The struggle is over. Wonder Woman
has finally made it to the big screen! Gal Gadot plays Diana,
daughter of Zeus, raised by the Amazons to fight Ares, the god of
War. Diana's mother, Queen Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen) teaches her
history, while her aunt Antiope (Robin Wright) teaches her to fight.
Living on the magically-protected, man-free island of Themyscira, the
Amazons assume that the defeated Ares is still off on his millenia of
exile. When Allied spy Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) crashes his plane
through their magical barrier, they learn that Ares has risen again,
in the form of WWI (“the war to end all wars,” LOL!) Diana leaves
Themyscira with Steve, hoping to find and destroy Ares, thus putting
an end to war and suffering.
I'm not really sure what to think
about “Wonder Woman.” On the one hand, we are supposed to
celebrate the gender-victory of the film's having been made at all.
The studios have been very reluctant to invest in a comic-book movie
with a female lead, especially after the failures of films like
“Catwoman” and “Elektra.” Then there's the star, former Miss
Israel, Gal Godot, who is so ridiculously good-looking that I would
watch a film of her reading the phone book. Seeing her make things
blow up while wearing go-go boots and a Wonder-Woman micro-skirt is
probably worth the ticket price right there.
On the other hand, I can't look at
Gadot without thinking that she has probably had a nose job, and
maybe that sort of sums up my feelings about the movie. There's an
inorganic feel to it. The plot and casting have clearly been
carefully calibrated to draw in the largest audience possible. After
all, Warner Bros. and DC Comics are counting on Wonder Woman and the
larger Justice League universe to become a multi-billion dollar
juggernaut to rival the Avengers franchise. They aren't going to
risk a billion here or there to make a character or a movie more
nuanced or complex.
Thus, “Wonder Woman” nips at the
heels of some complex and controversial topics, but it never sinks
its teeth into anything. We hear Steve's secretary (Lucy Davis, from
the British “The Office”) mention women getting the vote, but
then that's the last we hear of it. We hear a couple of characters
of color briefly mention racial injustice, but ironically, their
small, undeveloped roles represent the only people of color in the
film.
The greatest missed opportunity in
“Wonder Woman,” however, strikes at the very heart of the story.
Diana sets out to defeat Ares, whom she has been taught is
responsible for all war and evil. If he is defeated, she believes,
mankind will return to its original, Edenic state. As she walks the
earth learning of the evil that men do, she continues to blame it all
on Ares. Steve tries to explain to her that things aren't as simple
as “good” human nature and “evil” influence from some dark
god, that every person carries within them the potential for kindness
or for savagery. Even War and Peace are concepts that should not be
oversimplified. As terrible and destructive as War is, it is also
sometimes the lesser of two evils. Then, too, as the villainous
General Ludendorrf explains, “war
gives man purpose. Meaning. A chance to rise above his petty mortal
little self and be courageous, noble, better.”
“Wonder Woman” could have skipped
the numbing boss-battle at the end and instead explored these themes
more deeply. Ares would have been more effective if he had remained
a disembodied force, encouraging mankind's warlike tendencies, but
ultimately more a manifestation than a cause. When Diana defeats
General Ludendorrf, then is bewildered to see battle preparations
continue, that is a great lesson for her character. It's a lesson
that is undermined when she winds up engaging in fisticuffs with the
actual Ares, a fight that we in the audience should know is
pointless. WWI was not, as we know, the war to end all wars.
Superhero stories have done well in
the last decade or so, and well they should. On the surface, they
appeal to the fantasy of transcending human limitations. On a deeper
level, the characters have tremendous allegorical potential. Part
human, part superhuman, these characters are able to be archetypes in
the same way that the mythological gods once were. The stories we
tell about them help us learn about and define who we are. “Captain
America” is the definition of patriotic, but he has concerns about
massive government surveillance and control. Ironman Tony Stark is a
brilliant billionaire who constantly struggles with the question,
“Should I build powerful weapons to fight evil, at the risk that
those weapons may someday be turned to evil ends?” These modern
gods are all about contradictions, just as we humans are. For
Diana's part, she wants to end all fighting, but she is, herself, a
weapon, made to fight.
Unfortunately, Warner Bros didn't make
“Wonder Woman” to explore these contradictions; they made it to
make money. There is a better movie hiding in there somewhere, but
fortunately it's still decent, blockbuster entertainment, if you can
ignore the limited range of the actors, the mustache-twirly villains,
the sometimes-sketchy CGI, and that tacked-on ending. I do recommend
you watch it; just turn off your brain and enjoy your popcorn.
3 stars out of 5
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