WONDER WOMAN

GRADE: A-

PREMISE:

Wonder Woman is a film in the DC Cinematic Universe about Diana (Gal Gadot), an amazon princess and trained warrior.  When an outsider crashes off shore of her island home and brings news of World War I, Diana honors her duty as an amazon to go out into the world.  With the help of spy Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) and others along the way, Diana sets out to hunt the god of war, Aries, and learns some difficult lessons as events unfold.

THOUGHTS:

Firstly, Wonder Woman is the movie we have been waiting for from DC.  Previously, Marvel has outpaced and outdone DC superhero movies in every way.  This movie is a game changer for DC, and it’s not hard to see why.  Wonder Woman has everything; action, drama, comedy, adventure, romance… etc.  Actors Gal Gadot and Chris Pine have undeniable chemistry as respective leads Diana and Steve.  Their romance is a unique and refreshing blend of tension and connection.  Though there are some suggestive jokes, they are made by an innocent character and are for the comedy, not being crude.  This wins big points, as all too often nowadays big blockbuster movies insert so many unnecessary, distasteful and overly sexual content that make them not family friendly. For more info on the film's content, visit IMDB here.

The action sequences are cinematically impressive, and unlike previous DC superhero installments, this film hits the sweet spot between action/fighting, character development and plot movement.  Striking that balance is essential to please both critics and viewers alike, as shown by the film’s domination at the box office.  It made back almost all of it’s 149 million dollar budget in just the first week of release, making it a true cinematic success.  Even more groundbreaking is that Wonder Woman is the first superhero movie with a female heroin as the star, a long overdue project from an industry that has been frankly neglectful in the area of female representation. (Your move, Marvel. A Black Widow origin story wouldn't hurt my feelings.)  The girl power continues, as Patty Jenkins helmed the film as director. Doing an excellent job on all accounts, she earns her place in the ranks of Marvel and DC bankable directors who have made incredible careers by spearheading some of the best superhero movies ever to grace the big screen.

Wonder Woman, in theaters now, is a must see.  And if you can’t get enough, look forward to seeing Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman again alongside Ben Affleck as Batman and Henry Cavill as Superman in Justice League later this year.