If you don’t know (or feel) the cultural significance of Wonder Woman right now let me just put it in your conscious once again. Wonder Woman is a 75 year old character who’s ‘never’ had a large screen adaptation ever till now. She considered a part of the trinity of the most popular comic book characters ever. Yet she’s never had a movie because people believed it will never make as much money as Batman and Superman. Recent reports show Wonder Woman has grossed more than BvS in the US Box Office. Could any sane person say this even 5 years ago? Think of all those people who are getting represented for the first time ever on screen. If you’re a white or brown dude, like myself, we’ll never in its full capacity, grasp the meaning
of seeing someone relatable do the things we want to do. But if you’re a 14 year old girl who sees this powerful and strong willed woman fighting for peace and not obeying the words of a war general who sits comfortably while giving orders to soldiers to shed blood instead of doing it himself, you are being brought up just fine.

Now as a film it’s no secret that Wonder Woman is heavily influenced from Richard Donner’s Superman. In tone (a couple of scenes taken directly from it to pay homage) and with the pacing, yes but Wonder Woman is essentially a god unlike Superman. She’s a myth and she’s all powerful and righteous. What they (DC) do manage to do is tell a comprehensible and complete story. In the modern world of flashy trailer like editing or meaningless Bayhem, we do get a human story from an idolized god figure. A story where not everything went well. They did not live happily ever after, Diana has her delusions of mankind busted and yet she chooses to trust the imperfections of man. She makes a conscious decision to love inspire of the prevalent hate of a World War. That’s whats resonant and unique. The fact that Patty Jenkins (The Director) was given the creative license to portray a singular vision is great. There are some special moments in the film which will stand the test of (and grow with) time. This version will be the quintessential wonder woman origin for this generation. And that is huge. Chris Pine will forever be Steve Trevor and Gal Gadot will always be wonder woman for some no matter how many remakes they make. That’s the power of this film.

Now it’s not perfect but no film is. Our own subjective desires entail us to nitpick but there is little petty minds like myself can do anything about the fact that I felt the pacing in the second half could’ve been improved. But that’s probably the YouTube attention span of my mind talking. If this was 1975, people wouldn’t mind it being longer. Gal Gadot is, I don’t know, one day I’d say she’s the perfect casting choice because of the charm in her smile and the physicality but on another day, I would prefer someone who’s accent didn’t take me out of it. Again I am just a dumbfuck sitting and judging. The movie was great. It made me emotional at times. The chemistry between Chris Pine and Gal Gadot was infectious and the writing was smart and deliberate. Patty Jenkins made this movie with heart and passion because of what this film needed to do. The fact that she did empower the character of Wonder Woman without having to downgrade or diminish the male counterpart, Chris Pine, is truly admirable and respect worthy. Their love wasn’t cynical at any stage and it was framed with a romance of a time gone by. I was a fucking mess when she leaps off from a platform in the comtemporary world (was it london?) and her intensly powerful theme song plays which fades into black and the credits roll.

Now Wonder Woman means a lot more in the DCEU going forward than ever before.