Wonder and Gloom
In a grim DC world, the Amazonian Princess shines a ray of hope.
2013’s Man of Steel has remained a bit of a controversial film for various reasons, and this controversy escalated dramatically with the release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in 2016. It was considered overblown, overly dark, and just not enjoyable. Then came Suicide Squad in the same year, which the least said of the better. Now in 2017, we have Wonder Woman, starring Gal Gadot as Diana (reprising her role from BvS). Since its announcement, a decent amount of words have been traded with regards to the film, whether its content, themes, or its state within the DC Expanded Universe.
The film does a great job in its presentation of the Amazonian Princess; she has a sense of wonder and naivete that contrasts well with Chris Pine’s Steve Trevor. The film’s main themes deal with the grayness of reality, and that not everything is so black and white, which is something Diana comes to learn. The film succeeds in the action department, but it’s at its strongest when it just lets the characters interact. The relationships between the characters end up being the best of the film and what puts it above another superhero fare.
What makes Wonder Woman so unique is that it presents a clearer and more hopeful story than any other previous DCEU film. While each of the films in the franchise has its fans, Wonder Woman has gotten the most critical praise by a large margin. It stands as a very important film within the DCEU, and as far as narrative and characters go, it’s the best of the four so far. It’s unsure whether this franchise will rise and stand alongside the Marvel Cinematic Universe in equal measure, but Wonder Woman demonstrates that there is much in this universe to be gained and appreciated.