Review: 'Wonder Woman' is triumphantly hopeful

Contrary to what it could actually become, ‘Wonder Woman’ doesn’t seem to lean on its tendencies to bombard itself with feministic viewpoints. There might be social and political implications underlined in its 2 hour and 20 minutes running time, but this film doesn’t seem to be concerned about it. What we have here instead is a heroine that does not fight for female empowerment nor equality, but the pursuit for love in all.

On that note alone, this film is already quite a refresher. In the midst of superhero films and blockbusters wherein heroes are ignited by anger and tragic pasts, ‘Wonder Woman’ shines on having its titular character fight mainly for common good, no more. Even with prolonged sequences of war and violence, this film is surprisingly harmless.

Gal Gadot plays our main heroine Diana, whose previous appearance was in the climax of ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ last year, which literally came out of nowhere. But at least we know where she came from in this movie: the island of Themyscira. This island is populated entirely by war-trained, bulky women, who believed that they can restore all-out peace in mankind if they managed to defeat Ares, the God of War.

Diana only knew two things: what she heard from other people in her island, and what she read on books. She may knew everything from legends of Gods to reproductive procedures for pro-creation, but never on the life outside her home island. When British spy Steve Trevor accidentally crashes his plane on their shores, her presumption that all men beyond them are evil is instantly debunked. Steve wasn’t completely evil as what they thought he is after all. His intention was to only deliver a notebook he has stolen from the Germans to London. This notebook contains the Germans’ plan for a gas weapon that could easily wipe millions in a short time, triggering Diana to go outside Themyscira to battle who might cause all of these: Ares.

What happens throughout her journey is Diana’s unexpected discovery for her own self, as well as the discovery for the truth to humanity and their unforgiving declaration of inhumane decisions.

One of the strongest aspects of ‘Wonder Woman’ is the fragility and innocence of its lead heroine. Diana might manifest a God-like strength, but there’s a large part of her that is truly human. Director Patty Jenkins could easily show Diana as an all-out fighter of evil, but that’s not really the case here. This Wonder Woman is more of an advocate than a hard-hitting Amazonian. And while the film tends to go preachy at times, the build-up and strong characterization for this character makes it all forgivable.

Under the DC Extended Universe banner, ‘Wonder Woman’ showed no signs of being dark and broody. If previous installments of this franchise such as ‘Man of Steel’ and ‘Suicide Squad’ caters violence as the solution for violence, this film is going for love, even though at times this message goes on a blur because the film happens to be very violent at times.

Gal Gadot proved her naysayers wrong and delivered quite a convincing turn as Diana, even better than her predecessor than Lynda Carter during the latter’s run in the hit television serial of the character. Her chemistry with Chris Pine’s Steve Trevor was also one of the biggest high points of the film, which eventually results to an effective emotional kick-off in the final minutes of the film.

Though the film is exceptionally made throughout, its portrayal of the villain is rather shallow. It came to the point wherein the arguments between the heroes and the foe turns into something unimportant since you don’t really care nor know much for the latter.

‘Wonder Woman’ is a breath of fresh air for comic-book movies. If waiting seven decades to have this character pop-up on the big screen is an issue, then you have to give yourself some relief since this film is definitely worth the wait. It’s not perfect, but it’s a damn good one.

'Wonder Woman' is now showing in cinemas nationwide from Warner Bros. Pictures Philippines. Rated PG by the MTRCB.