Wonder Woman (2017) - 7/10
Writing the WW84 review left a bad taste in my mouth, so I decided to forego the randomizer and return back to the original. One, because I know it’s a good movie. And two, because it can be helpful to compare and contrast sometimes. I try to avoid doing that too often so I can look at each film somewhat objectively, but I think the exercise might be useful here. Anyway, let’s jump into the rubric and see how things measure up.
1. Acting
The acting in Wonder Woman is definitely solid-to-good. It doesn’t blow 84 out of the water, but it’s certainly a step up. In particular, Gal Gadot delivers a much better performance here, and I think this is partly due to having a stronger script to work with. Her range is much wider this time, getting to flex a few different skill sets—including light comedy, better physicality, and more dramatic flair.
Chris Pine also seems to enjoy this project a lot more than the eventual sequel. Steve is more of a co-lead in this film, and Pine gets to flesh out his character significantly. There’s also a lot of romance built into the script, and he and Gadot find a nice bit of chemistry throughout the runtime.
The supporting cast, much like in the sequel, is full of talented actors. More importantly, they get more room to breathe. Robin Wright and Connie Nielsen benefit in particular from the film spending an extended amount of time on Themyscira and from a greater focus on the Amazonians. On the flip side, the villain suffers compared to the sequel. Hiding the main antagonist behind a red herring stunts any real character building, and the twist revealing David Thewlis falls flat because there’s no proper setup for it.
2. Cinematography
The photography for the film can be a bit of a mixed bag. The wonderfully designed sets and other production touches help elevate a lot of the shots. Combined with some really energetic and creative camera moves, it makes for a good deal of worthwhile spectacle. Additionally, while it may go a bit too Snyder-y at times, the use of slow motion as a tool for action emphasis works in its favor.
In particular, I think back to the scenes of Diana charging her way through Veld, which feature fluid camera movement that helps sell some great stunt choreography—extended sequences where the camera follows Diana with a “oner”-type feel—and effective use of slow motion that highlights key action moments.
However, the film also falls into some generic blockbuster tendencies. The third act starts to suffer from a sort of “everything is blowing up” aesthetic that doesn’t look as strong as the first two-thirds. Slow motion can be great when used with precision, but a few moments feel excessive or indulgent and detract from otherwise great scenes. The CGI-heavy final battle is also a detraction—the shots get uncanny or cartoonish at times and feel mismatched with the earlier, more grounded action design.
3. Production and Costume Design
Much like WW84, this film has a great production team behind it. The sets look excellent, and the WWI setting feels as realistic as other more dramatic war movies. The costumes are also fantastic, and I really don’t have any issues staying immersed in the time period or locations.
4. Writing
This is where the greatest divide exists between this film and its successor. WW84 was full of okay ideas but inadequate follow-through and subpar character arcs that made the story fall flat.
In contrast, this script is much tighter, its characters more fleshed out, and its central plot more succinct. It’s not perfect, but it’s certainly a step up. We can see this even by looking at the openers of each film. Both start off with extended sequences based in Themyscira and outline the central concept of the film. WW84’s intro is a largely nonsensical Amazonian competition that tries to shoehorn in a muddled premise with a couple of lines of dialogue. This film, however, has a much clearer voiceover narrative followed by an actual sub-story detailing Diana’s life growing up.
In the sequel, we’re confused about what the sequence is trying to tell us about Diana. In the original, we learn almost all we need to know about her without it needing to be explicitly stated.
It’s focused, doesn’t have a ton of plot holes, and is emotionally grounded thanks to her relationship with Steve and her idealism. Sure, it can veer into formulaic territory at times, but it’s at least a formula that works effectively.
That said, I spent a good amount of time pointing out annoyances from WW84's script so it’s only fair to point out a few issues here:
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The film tries to have at least two major “twists” that fall flat. The first is when Hippolyta tells Diana the story of Zeus and Ares and mentions that Zeus left behind a “Godkiller” before he died. They try to make it seem like it’s the sword, but it’s very clearly Diana herself. This wouldn’t be bad if they didn’t save “the reveal” for the finale and act like we’re supposed to be shocked.
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How do the Amazonians have no knowledge of the outside world or WWI? How have they had no advancement in technology or no ability to defend themselves against guns?
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Speaking of Amazonians—are they magical? Are they immortal? They seem to die pretty easily against a small contingent of soldiers for supposed legendary warriors.
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The Germans really take a beating in this script. There was no shortage of countries involved in the war on either side, but the film paints them as the sole villains.
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Did they run out of money for a German dialect coach? Lots of German characters just straight-up speak English. Chris Pine even sneaks into a German gala speaking English in a bad German accent.
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Ares’ death basically has a “hive mind” effect, with the war literally ending on the spot—which is confusing given Diana’s thesis about mankind being flawed. If the point is that humanity is worth saving despite its flaws, doesn’t the ending undermine that? Maybe without Ares’ influence, the war continues but ends more easily. And what about later wars? Why do WWII, Korea, or Vietnam still happen if Ares is gone?
5. Sound Design
There’s much better use of the score throughout this film. Rupert Gregson-Williams serves as the composer but carries over some of Hans Zimmer’s work from other Snyderverse movies. While Zimmer’s hard-charging “Is She with You?” track is featured heavily in action scenes, Williams’ softer and more subtle score is more emotionally effective in key moments.
Outside of that, the sound design is well done, with my only real gripe being the disembodied voice of Ares in the finale. It doesn’t blend well with the scene and feels a bit hokey. It also does that classic action movie thing where two characters have a normal-volume conversation amid absolute chaos that should drown them out.
6. Editing
The film has a really nice pace, and the sequencing is clear and concise. Again, the finale is the only part that gets a bit messy. The rest is solid.
I also appreciate that the filmmakers linger in certain action shots. The various sweeping tracking shots avoid excessive cutting and keep the action coherent.
7. Visual Effects
The CGI in this film is largely great. I had a few gripes with WW84 regarding how Diana’s superhuman movement is animated and how her flying looks visually “off.” This film has those same qualities at times, which likely comes down to stylistic choice. They know an otherwise petite woman holding a literal tank over her head isn’t going to track realistically—nor will jumping huge distances or moving incredibly fast. So it becomes a creative decision that looks plausible within the world they’ve built. I don’t love the final product, but I understand it.
Apart from that, a lot of the CGI looks great and blends in well. The obvious and recurring issue is the final act, which gets carried away and looks too cartoonish.
8. Originality or Strength of Adaptation
Wonder Woman was a long-gestating project in Hollywood. A modern retelling of the classic hero’s tale was inevitable, but I’m glad they stuck the landing for the most part. I also like that it’s a period piece, giving it a distinct tone from the other DCEU movies that had already been released.
9. Stunt Coordination
Compared to WW84, the stunts in this film are fantastic. The action scenes are much more thought out, and the fight choreography is far more creative and interesting. The Veld sequence in particular stands out for its variety and integration with great camera movement.
That said, there do seem to be some limitations in production at times. For instance, the No Man’s Land sequence is great, but it also makes the front line of the entire war feel like it only involved about 20 people on each side.
10. Direction
Patty Jenkins gained a lot of attention and respect for this movie—and rightfully so. This is a well-constructed superhero film that’s both crowd-pleasing and inspirational in tone.
Legacy / Final Thoughts
After such a prolonged journey to the big screen, people were rightfully worried that when Wonder Woman finally did get made, it wouldn’t be good. While that may normally just be part of the game, Wonder Woman always carried the extra burden of being a flag bearer for all women superheroes. Luckily, this film was a critical and financial success, paving the way for more female-driven action projects.
It may have stumbled when it came to the eventual sequel, but it’s in good company there. It will be interesting to see what direction James Gunn’s DCU takes her in the future, but at least this moment in Diana’s legacy is secured.
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