Diana Prince went fishing and caught herself a Steve Trevor. Not quite Casablanca, but a pretty good romance breaks out in “Wonder Woman.”
Hello moviegoers today it’s “Wonder Woman,” the highly anticipated and latest feature from DCEU. Directed by Patty Jenkins, “Wonder Woman” is set during World War I and is the origins story of how Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) evolves into the earnest and dutiful superhero we know.
Wonder Woman is played by Gal Gadot who might as well have been molded from clay to play the Amazon princess. She delivers a hero who has purpose, who is physical and sexy. And unlike many superheroes, she embraces her responsibilities – however naive she might be.
American spy Steve Trevor’s (Chris Pine) plane crashes into the waters of Themyscira bringing with it the wrath of German air forces to the veiled island which was a gift to the Amazons from the god Zeus. The Amazons led by queen Hippolyta and her sister General Antiope played by (Connie Nielsen) and (Robin Wright), respectively defend their territory in an intense action sequence that plays out on the island’s shores.
Unsure of his motives, the Amazons use the Lasso of Truth on Steve. His revelations of the Great War and its consequences convinces Diana that such terror can only be the work of Aries, the god of war. Against the wishes of her mother, who has always tried to shield Diana from war, she leaves the island and returns to England with Steve in pursuit of Aries – who Steve isn’t so sure is a real thing.
Chris Pine’s Steve Trevor is on point. He is a gentleman whose respect for Diana goes beyond her saving him from the wreckage of his plane. Their relationship is built on a shared understanding of honor – though from different worlds. There is obvious sexual tension between Diana and Steve that benefits from the easy chemistry Gadot and Pine share. In reality, the movie is paced by their romance and is the strongest aspect of the movie – hitting all the right notes.
It is discovered that the Germans led by the ruthless General Ludendorff, played eagerly by (Danny Huston), are working on a new weapon that will undermine the efforts at an armistice and win the war for Germany. In an effort to foil the Germans, Steve gets together a ragtag group of men-for-hire to help him and Diana.
Scenes involving this group are funny and they round out some of the movies themes. They also serve to inform Diana of the complexities of the relationships between different tribes – if you will – in her new world. As one exchange around a camp fire between Diana and The Chief, played by (Eugene Brave Rock), illuminates.
There are some issues with the plot as the film nears its end, but they are not enough to derail Wonder Woman for me. With a solid screenplay from Allan Heinberg and stronger casting at hand, Patty Jenkins makes a movie that is fun and empathetic, that’s visually effective, delivers plenty of action, and also makes time for our heroes to sway. I give Wonder Woman 4 sweet potatoes out of 5 – or an A minus. This has been Moviegoers’ View – Moviegoersview.com. Until next time, enjoy the movies.
RATING: 4.0/5 SP’s
PRODUCTION: Title: Wonder Woman; Distributor: Warner Bros.; Release Date: June 2, 2017; Genre: Action / Adventure; Runtime: 2 hrs. 21 min.; Rating: PG-13; Producers: Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, Zack Snyder Richard Suckle
CREW: Director: Patty Jenkins; Writer: Allan Heinberg; Composer: Rupert Gregson-Williams
CAST: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, Danny Huston, David Thewlis, Ewen Bremner
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