With #RestoretheSnyderVerse trending, I should probably talk about one of the films that Zack Snyder had some involvement in the DCEU that some might not have realized. Despite not directing it, Snyder did help write and influence story elements with the first live-action outing of the most famous female heroine. Diana is born on the island of Themyscira, the home of the female warriors known as Amazons. One day, a pilot crash-lands into the island named Steve Trevor, warning the women about the Great War after a battle with German soldiers. Diana is convinced that the war is caused by Ares, the god of war, and aids Steve to finish the war by killing the leader of the German army, who Diana believes to be Ares himself. There's a lot riding on the story that really works. From the fish-out-of-water aspect of Diana experiencing the outside world, to the unique setting of WWI, the blooming romance between Diana and Steve, and the theme that explores the morality of mankind. There's one issue with the story and that's of course the climatic battle between Diana and Ares. While I personally don't hate it as much as others tend to do, the problem is that the climax ditches the established theme as well as rush the rivalry between Diana and Ares and killing off the god of war in the first film. It's been stated that this third act was added in from executives and while we may never know how the film originally ends, it was obvious that it was far better than what we got. Tonally, the film offers a nice balance of lightheartedness and grittiness. The humour, characters and homages to the 1978 "Superman" lets you know that this is a comic-book film in heart, while the setting, themes, action and dramatic consequences show how reality can change or break even the most optimistic of heroes. It's honestly a perfect balance that steers away from the Marvel formula while having everything that appeals to a variety of demographics.
Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman is a good choice to play as the Amazon warrior, despite some awkward lines and thick accent. What makes her character so likeable in the film is that she's optimistic and curious of the outside world while not forcing her power or viewpoints to others. It's not like "Captain Marvel" where the heroine is so stoic and full of herself because she's a powerful woman, but rather chooses to help others and throws herself to battle because, to her, it's the right thing to do. Chris Pine as Steve Trevor is charming as the love interest who is taken back by Diana's skills while also showing her how society works for the newcomer. Pine and Gadot's chemistry helps make the romance between them both heartwarming and tragic. The villains on the other hand is pretty underwhelming. Danny Houston as Erich Lundendorff is the generic evil German general that wants to continue the fight as well as serving as the red herring because of how bad he is. While I like Houston's over-the-top performance, Lundendorff is just a really lame villain because he barely serves a threat to Diana and the sub-plot of the performance-enhancing drug is completely wasted by the time he dies. Elena Anaya as Isabel Meru/Doctor Poison, despite her performance, is also a very boring villain as the chemist who supplies Lundendorff with a very deadly gas weapon. Lastly, there's David Thewlis as Ares/Sir Patrick, the British ally who reveals to be the god of war. While I like how Ares himself isn't controlling the Germans and that he just relishes in humanity being pitted against one another, Thewlis is simply an awkward choice to play as this character. He acts fine as the identity of Sir Patrick, but he can't be taken seriously when he reveals himself to be Ares as well as wearing the comic-accurate armour while his climatic battle with Diana. The female supporting cast is really good on the other hand with Robin Wright's Antiope as the supportive aunt of Diana, Connie Nelson as Hippolyta, Diana's caring and restrictive mother, and Lucy Davis as Etta Candy, a secretary who enjoys seeing the empowered Diana. However, the same can't be said for the male supporting cast as Trevor's army friends are extremely one-note and pointless. The prime example is the "arc" for Ewen Bremner's Charle, a Scottish sniper who is paranoid and refuses to shoot due to some personal baggage. This "arc" is never paid off and the characters of Charle, Chief, and Sameer are just there for the sake of being there. If they had a far more stronger bond with Diana or were interesting like the proposed crew of various soldiers from various countries and religions, they would be really likeable. As it is, Gadot, Pine and the female side cast balance out the weak villains and male side cast.
Patty Jenkins's first outing in the action/superhero genre managed to surprise everyone for the otherwise limited filmography she had at the time. The island of Themyscira is so vivid and bright, presented as an exotic paradise. As Diana exits the island and enters the outside world during the final year of WWI, everything is grey, industrial, kind of depressing to showcase the tonal shift and misery that the war has caused. The cinematography by Matthew Jensen is fairly solid with nice sweeping and tracking shots that is akin to an epic adventure. I feel that his work really improves for the sequel, but it's still good here as well. The score by Rupert Gregson-Williams pales in comparison to Hans Zimmer's contributions in the sequel, but it's still decent for putting an emphasis on inspirational music that fits the hopeful nature of Diana as well as making a score that feels pulled out of a war film. The visual effects are fine, but pretty noticeable with the use of green-screen and CGI elements during the action. It's not bad CGI per se, but they don't have the most convincing effects. The action sequences however make up for it with some great stunts, choreography and Diana's warrior-style combat. Not only do the action sequences such as the No Man's Land, Battle of Veld, and the Ares fight show how Diana is a force to be reckoned with as a godly figure, but it almost replicates Snyder's style and visualization such as the signature slow-motion. Jenkins shows that she's a worthy director not only by making a good superhero film, but also one that feels both in nature and distinct to the DCEU Snyder built up from his previous films.
"Wonder Woman" is a good, but flawed, installment that could have made due with a rewrite or two. Despite the issues regarding the climax with Ares, the villains being generally weak, and the male side cast being fairly pointless for the lack of chemistry or pay-off in their involvement, the film still shines in various ways. The story is strong as the character of Diana is challenged by the reality of the outside world, the tone is a very nice balance of lighthearted fun and a gritty war film, Gadot captures the naivety of the titular hero in a way that feels genuine, Pine as Trevor is a nice romantic lead who bonds with Diana as well as being a capable fighter, the female supporting characters are nicely acted and portrayed to work off of Diana's personality, Jensen's cinematography does capture the boots-on-the-ground warfare with a hero disobeying these "rules", Gregson-Williams's score works in regards to the inspirational and war themes alongside Zimmer's theme for Wonder Woman, the effects are decent for what it is, the action sequences are kinetic with the visceral combat and Snyder's inspired shots and style, and Jenkins's direction offers both the warm colours that the kind-hearted hero is known for, while also dominating said colour by the gritty war-torn Belgium and miserably-crowded London. Although both this and its sequel are kind of tied quality-wise, I actually prefer the sequel more so than the first, even though both films are balanced by their pros and cons.
Verdict: 7.5/10. Pretty good installment, but could have been better if they stuck the landing and made the villains more compelling. Still the best, stand-alone, female-lead superhero film to date!
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