REVIEW: Wonder WomanBy Quinn OxleyJune 3, 2017WhatCulture recently released a video asking if Wonder Woman is the most well-received superhero movie ever. It might be - you know, if we suddenly entered a world where Logan, Deadpool, and The Dark Knight don’t exist. (No offense, Diana.)

Wonder Woman is by far the best DCEU film to date. That’s not saying much, but it sure is something.

Alright, I’m not going to harp on about the negative. This move is actually a solid 75% pure awesome.

The first thing DC got right: they made Diana Prince an incredible character. I can’t speak from a comics standpoint, but the film portrays her not simply as a fierce warrior, but as a fierce warrior who is knowledgeable and nuanced and emotional. She is a real woman, and a real woman that I would look up to. (And I don’t consider myself a feminist.)

The next thing they did right: the relational dynamic between Diana and Steve Trevor is near-perfect. For once, you can see two strongly written, interesting characters who have a relationship that makes sense. I have immense respect for DC for not compromising Steve Trevor’s character to make Diana stand out as more powerful. She fends for herself; he fends for himself; and they make an “effective team.” (In case any of you forgot Oblivion existed.)

Gal Gadot is a gem. She is the only reason I’m looking forward to any future DC installments. Chris Pine is gorgeous, yes, but he serves Steve Trevor well.

Some of the special effects - in particular, the jumping effects - were off, but for the most part, they’re forgivable.

The one major caveat: the ending. I won’t talk spoilers, but suffice it to say I was sorely let down by the final showdown. They seemed to be going in a certain direction and then departed completely from it, and featured an unintimidating villain and a climax overwhelmed with those iffy special effects. This taints the rest of the film for future viewings, unfortunately, but at least DC did us right by making Wonder Woman a great character with limitless potential for future success in the franchise.

Rating: 7.5

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