Wonder Woman 1984

There is clearly more weight of expectation on this sequel than there was on the original 2017 film, and there are a few moments that undeniably lack much subtlety, but overall Wonder Woman 1984 is a joyous, emotional and fun superhero film that calls to mind the wholesomeness of Christopher Reeve’s Superman films while also still bringing something new to the genre.

Premise: In 1984, Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) is working with Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig) at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC, while also secretly protecting the city as Wonder Woman. But when an ancient artefact attracts the attention of TV personality and entrepreneur Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal), it sets in motion a chain of events that leads Diane to question what she really wants from life.

Review:

Let’s start with the elephant in the room – yes, it’s true that Wonder Woman 1984 is not quite as good as the first Wonder Woman film. But given that the first movie is arguably the best film in the DCEU series, that’s not really much of a criticism, and while there are a few rough edges that count against the sequel, there are still countless more positives than there are negatives.

Tonally, Wonder Woman 1984 feels like a natural extension of what was started in the first film, as it continues to examine humanity through the eyes of an outsider. But because Diana’s perspective is a naturally optimistic one (even if not quite as optimistic as it was when she first left Themyscira), it means that the film itself shares her positive and hopeful outlook. This film is, therefore, a million miles away from the grimness and moral ambiguity of Batman v Superman (a film that I love), or even the subversive anarchy of Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of one Harley Quinn (which I also really enjoyed) – but perhaps that is one of the bonuses of the DCEU’s incredibly loose concept of a shared universe, as we are able to get films that have extremely different tones from each other.

“…continues the exploration of whether there is inherent good or evil in humanity…”

In fact, the tone of Wonder Woman 1984 most closely reminds me of the tone of Christopher Reeve’s Superman films, in that there is a stylised, fantastical quality to them that isn’t quite reality as we know it, but isn’t entirely separate either. Both are anchored by unwaveringly moral and upstanding lead characters, raised in a relatively sheltered environment to believe in the best of humanity. And as much as I have enjoyed Henry Cavill’s portrayal of Superman (and still hope to see him return to the role), it is nice to have another dimension to the DCEU, and Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman brings the optimism to the DCEU which Christopher Reeves brought to the original Superman films.

Thematically, Wonder Woman 1984 also feels like a worthy successor to the first film. The first film held up a mirror to humanity and showed that the evil that mankind committed during the First World War was the result of human decisions, not manipulation by an omnipotent god (to quote Steve Trevor, “We're all to blame”), and this sequel continues that exploration of whether there is inherent good or evil in humanity. One of the other central themes of the first film was Diana questioning whether or not humanity “deserved” to be saved, and the question of what any of us “deserve” is another thread that runs right though Wonder Woman 1984.

“…Gal Gadot is able to make the wholesome elements of the character feel honest…”

Once again, Gal Gadot is great as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, bringing tonnes of charm and warmth to the character. When Wonder Woman winks at a small child during a rescue, it feels genuine rather than forced, and when Diana shares a laugh with Barbara Minerva over lunch, it feels like there is a real bond developing. There’s a fun sequence early on that marks Wonder Woman’s first appearance in the film, which took me right back to my childhood memories of watching Christopher Reeve rescuing cats from trees as well as catching bank robbers. Gal Gadot is able to make the wholesome elements of the character feel honest, while also bringing depth to the more emotional moments. The other returning characters are also great, and it’s fun to see flashbacks of Connie Nielsen and Robin Wright as Themyscira’s queen and general in the impressive opening sequence. And on the off chance that you’ve been in a cave for the last two years and don’t know about the other returning character, I won’t spoil it here, but that character is responsible for many of the film’s funniest and most emotional moments.

The new supporting actors, however, are playing more “heightened” characters that arguably stray into OTT “comic book clichés” at certain points. But in fairness, that’s not necessarily a criticism when you’re operating in this genre – just look at Michelle Pfeiffer and Christopher Walken in Batman Returns, or J.K. Simmons in the Spider-Man films, who were all playing heightened characters to great effect. Kristen Wiig is excellent as Barbara Minerva, and her performance very much reminds me of Michelle Pfeiffer’s memorable performance as Selena Kyle in Batman Returns. Meanwhile, although there are some superficial similarities between Pedro Pascal’s Maxwell Lord and Christopher Walken’s Max Shreck, Pedro Pascal actually brings a lot more depth and backstory to his character. Maxwell Lord also serves as a thematic antithesis to Diana, with his superficial but self-serving charm contrasting against her honesty and integrity.

“…the film’s message of hope & selflessness is a much needed one in today’s troubled world…”

Admittedly, some elements of the plot are a little predictable, and some moments in particular could even (perhaps uncharitably) be called cheesy – but the film’s strengths more than make up for these relatively minor quibbles, especially as some of the arguably more cheesy moments set up some of the more emotionally impactful payoffs. Also, those who felt that the climax of the original Wonder Woman film descended into an overly CGI’ed brawl may be pleased to hear that the finale of this film is much more contemplative – and anyone who’s worried that the final act lacks sufficient action should take comfort that there are still three standout action sequences earlier in the film (it’s just that that final act is more of an emotional climax than an action-based one).

I’m admittedly not very familiar with the characters of Barbara Minerva and Maxwell Lord in the comic books (and only have a passing familiarity with Wonder Woman herself), and so there may be those who feel that the film doesn’t do justice to those established characters. I can’t speak to that, but judging this film on its own merits, I enjoyed the depictions of both of these new characters.

All in all, despite not being quite as polished as the first instalment, Wonder Woman 1984 is still packed full of emotion, humour and fun, while also exploring interesting themes about what it means to be human. The film’s message of hope and selflessness is a much needed one in today’s troubled world.

Also, make sure you stick around for the short mid-credits scene at the end.