Wonder Woman 1984
Director: Patty Jenkins (the best director in the DCEU. Cry me a river, Snyder-heads. His movies are ridiculous and somehow his fans bullied a major film studio into release a director’s cut of Justice League. Bleh)
Writer: Patty Jenkins and Geoff Johns
Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal, Robin Wright, Connie Nielsen, Lilly Aspell, Kriostoffer Polaha
Reason for watching: New release
Number of times I’ve watched it: Once
***
The first Wonder Woman movie is great because it meshed two different genres of movie and made them work. Was it the best superhero movie ever? No. But compared to the rest of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) movies like Man of Steel and Suicide Squad, it was head and shoulders the best movie. So naturally, the executives at Warner Brothers knew that they had to turn back to filmmaker Patty Jenkins for a sequel to their best movie so far. Consequently, she decided to marry the superhero genre with another genre for Wonder Woman 1984. So she went in a very different direction…the 1980s. And boy it’s…something.
WW84 picks up nearly 70 years after the original. Diana/Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) lives in Washington D.C. and spends her time working as an architect and fighting random crime IN PLATFORM BOOTS IN A SHOPPING MALL (did I mention this took place in the 1980s). But when a magical crystal is discovered that grants its holder a wish while making them pay an unbearable cost. Unknowingly, Diana wishes for her long-dead love Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) to be back in her arms, and suddenly she finds him right there. However, a few other people get their hands on the crystal including the power-hunger businessman Max Lord (Pedro Pascal) and Diana’s co-worker Barbara (Kristen Wiig), who just wants to be like her friend Diana. Therefore shenanigans ensue as people try to get away with ridiculous wishes.
We can’t start this without mentioning Gal Gadot’s incredible portrayal of the titular character. With an up and down and all over the place franchise like the DCEU, she is the most steady part of it and is the closest thing they have to Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, or Chris Hemsworth in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movies. He is not nearly as important of a character, but Chris Pine brings a fun presence with Steve Trevor (and generally everything he does). The action and cinematography are of good as well and there’s a good number of jokes that land. The action is fun and usually different; there’s nothing here that holds a candle to the “No Man’s Land” scene for the first Wonder Woman. But there is a nice fight on a highway in WW84.
I can’t fully get behind the genre fare here. There’s nothing wrong with 1980s nostalgia if it’s done right. Stranger Things draws so much from movies out of the 80s, but the movie seems to rely too much on that nostalgia for setting the tone. The overuse of the different trends from that decade really distract and create a tone that contrasts strongly with the aura of wonder (haha get it) around Diana. I can’t compliment the villains either. One thing that DCEU has over the MCU is that the villains are not always just a straight up copy of the heroes. While her powers are first manifesting, Barbara is getting all the same abilities as Diana: strength, agility, speed. She takes it to the next level in the 3rd act fight though when she takes on her character’s name sake of cheetah and looks like an extra from Cats. I think Pascal’s character is interesting enough in concept, but he also is leaning hard into the 80s ham of the whole thing.
I should say this about all the 80s stuff. If it works for you, then go for it. You’ll enjoy this. Like before with Wonder Woman there is an uplifting ending that keeps us excited for a potential sequel. Regardless of my enjoyment levels for this movie, I’m happy with how Patty Jenkins directs these movies. She has a good understanding of what makes Wonder Woman compelling as a character, and Gal Gadot delivers wonderfully.
5/10 keep making these movies please.
Until I see another one.