Very much a coming of age story, Patty Jenkins’ 2017 comic book film Wonder Woman is a tale of adventure and self discovery, a sweeping journey into all of the beauty and horrors this planet, and those living on it, must contend with.
A young Diana Prince (Gal Gadot), for those of you who do not know, is an Amazonian princess, the daughter of Queen Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen), living on the untraceable island of Themyscira. Mixed up in the age old story of the Greek Gods, their protector Zeus, though dying by the hand of his war driven son Ares, is able to protect the race and give them a weapon for when the God of War mends his wounds and returns to create havoc once more (the historic scene is beautifully depicted as if we were observing a moving Italian fresco).
Despite her mother’s repeated demand that she not be trained in the art of war like the rest of their race, her aunt Antiope (Robin Wright), the head of the army, ignores the decree, spending long hours honing the girl’s natural abilities. When the horrors of World War 1 come crashing to their shores (wholly unexpectedly), Diana saves a spy from the British army, Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), whose plane plummets into the Mediterranean blue of their shores.
Part of a top secret mission, Hippolyta and the Amazons do not want to let Trevor go, despite Diana’s pleas. Seeing that the world is in need of help, she leaves her tranquil and peaceful home (with armour, bracelets, sword, shield and lasso by her side), returning the military man back to Britain.
Learning of a dangerous plot orchestrated by General Ludendorff (Danny Huston) and his mad scientist Dr. Maru (Elena Anaya), Diana is not impressed by the stance of the military elite of the Supreme War Council, though unofficially, Sir Patrick Morgan (David Thewlis) offers his support, and Trevor unites a ragtag team, including slick language specialist Sameer (Saïd Taghmaoui), sharpshooter Charlie (Ewen Bremner) and smuggler The Chief (Eugene Brave Rock) – their mission will be managed by Trevor’s cheeky secretary Etta Candy (Lucy Davis).
Heading to the frontlines of Europe, Diana is flooded with the misery, despair and desolation of World War 1. The dead, injured, homeless, hungry and orphaned litter the charred, muddy landscape, while many people have been trapped and enslaved by the German troops. With a two-fold goal, Trevor and his team are looking to destroy the factory as well as the chemical weapons the Germans have been developing, while Diana is putting her sights onto Ares, hoping that killing him will end the bloodshed.
A journey of self discovery, Diana is as knowledgeable as they come, well read and a master of hundreds of languages; her wisdom is only matched by her skill at the art of combat. Yet, though she is ideological, honourable and respectful, she is like a fish out of water in the world of humans. Hence, it is a coming of age story, a so called rite of passage, and she must wrap her head around the atrocities found in the world. Like everyone, we must deal with the events of day to day life, deciding whether we are going to stick to our guns (hopefully, pun not intended) and believe in the good, of love and peace, or if we will fall prey to the cynicism, apathy and hate that begins to seep into our body and soul over the years after being bombarded by the constant loss, negativity and pain that comes with being human. Despite her superhuman abilities, her problems are that of every one of us – and she, like those who returned home from the war back in 1919, must learn to live with themselves and what they had to do, trying to discover whether they still have faith and belief in life, love, forgiveness and humanity. Also a leader, Wonder Woman is in many ways a measuring stick, a guidepost for those who choose to be good, demonstrating love, bravery and heroics in the face of formidable evil, while there are those who choose the darker path, be it pure evil or to simply bide their time, doing nothing in times of great need. It in many ways echos something Trevor’s father told him long ago, “if you see something wrong happening in the world, you can either do nothing, or you can do something”.
Visually, Wonder Woman is breathtaking in its dichotomy. Visualizing the hidden city of the Amazons, its ancient architecture, mesmerizing waterfalls, and pristine beaches is as intoxicating as our most vivid dream – it is understandable why so many explorers through the ages have searched for El Dorado, Atlantis and so many other fabled visions of grandeur, riches and beauty. Yet, we also fall prey to the barbarous area that is no man’s land. Filth, blood, and guts for as far as the eye can see, only the devil would be appeased by its sight. It is a comic book, and some of the effects are over-the-top, but overall, Jenkins does a wonderful job bringing the varied world to life (her action scenes are easy on the eyes and her use of slow motion is captivating), always bringing us back to its grounded, very human story.
The best DC comic book movie to be released in many years, Wonder Woman is a magical adventure back in time. With striking action, an ideological tale of good versus evil, spot on direction, engaging performances and touches of humour throughout (Pine’s German accent is quite entertaining), it is a moving story that deserves its place amongst the epic tales of mythology. It also features a grand score from Rupert Gregson-Williams, at times imbuing it with the ancient, primordial Wonder Woman theme developed in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice by Hans Zimmer (though just teasing us with it, as it is an origin story). So, don’t wish you had more time, make some, and watch this epic battle of gods, ideology, body and mind.
It sounds like an interesting movie..Finally a woman can save the world and kick some butt. Probably sequels to come. I think I’ll go see my namesake. Great review!