw dropping part is that Wonder Woman is in the final battle, without a blemish to her make-up, no scuff or bruise, she has the most magical power. Rupert Gregson-Williams provides the music, he also did a good score for Legend of Tarzan, but the power theme from Beavis, "Is She With You"? really punches up the action. The costumes by Lindy Hemming and her department are some of the best for any comic book movie. The most impressive part of this film is to take all of the history of the comics character and go in it’s own direction.
Five Lassos of Hestia out of Five!
#WonderWoman, #PattyJenkins, #GalGadot, #ChrisPine
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