Amazonians against the war

After three grimly dark and critically disastrous instalments in their ‘DC Extended Universe’, Warner Bros have finally delivered an enjoyable superhero film with some heart and humour

Wonder Woman Dir Patty Jenkins, US 2017 On UK release

Nearly eight decades after her introduction, Wonder Woman has finally become the title character of her own cinematic adventure. Sculpted from clay by the queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen), and brought to life by Zeus, the Amazonian princess Diana (Gal Gadot) grows up on the island of Themyscira as the only child among the warrior women. She is keen to learn the art of fighting, but her mother is anything but supportive of her daughter’s passion, as she fears that should Diana learn what she is truly capable of it will draw the attention of Ares, the god of war, from whom the Amazons are hidden on the island paradise. World War I is raging in the outside world, however, and the Amazons soon find the conflict on their doorstep when American spy Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) crash-lands in the waters near Themyscira. As German troops follow hot on Trevor’s heels, the Amazons are brutally exposed to the reality of human warfare, and

It manages to be a welcome reminder of the superhero films of yore

Diana is compelled to join Steve in an effort to bring a conclusion to the War to End All Wars.

Since the inception of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) – the DC Comics equivalent to Marvel’s MCU – the films have failed to impress. With lukewarm reviews for Man of Steel, bad reviews for

Batman v Superman and terrible reviews for Suicide Squad, many felt that all hope of saving this cinematic universe rested on the shoulders of Wonder Woman. Thankfully, those shoulders are both capable and strong, and director Patty Jenkins’s effort breathes some much-needed life into the DCEU. Much like its predecessors, the film is a long one – two hours and 21 minutes – but the restrained editing means the film moves along smoothly without pointless meandering or frustrating leaps that distort the sense of continuity. The tone of the film also sets it apart from the rest of the DCEU: there is more joy, colour and hope here than has previously been brought to the table, especially by Zack Snyder. Thus, Wonder Woman not only establishes itself as a film with its own distinctive identity, it also manages to be a welcome reminder of superhero films of yore. This is particularly evident in Gadot’s performance, which is refreshingly free from the angstridden self-doubt many took issue with in 2013’s Man of Steel. Instead, Gadot’s Wonder Woman has a personality, determination and sense of justice more akin to Christopher Reeve’s Superman.

Although Gadot completely stole the show with her brief appearance in Batman v

Superman, many were sceptical about her ability to fully evoke the strength and skill of Wonder Woman due to her slender frame. That scepticism proves quite unfounded, as Gadot’s enthusiam shines through in her commitment to the action sequences, even if she doesn’t really have the dramatic range to match her physicality. Her performance outside many of the action set pieces is therefore largely carried by her on-screen chemistry with Pine and the way his talent elevates what she lacks.

However, this also means that once Gadot is on her own against the villain in the finale, the film does lose some steam. This is not just down to Gadot, but rather a combination of her lack of range, a final showdown that’s all too reminiscent of a dozen others, and the usual superhero movie problem of the underdeveloped villain. Throughout the film, the villainous characters are set up with the bare minimum of motivation and even less character development, making them the kind of superficial stock characters you suspect were selected from a mail order catalogue of pre-existing and interchangeable super-baddies.

With its classic structure of three clearly distinguishable acts and an organic sense of pacing, Wonder Woman will be a largely enjoyable experience for most viewers. The action set pieces are impressive and engaging, thanks to the spirited efforts of Gadot in particular, while the presence of the human characters in moments of battle makes you feel that something is at stake; everyone makes a contribution, even though they’re fighting alongside a vastly superior demigoddess. With plenty of heart and just enough humour to avoid taking itself too seriously, this film seems to have corrected the course previously set for the DCEU, and while the final act stumbles due to a severe case of superhero showdown fatigue, Wonder Woman is largely the divinely fresh breath of air people have been hoping for.