First Look | Wonder Woman Reviewed
“It’s a sacred duty to save the world and it’s what I’m going to do” – Diana, Princess of the Amazon. It finally happened. The powers that be in Hollywood finally brought Wonder Woman to the big screen! Folks flocked to the theaters and the reviews are in. Let’s take a look at what Bookmans employees thought of the much anticipated film adaptation of DC’s popular female superhero (or heroine); the one and only Wonder Woman!
We wanted to know what our staff thought. Did they like it? Was the story true to canon? Did they stay close to the storyline, and what about the acting and special effects? We started with Savannah (our Visual Merchandiser who is also a comic fan), asking her opinion of the film. We loved her answers. She stated that she wasn’t an expert on the Wonder Woman canon (she’s too modest), but she feels that DC comics are often all over the place with origins, backstories and history, so trying to keep strictly to canon is a fool’s errand. Having said that, Savannah felt that the interpretation of Wonder Woman was authentic and believable. She felt Themyscira in particular was excellent (the world from which Wonder Woman, Diana, hailed was fully fleshed out). It felt true, but also original; a lush paradise where feminine power is still sacred and the air is full of magic. Finding originality while remaining true to canon may sound contradictory, but DC pulled it off. The film didn’t feel like a rehashing of a lackluster over-told story.
The characters maintained the audiences interest and their empathy. Savannah was particularly impressed with how Diana herself was fleshed out. First, it should be stated that everyone at Bookmans that was interviewed agreed that it was exciting to see Wonder Woman brought to the screen and that Diana was finally given the spotlight. Having stated that, Savannah feels DC has had some difficulty in the past creating likable heroes. Wonder Woman was a complete success. Diana was a highly likeable protagonist. The actress cast as the Princess Diana (interesting coincidence?) found the ideal balance between being a strong Amazonian Goddess and an actual relatable female. Savannah went on to say that it can’t be overstated how powerful it was to see an identifiable female superhero lead her own movie and having her super powers showcased actually made her cry, in a good way! The scene in which Diana dons her Wonder Woman armor was undeniably striking. Audiences where drawn in by Diana and DC managed to make her believable, likeable but all in a way never seen before.
No movie is perfect however and Savannah felt that the 1st half of the film was better than the 2nd half. Savannah felt the last half of the film got muddy with too much CGI superhero nonsense. Stating that she wasn’t married to this opinion and acknowledging that repeated viewings of any film often change one’s opinion, Savannah’s impression was that the 1st part of the film had a clearcut storyline. Savannah’s primary criticism was the choice to have Diana fight a “Big Bad” villain at the end. It felt forced, lacked emotional realism and the film fell prey to a typical superhero trope which sacrificed originality and power. Fortunately these choices didn’t ruin the film and Savannah felt that overall it was a significant success.
Jake, who is a buyer in our Music department, was also impressed with the film. Jake is a die hard Wonder Woman fan, stating that she is his favorite superhero and he is very familiar with the history and backstory of this DC legend. What stuck out for Jake was how hopeful and closely knit to the original character the movie was. This true interpretation was also very funny and lighter than expected. This is a surprising statement given how evocative the film was for most who saw it. It sounds as if DC has found it’s sweet spot, marrying attention to tradition with a fresh look and a modern viewpoint.
Overall, we were unable to find anyone who disliked the film (not that we really tried or wanted to). The film was well received and the criticisms against it were not enough to ruin the experience. The consensus was that the film was long overdue and that after 76 years of superherohood, Wonder Woman is finally having her day. We are relieved to hear this because after waiting for over 7 decades to get her own film, Diana certainly deserved an award winning performance!
For a sneak peek at this groundbreaking film, have a look at the original trailer for Wonder Woman 3D 2017 . If you’re a true fan, be sure to stop by your local Bookmans to check out all of our Wonder Woman gear and comics.
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