"Wonder Woman 1984" Review: A Made For TV Hero Film
It’s not that “Wonder Woman 1984” is not entertaining. I found myself invested in Diana Prince’s (Gal Gadot) journey by the time it was coming to a close. It’s just not as inspired and handled with the same care that director Patty Jenkins had with its predecessor, Wonder Woman. While the studio was brave in releasing the film in 2020 to HBO Max and theaters during COVID, this film is suited for small screen excitement. It’s not much of a visual spectacle and suffers from a predictable story.
The last time we learned about Diana Prince’s back story it was focused during World War I. This time we’re in Washington D.C. in 1984. (As a 10 year DMV resident, D.C. is displayed well in the film.) Diana works at the Smithsonian and is burdened by her responsibilities as a protector of her city, while not having a true relationship with anyone due to her double life. After a jewelry heist she thwarted reveals precious artifacts were squirreled away in said store, the artifacts wind up coming to the Smithsonian to be analyzed by Dr. Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig).
Barbara is the overlooked lab geek that just wants to be noticed. She gets special attention from Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal), a failing serial entrepreneur, who is driven to succeed at all costs. He's after the crystal that’s recently come into her possession and seems to be the only person who knows it is a Dream Stone. Anyone who touches it and makes a wish will have it granted at a price. That’s it. That’s the bad guy, the McGuffin, and the lesson. Be careful what you wish for. Diana, Barbara, and Maxwell all get a chance to make a wish, knowingly or unknowingly.
The story is unremarkable and the characters are dull. The problem with characterization in this film is that every person that you think “something ain’t right with him/her”, you’re correct. There is no subtlety in the design and depth of these characters. Everyone as written, whether child actors, villains or heroes are stereotypes of archetypes we’ve seen before. Even the glow up of Kristen Wiig from baggy clothed nerd to beauty feels pedestrian.
Gal Gadot has a strong on screen presence throughout the two and a half hour running time. In fact, her earnest performance is what makes the film palatable. In a year in which we’ve had an unprecedented lack of super hero films, it’s nice to have a moment to escape! I highly recommend seeing it in the comfort of your home over seeing it in theaters. You won’t regret it. Oh, and stick around mid credit roll to see a nice cameo!
Rating: C
"Wonder Woman" Review
With DC’s recent track record, it was hard to be any more than cautiously optimistic going into Wonder Woman. But in the end, it is one of their best films! I’d say it’s my favorite DC comics movie since Christopher Reeve. It might not be a coincidence that Gal Gadot embodies Wonder Woman in a way that’s reminiscent of Reeve. Reeve showed a Superman who actually enjoyed being a hero, even if it was difficult. Gadot’s Wonder Woman is the same and it’s always refreshing to see that on the big screen.
There’s been a trend lately where movies feel like your glass is half full or half empty. But Wonder Woman has moments of intense sadness and despair mixed in with feelings of humor and love. This isn’t just an action movie with some jokes, it’s a film where the central theme is that pain and joy are often never far apart. Some of that comes from the setting. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a film that even tried to capture “the war to end all wars,” but it really works here. The setting and the narrative intertwine very well.
Love is one of the main themes of the film, but it was also clearly a driving force behind the production. Nearly every aspect is put together with a sense of pride and skill that has been missing from quite a few summer blockbusters of recent years. The fight scenes were not just enjoyable, but you could actually see and follow most of the action. When you watch Diana fight, you'll be able to really appreciate her skill and power. The art direction and costume design are perfect, and the soundtrack is fantastic! All the performances are really good, though Etta Candy is underused and several of the villains are not particularly three dimensional.
Director Patty Jenkins giving Gal Gadot instruction.
Everyone is going to be looking at Patty Jenkins as a barometer for the future of women-led blockbusters, which is an unfair and unnecessary burden to place on her shoulders, but what are superhero movies about if not unfair burdens? Jenkins rises to the task, and honestly I’d like to see DC give her a lot more to do in the future.
There are things to quibble with, as always. While it’s the best use of slow motion I’ve seen in years, it is still overused. There’s a framing story that could have been left out, but I could see why some audience members would want it, especially if they’re coming in from the more recent franchise films rather than a comic book background. But none of that takes away from a film that is incredibly enjoyable, and one of the best of its genre.
Rating: A
"Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice" Review: Little Brother Fights Back
Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice had a lot riding on it. Forget the hardcore fanboys’ opinions, huge budget, and bringing major DC characters together on the big screen for the first time in this generation. If DC didn’t get this film right, it could have sunk the franchise. Period. With this installment, director Zack Snyder and the crew give us a very entertaining gateway into the next chapter of DC super hero cinema.
As to stay away from spoilers, let’s establish the rules of this review. I’ll keep it inside the lines of a few things: 1) nothing you haven’t seen outside of the trailers, 2) nothing you can’t deduce from the title, and 3) I will only paint pictures that color the cinema techniques in the film. Fair enough?
From the start you know that the film is in the hands of a visual director. Snyder has a distinct way of telling the story with the frame and dark palette cinematography. After a brief Bruce Wayne origin sequence, the film picks up with the title “Mankind is Introduced to The Superman”. We see what was going on from Bruce Wayne’s (Ben Affleck) perspective during the massive fight between Superman (Henry Cavill) and General Zod (Michael Shannon) from Man of Steel. It’s an incredible sequence that answers the question of “what was happening on the ground during the fight between these two super beings?” It immediately sets the stakes for the film. Is Superman someone that humans can trust, and with so much power, how can we keep him in check?
After the showdown in Metropolis, Bruce develops a grudge against the seemingly unstoppable alien. He spends time preparing to fight Superman, which obviously entails him having a level playing field because head to head there is no match. Jesse Eisenberg is introduced as Lex Luthor, and Eisenberg’s signature tics and fast talking antics from characters past really works for this Lex Luthor. He’s crafted an entitled, insecure, brilliant, low key maniac with just enough swag that for me worked well. Luthor’s money and intelligence allows him to have a pulse on what’s really going on in the world and gives him the power to influence it as he sees fit.
A large part of seeing Batman V Superman is not wondering what the outcome will be, but what will things look like? Is Affleck a good Batman. Yes. There is no point in which I didn’t think he was Batman or an older Bruce Wayne for that matter. When he’s in a scene with Cavill, you know who the seasoned actor is. Is Gal Gadot a good Wonder Woman? She fits in the film as it needs her, and when it does, she does a good job. Her introduction to this world felt a little clunky and forced, but seeing her fight...I look forward to future films (perhaps more so to see Wonder Woman’s powers more than Gadot’s acting). Overall, the acting in this film as a collective is solid.
The movie works really hard to engage your senses and thrust you into a cinematic experience. The weight of objects are seen visually, and heard aurally on an extremely detailed level. The sound and effects departments deserve a round of applause. One of the best sequences in which you can appreciate this is watching the batmobile tear through the streets, buildings, other cars, and then get tossed like a toy car when it runs into Superman. It’s a set up you know is coming (from the trailer) but works to show Superman’s power and strength. Let’s not leave out the amazing score from Hans Zimmer (my favorite film composer of all time) and Junkie XL! The score is its own character and pushes the story forward in all the right ways.
Batman V Superman has its issues. In fact, the film builds up to the ultimate showdown so well that once it gets there things get a bit awkward. In some ways it's like writers Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer had the beats they wanted to get to in the story outline but couldn't make smooth transitions between major plot points. However, it delivers on the spectacle that you want to see! For a team up film, everything comes together as it should, and sets us up for an entry of more characters in this world. It’s hard to bake the best cake ever, but the film is very tasty and satisfying! Will DC take the reigns from Marvel in the box office now? No. But little brother just got a good lick in that the rest of the world has to give him props for! I’d pay to see it a couple more times!
Rating: C+