Wonder Woman (12)
Director: Patty Jenkins
Stars: Gal Gadot, David Thewlis, Robin Wright & Chris Pine
Running time: 2hrs 12mns
Every once in a while we witness a truly spectacular cultural event. Being constantly flooded with new movies, tv shows and other media can make it hard for a super hero movie to shine but Wonder Woman manages to not only shine, but set a new precedent for the entire genre.
This movie truly astounded me.
I’ll get to why in just a bit, but first a bit of a background about me. I am at best a casual DC fan. I haven’t even bothered with the last few DC movies. I think the last one I saw was Man of Steel and let’s just say I wasn’t a fan. As far as Wonder Woman herself, I knew very little about her as a character. Basically just her iconic image.
I feel like my lack of knowledge worked to my advantage in this case. It was like learning in real time the wonder and splendor that is Diana Prince.
The opening sequence on Themyscira is mesmerizing. You feel like you’re a part of their fascinating culture as you watch the warriors train and see their way of life. You also learn about Diana’s unique upbringing and hints about her otherworldly origin.
I hadn’t really seen Gal Gadot in anything before this and was blown away by her performance. Not only is she stunningly gorgeous, but she plays the role of Wonder Woman with incredible naivety, pureness, and earnest dedication. Chris Pine perfectly complimented her innocence with a more jaded role as an American spy who has seen the ravages of war and knows what must be done to put it to an end.
Also notable is Elena Anaya’s terrifyingly brilliant portrayal as Dr Maru/Dr Poison; her ambition and determination is something to behold and, more importantly, will definitely give you the creeps!
But the real highlights of this movie are any time Diana is kicking butt!
Seriously.
It’s empowering to see a lead female character as powerful as Wonder Woman as the hero; every time there was a battle scene with her, the audience erupted with applause! Obviously we’ve seen strong women in movies before, but Wonder Woman seems special. The masterful direction by Patty Jenkins has really set the bar for future movies starring awesome women.
Another big part of the movie that I loved were the themes of duty, compassion and love. Parts of the movie reminded me of Thor, Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2, King Arthur and Captain America because super hero movies have a way of projecting our morality onscreen and giving us hope in dark times and, believe me, Wonder Woman excels at that.
Wonder Woman has been inspiring women for decades and it was an emotional and inspiring experience to see the portrayal of this character on the big screen and even though it wasn’t perfect, I’d still easily give it four lassos of truth out of five!
Wonder Woman comes out June 2, 2017 and trust me, you’re not going to want to miss this one!
4 out of 5 nerds
Irwin Fletcher
I'm an LA journalist who really lives for his profession. I have also published work as Jane Doe in various mags and newspapers across the globe. I normally write articles that can cause trouble but now I write for FTN because Nerds are never angry, so I feel safe.
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