Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Wonder Woman 2017 directed by Patty Jenkins


I know this film has been out awhile and a lot has been said about it but I'll put in my 2 cents anyway.
(Spoilers will follow.)

In a nutshell, it's a pretty awesome super hero film and Patty Jenkins' direction has a lot to do with it, Gal Gaddot is so good you might almost forget Linda Carter in the role. Almost.  A woman superhero, a woman at the helm, two things Hollywood has been pretty stupid about over the years, stating no one will buy women in those roles. Screw you, Hollywood this film made a mint and Warner's more male oriented super heroes outings can't hold a candle to this film in any way.

I have seen it twice, second time in French and I liked it better for some reason in French. Go figure.  More likely I was able to see more of what was good in it. My first viewing, I really hated the ending... another giant battle between what amounts to gods on earth. Like every almost super hero film it before it. I still think it was the low point of a great movie but not bad.

Wonder Woman has some amazing scenes. The island scenes introducing us to the world work really well and the scene where Wonder Woman steps into no man's land, as only a woman can, takes the film from 5 to 100 in terms of emotional impact. Action packed, yes, but Gaddot takes us from uncertain fish out of water Diana Prince to saviour of an entire town and has us cheering for her. The problem I had with the ending is I wanted more of this sort of action... Wonder Woman in WW1, taking on the bad guys bringing them to justice. They could have have kept the poison gas plot, Steve Trevor's death, basically everything but the gods fighting part and had a movie that really showed the horrors of war and found a way to challenge our heroine without the typical evil also having to be a super being trope - it could have been her against a much more real version of evil. It's not bad, as I said but disappointing because this movie deserved better.  It could have been just as fantastic and action packed, but the stakes would have meant more.

You can't really understate how good Gaddot is in this role. Her presence is capable and seems very real. I'd see just about anything else she does after this.

2 comments:

T' said...

I enjoyed this one as well. You could have told the world that a WHITE MAN directed this and they'd have been fine. There's no reason women can't do just about anything (female impersonator is still a MAN'S job!! :"D) and do it well. That we're still having this conversation in the 21st century is ridiculous. I liked the character, the portrayal and the action. One thing you failed to mention, though is Chris Pine's ass! Because it's the only one we see and I took it as the gift it was meant to be. Seriously, this was fun and I'm glad it did so well. I hope the director gets lots more chances.

Behemoth media said...

I love everything about Chris Pine! he is a dreamy monkey faced boy! I think that magic pool on the island stripped him of all his body hair... must have been a Hair bath! The director is getting Wonder woman 2 at least but they really need to give her something meaty - she has proven she can handle any size film at this point.