Wonder Woman has landed, and you can all release your collectively held breaths because… it’s pretty good! A lot of people, in fact, think it’s great. Me, I thought the story was a little thin and the movie overlong — seriously, over two hours and 20 minutes? — but what it lacks in story, it makes up for in every other way.
Director Patty Jenkins totally nails the larger-than-life superhero blockbuster vibe necessary to thrill fans and sway the haters. The action scenes aren’t just awesome; they’re thrilling, and best of all, you can actually see what happens thanks to careful editing and the use of Matrix-style slow motion. The scenes on Themyscira are absolutely stunning, and it’s a disappointment when Diana (Gal Gadot) accompanies Steve (Chris Pine) back into the regular world to find and fight the God of War. Robin Wright is given short shrift with her relatively few scenes at the beginning as the Amazon warrior and Diana’s beloved aunt Antiope. The Amazon warriors are strong and beautiful in the way women over a certain age who have Seen Some Shit are beautiful, and I could have watched them all day.
The chemistry between Gadot and Pine is on point, and they exchange some good zingers, especially with regards to Diana’s curiosity about the male form. It’s just when Steve and Diana are joined by a merry band of weirdos to fight the Germans that things started to fizzle for me. See, although Diana is convinced she can stop the all war by finding and fighting Ares, the God of War, Steve and his pals are simply fighting World War I and the terrible chemical warfare the Germans, led by a female doctor played by Elena Anaya, are cooking up. It’s just not possible, as Diana learns the hard way, to conquer the gods of war that humans worship.
It’s hard to put into words what it means to see a woman who isn’t just a kickass babe star in an action movie. It means so much, especially in today’s world, to watch a woman who is allowed to be naïve, curious, sensitive, and strong save the day. Gadot has been unfairly scrutinized from top to bottom since being cast as Wonder Woman, but she is more than worthy to swing the Lasso of Truth. Jenkins has directed a truly great superhero movie, and I hope it makes scrillions of dollars, and all the little girls who are posing with their gauntlets and tiaras will grow up and kick the asses of the gods of war currently ruling our world. 4/5
Top photo: Wonder Woman
More from BUST
Where Is All The “Wonder Woman” Promotion?
The “Wonder Woman” Sneak Peek Makes All Our Feminist Dreams Come True
How “Wonder Woman’s” Patty Jenkins Became The First Woman To Direct A Superhero Movie
