As I'm sure you're all well aware, I'm 150% OVER this superhero craze. Yet... I keep seeing them. When I think of them as a singular unit (superhero movies), I swear I will never watch another one. But then, individually... I make up reasons why I have to. First this year it was Logan (Well... I have to see this one... it's rated R!), then there was Guardians of the Galaxy 2 (Okay, this one's different... I actually liked the first one... and it's not really a superhero movie), and finally, Wonder Woman (okay... it's got a 92% on RT and it's the FIRST female-driven superhero movie... I can't sit back like some chauvinist pig and not support the ladies). The bitch of the situation is that I've actually enjoyed each and every one of them. Individually, they're enjoyable films... but as a unit... I'm sick of them (and I can pretty much guarantee that as my instincts tell me I'm definitely NOT seeing the new Spider-Man... my brain is going: "But... dude... Michael Keaton is the villain!"). However, I was really rooting for Wonder Woman to be a success... not just for DC which looks like elementary school kid who always has a ketchup stain on his face, clothes unwashed, and shoes untied holding a dripping sack lunch, compared to Marvel which looks like the clean-cut high school quarterback... but there needed to be a clear message sent to Hollywood that there actually CAN be more female-driven films... that we won't boycott them... and they WILL actually make you some damn money. Thankfully, it looks like Wonder Woman has sent that message loud and clear.
I really enjoyed WW. Probably more than I thought I was going to. I was a little bit late to the party so I'd already heard the rumblings of how great Gal Gadot was as the titular lead. I'd already heard how much ass she kicks in the film and how badass she is doing it. I'd already heard that Chris Pine gives his all as well, even though he's got no super abilites whatsoever. And I'd already understood that director Patty Jenkins took her camera and showed this male-driven business what the fuck's up. What I did not know is HOW GREAT all of these elements within the film actually were. Gal Gadot is someone that I just didn't take much notice of in the Fast & Furious franchise. I thought she held her own in the "boy's club" fine... but when they killed her off I didn't feel any sort of betrayal or overwhelming sense of loss for that franchise. But, damn is she great as Wonder Woman. I think I was impressed most of all because when I think about the character of WW, I think about the cheesy 80s TV show with Lynda Carter and how campy the character is. Director Patty Jenkins and writer Allan Heinberg have given us a story that is completely devoid of camp and replaced with badassery.
We begin in the fictional land of Themyscira, a land of Amazon women who spend most of their time training as warriors in preparation for a looming epic battle that may or may not ever happen. Diana (who eventually becomes Wonder Woman) watches these warriors as a child from afar. Her mother Queen Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen) wants her as far away from the battle as possible, but her aunt General Antiope (Robin Wright) knows her true destiny and wants to begin her training ASAP. Flash-forward... Diana is now one of the most powerful Amazonian warriors, thanks to her aunt's training. A WWI soldier Captain Steven Trevor (Pine) crash lands his plane in the waters near Themyscira and is rescued by Diana. As he explains the war happening in all of the countries around the world, the desire to save humanity is triggered in Diana and the two are off the stop the war.
Like... even as I type up the brief synopsis... it just sounds kinda stupid. That's why I have so much respect for this movie. Comic books aren't an easy thing to translate into film and not feel so ridiculous that no one will take them seriously. The writers and directors hired for these films aren't picked lightly. There is a good amount of depth to a lot of these movies that help to add some realism to the surreal. Diana's character has many layers because she is a kind-hearted and earnest character who believes there is only good in the world and that it is her duty to put an end to evil. She's unware of the light and the dark within humanity. She's naive, but not stupid. As much as she has the desire to thwart all evil, she has the desire to learn about the world and about herself. It's truly impressive the amount of heart and depth enveloping her character. Chris Pine is also great as her guide. He's charming and funny and sincere and the perfect foil to Diana. What works so well about their relationship is that, yes, there does develop romantic feelings, but it's earned. And not only is it earned, but it's necessary to not just the story, but to the evolution of Diana's character. There's so many of these superhero movies that think there needs to be a love interest... for the sake of having a love interest... and rarely do we get a necessary reason for the love interest to exist other than to be put in danger when the hero needs to accomplish defeating the villain. Thankfully, and expertly, here... this is not the case.
I think my only complaint with the film is the final end battle. I understand that the way a movie formula works-- and especially the superhero formula-- is that the end has to be an epic battle. When the plot comes to a head... there needs to be this moment where all of the chaos of the first two acts collide and our heroes look like there's no way to win, until finally... somehow... they manage to figure it out and succeed... I get that. But I'm tired of it because now it's expected in these movies. One of the best Marvel Extended Universe films is Captain America: The Winter Soldier because they took a more practical and realistic approach to the genre. However, it still fell into the same pitfall as EVERY one of these movies in that there is an epic CGI-filled battle that suffocates the story that was built by the rest of the film. And while there isn't much that is practical about Wonder Woman as far as effects go (in fact, the film really reminded me of the first Captain America movie), I thought perhaps it would finally transcend that end structure that has been overkilled by all of the other superhero films... but it doesn't. And while it was still enjoyable, it felt like just another predictable crutch.
There are certainly more reasons to celebrate Wonder Woman's success than there are to nitpick. The best being that maybe we'll be able to get more female-centric superhero films (we already have Captain Marvel with Brie Larson next year... but do I hear a Black Widow film???). There's also the proof that... oh my goodness!!! a successful superhero film can be helmed by a WOMAN DIRECTOR?!?!?! Whattttt??? (Speaking of... can we PLEASE replace Colin Trevorrow with Patty Jenkins as the Star Wars Episode IX director??) And now we finally have our first good DC Extended Universe film. The Zack Snyder Superman and Batman films have been garbage and while I didn't hate Suicide Squad as much as most critics (then again... I could watch Will Smith take a nap and still be thoughorly entertained), but now we have the first great film of DC's EU. It also looks like it's going to stay that way for at least awhile... the accompanying trailer for this year's Justice League gave me no impression it would be de-throning Wonder Woman's excellence anytime soon. I may still be swearing off superhero movies altogether... but I can tell you this... the Wonder Woman franchise has certainly gained a new fan.
B+
No comments:
Post a Comment