Wonder Woman: Bloodlines is another origin story, a jigsaw puzzle of comic storylines, and the end result is an average DC Animated Universe film! This film is co-directed by Justin Copeland who also directed Batman: Hush (2019) and Sam Liu who directed many of the recent Warner Animation films starting with Justice League: Gods and Monsters (2015). It is written by Mairghread Scott who wrote for the Guardians of the Galaxy animated series. We get the night sky of “Five Years Ago”, we have a sea with a Boom Tube releasing parademons, they are the troops of Apokalips first seen in New Gods #1 (1971). Captain Steve Trevor (Jeffrey Donovan) is flying an F-22 fighter jet detecting the parademons. Trevor is the action hero in black, but takes the back seat to Wonder Woman, and tries to add some comic moments. Trevor’s jet is spinning out of control and passes through a barrier and he sees the island. The crash is witnessed by Diana (Rosario Dawson) who swims towards his sinking ship. Dawson voiced Wonder Woman since Justice League: Thrones of Atlantis (2015). Her Diana is a warrior, but capable of being embarrassed. Trevor wakens to see a purple ray. This is the Purple Healing Ray that appeared in Wonder Woman #1 (1942). We have something that could help people outside of Themyscira (like in Black Panther), but this is kept secret.
She explains to Trevor about Themysicra, the Amazons, and Queen Hippolyta. He describes the threat of the parademons. This ties into the events of Justice League: War (2014). Since he is the first man on Themyscira, Trevor is taken away to the Cells of Justice, which we see as a rounded tower that looks like it is right out of the Wonder Woman (2017) movie. Trevor is in a cell behind a force field and a guard is posted outside. Diana appears in her Wonder Woman armor with golden lasso and knocks out the guard. We don’t get her taking the armor or earning it through The Contest. She frees Trevor to make their escape with Diana flying them down. Diana says the gods said a champion from Themyscira would protect Man’s World, then there is the arrival of Queen Hippolyta (Cree Summer). She orders Diana to return the prisoner. This leads to a duel with swords. The stake of Diana leaving Themyscira isn’t in this story since we haven’t seen her normal life there. No back story about how Hippolyta and the Amazons left Man’s World. It seems rushed using the movie’s story to get to the rest of the action.
Trevor and Diana take the boat, she guides it with her hand on a globe that apparently steers it. Diana says she will be alone once they leave the barrier of Themyscira and Trevor says they are together. A nice moment. The island fades from view past the barrier. Next, we get the afternoon skies of Washington D.C. A car is taking Trevor, Diana in a white dress, and Etta Candy (Adrienne C. Moore), to the home of Julia Kapatelis. Etta Candy is the tech monitor for this group and also has some funny moments. Julia and her daughter, Vanessa, were introduced in Wonder Woman #3 (1987) as part of George Perez’s run on the title. Julia (Nia Vardalos) is nervously getting the house ready as her daughter Vanessa (Marie Avgeropoulos) sweeps the floor. The doorbell rings and Vanessa answers it to be in awe of Diana. Julia bows before the Amazon princess and they head up the stairs. Diana is having Julia help her get adjusted with Man’s World. Then, we get scenes of Julia talking with Diana as Vanessa is ignored, she becomes Goth and stays away from Diana. They wait as Diana appears in her New52 armor. Vanessa makes fun of it and Trevor explains that the press has already given her a code name.
Robbers in star masks face Wonder Woman as Trevor tells her that she is needed at the Hall of Justice. She flies in to the Justice League headquarters to meet the bearded Steve Trevor. He brings her to see Julia who is in tears about Vanessa. Vanessa has stolen artifacts from the pharmaceutical company of her mother. At a darkened warehouse, Vanessa meets with Dr. Poison (Courtenay Taylor) elderly with her red glasses, Giganta, and some guards. She has a snake head artifact in a briefcase. Dr. Cyber (Mozhan Marno) gives a warning. Wonder Woman bursts in to deflect bullets from the guards. Trevor arrives with Julia. Giganta (Kimberly Brooks) injects herself with a serum and grows to take on Wonder Woman. She stomps down and Vanessa drops the briefcase taken up by Dr. Poison. Trevor knocks down crates on the gunmen. Wonder Woman gives the big beat down on Giganta who reverts back to her normal size. Then, she takes on the gunmen before hearing Julia cry out. She was shot and kinda bloody for an animated film. Vanessa holds Wonder Woman responsible, but of course she doesn’t make the connection that her mother was at the warehouse for her.
Vanessa agrees to work with Dr. Cyber and Dr. Poison. In a desert Quraq town, a soldier meets with the transformed Vanessa who slices him with Lady Deathstrike-like claws. Etta debriefs Wonder Woman and gets her transport, a jet that of course turns invisible that Trevor pilots. She faces Vanessa now turned into the Silver Swan. The character’s first appearance was in Wonder Woman #288 (1982), but this version seems to be from the later Phil Jimenez run on Wonder Woman. They face Silver Swan and Wonder Woman defeats her. Silver Swan is taken to Cale Pharmaceuticals. Veronica Cale (Constance Zimmer) explains that Vanessa’s body is about to taken over by the enhancements. Cale opens Julia’s office to research the location of Themyscira forgotten by everyone who leaves the island. Diana discovers that they have to go to the Temple of Pasiphaë to find the island. There Wonder Woman faces Cheetah (Brooks), her nemesis, and the others face the minotaur (Michael Dorn). There is a good line-up of female villains, apparently in an organization called Villany Inc., but not identified until the end of the movie. A final battle is of course centered on Themyscira. The story is basically of mother and daughters. Wonder Woman Bloodlines is a decent Wonder Woman story that loses some focus, but has some great characters!
Three Purple Healing Rays out of Five!
#WonderWomanBloodlines, #JustinCopeland, #SamLiu, #RosarioDawson
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