What ‘Justice League’ is lacking is ‘Wonder’
Remember watching Wonder Woman, and feeling so, well, wonderful?
It was empowering to see a woman deflect bullets and fall in love all while leading a superhero movie about humanity. The movie wasn’t a bleak comic book film but an action movie, comingof-age story and period piece all in one.
Unfortunately, Zack Snyder’s Justice League does not pick up tonally where the critically acclaimed Wonder Woman from Patty Jenkins left off.Here are four instances of subtle sexism in Justice League that don’t jibe with the progressive superhero film Wonder Woman:
1. Lois Lane is called “thirsty.”
In Justice League, Martha Kent, aka Superman’s mom (Diane Lane), is having an intimate conversation with Lois Lane, aka Superman’s love ( Amy Adams), after Superman’s death. Martha tells Lois that her late son always thought of her as “the thirstiest young woman he had ever met.” Yes, she meant to say “hungriest,” but instead we get a joke about desperate women. Ha?
In Wonder Woman, the women are so self-sufficient and unconcerned with flirting with men that Diana (Gal Gadot) tells Steve (Chris Pine) “that men are essential for procreation, but when it comes to pleasure, unnecessary.” Ha!
2. Wonder Woman has distractingly low-cut shirts.
There’s been plenty of debate about the Amazons’ outfits in Justice League and how they’re skimpier than before. But the more distracting and low-cut outfits in the new movie are worn by Wonder Woman as she meets with Batman and other superheroes. They’re fully clothed; she has a V-neck sweater that plunges almost to her belly button.
Diana didn’t show cleavage in Wonder Woman. Remember when she tried to be inconspicuous in her buttoned-up trench coat? That was fun. And how about when she strategically lugged around her sword in a tasteful gown?
3. There’s mild sexism.
To Batman’s (Ben Affleck) credit, he treats Wonder Woman like a fellow professional and tells his butler, Alfred (Jeremy Irons), that he needs her on his superhero team because he’s interested in her skill set. It’s Alfred who makes the sexist joke “I’m sure you are.”
In Wonder Woman, though, Steve revered Diana’s powers so much by the end that he decided to die for Wonder Woman because, as he said, “I can save today, (but) you can save the world.”
4. The male nudity is almost uncomfortable
No, we are not here to complain about seeing shirtless heroes. But Superman (Henry Cavill) spends so much time topless in Justice League that it borders on voyeuristic.
There is nudity in Wonder Woman, too: Steve is bathing when Diana, who has never before seen a man, surprises him and asks, “Would you say you’re a typical example of your sex?” Steve’s naked reply: “I am above average.” The scene isn’t uncomfortable but rather one of the funniest-ever DCEU exchanges.
Can DC Comics do better? We can answer that in November 2019, when Jenkins’ Wonder Woman sequel arrives.