Ah, Wonder Woman: the anomaly of the DC Extended Universe is the movie that most of us expected to continue the trend of mediocre or even atrocious films. We were all shocked when it became one of the best-reviewed superhero films of all time. Spoiler alert: I’m about to discuss the ending in detail.
The plot is a fairly standard, straightforward origin story. It’s given more depth than usual by the fact that the film is set during World War 1. The pacing of the film’s first act is absolutely impeccable, setting up everything to follow with great efficiency. We’re given time to get to know the characters, understand their motivations, and we’re told the backstory that will play into the film later early on in a completely organic way.
After Steve and Diana leave Themyscira, the plot begins to move quickly. After a bit of discussion, they decide to join the war with a small band of men. This is the point at which Diana truly comes into her own. By this, I mean, of course, the No Man’s Land scene. Something would be amiss if I neglected to praise it; it is an impeccably crafted and thoughtfully devised scene in which we truly witness the birth of Wonder Woman. In just five minutes, we come to truly understand who she is as a person. Other DC films have struggled to even begin to do this with 2 ½ hour runtimes. (I’m looking at you, Batman V. Superman). My one criticism of this section of the film is that it feels thematically deviant from the first act, and while it sets the tone for the 3rd act expertly, it feels like a slightly rushed transition.
From there we move into the final stages of the film, and this is where most of the problems occur. It begins in a truly rousing fashion, with the protagonists infiltrating a partner and Diana seeking to assassinate the man she believes to be the Ares. From there they go to destroy a German military base, and absolutely none of the momentum is wasted. The final battle is absolutely riveting, up until Diana kills “Ares”. By doing this, she believes that the war will cease, as it is solely his influence that has caused it at all. When she kills him, the war goes on, and the film makes a bold choice; Diana realizes that mankind is not basically good, and she feels that she no longer owes anything to them. It’s then that the film takes one of the biggest missteps I’ve ever seen. In a plot twist, it’s revealed that Ares is actually an ally of Diana’s, and when she finally defeats him, the war ends. On the one hand, I understand this resolution; perhaps the writers felt that without an actual primary antagonist, the film would feel incomplete, or that the film would drag too long if the war had to keep going. I strongly feel that good writing could have destroyed any objections that might have been raised. It’s simply a cheap resolution to what would otherwise have been a profound and sobering conclusion about humanity.
In the end, Wonder Woman is a solid film. The action, set pieces, writing (except for dat ending tho), and direction are all fantastic, and the soundtrack works wonders (hahahaha) for the tone of the film. Overall, it seems like a self-assured, confident entry, surging with energy and freshness. Is it one of the greatest superhero films ever made? Probably not. Were it not for the disastrous writing in the last 15 minutes, it most likely would be. But this cheapens the film and makes what would otherwise be a unique origin story feel almost typical. Despite my issues with the film, I can wholeheartedly recommend it. It gives me hope for the DCEU. 3.85/5 stars.
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