Film: Wonder Woman
Cast: Gal Gadot, Chris Pines, Danny Huston
Director: Patty Jenkins
What's it about:
In a superhero universe crowded by super sized men, it is refreshing to see DC invest in its first female lead franchise Wonder Woman. There has been so much anticipation and fan based speculation on what path the film will take, that once it begins you are overcome by a huge sense of relief by the fact that the project lead by a female director Patty Jenkins has got its heart set in the right place. Gal Gadot plays Wonder Woman and the story begins with a letter from Bruce Wayne (DC fans will join the dots) with a photograph that throws us back in time to where it all began. A major portion of the first half is a flashback to the origins of Diana and her childhood and we get to watch the process of her turning into a superhero. Chris Pines plays Steve Trevor a soldier who accidentally lands on the Amazonian island only to change the course of destiny for Diana. Set against the backdrop of the second World War, Trevor must take Diana's help to help annihilate the German Army chief played brilliantly by Danny Huston. The war however isn't just between the humans, on the other front Diana is in search oh her nemesis Ares who seeks to destroy all humanity.
What's hot:
Gal Gadot. Half the battle was won when the makers cast her in the lead role. It is hard to look beyond her beauty and how well she fits into the Wonder Woman outfit, but once you manage to go beyond the obvious there is a huge amount of credibility and dignity that Gal brings to her character. She maintains a thread of innocence in Diana from the very first frame. Jenkins invests a lot of time in making the script engaging enough which ensures that the VFX and special effects don't seem unnecessary. Visually Wonder Woman is a stunner. Every scene even if there is no action looks grand and stays true to the period it is set in. Also despite having a female director for a woman driven film there is no faux feminism or male bashing in Wonder Woman. On the contrary the scenes between Gal and Chris are so lively and their chemistry is natural. There is ample scope for humour for Diana to try and fit into this alien world. The climax is a real treat and the 3D does full justice to the pyrotechnics on screen.
What's not:
The pace does slacken a bit in the second half especially when Diana and Steve are on their journey to the war front. There is a sense of unease as the wait for Gal to dazzle us in her super hero avatar gets longer. We wish Jenkins had paid more attention in developing the baddie Ares. His entry and random appearance in the second half is a bit sketchy. Also what does he plan to do by defeating the humans ? Why is he warring with Diana ? These are questions that feel left half answered.
What to do:
Wonder Woman is the best superhero film to come out of Hollywood in a long time. Watch out Batman and Superman, you guys have some serious competition from this Gal!
Rating: **** (4 stars)
