It’s been three years since the release of DC’s Wonder Woman, and the superhero’s origin story to the DC Extended Universe. Wonder Woman reviewed quite well with both critics and fans alike, especially in comparison to some of the other DC films. But does its sequel, Wonder Woman 1984, live up to the praise that the first film earned? Many fans might be answering that question with a disappointed “No”, and we’ll dive into why that may be the case with this spoiler-free review.
Wonder Woman 1984 fast-forwards to the 1980s and continues to follow Diana Prince, better known as Wonder Woman, and her struggles to fit in with society as a superhero trying to mask her alter ego. Not much has changed for her since the audience last saw her. She continues to work for the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. and continues to mourn her past love, Steve Trevor. Diana is greeted by both old friends and new enemies, and it doesn’t seem to be enough to give it the same charm as the first film. One of the most compelling plot points of the first Wonder Woman film was that it didn’t feel like she was being sold short by using romantic tropes. In fact, while love is often used as a female character’s weakness in storytelling, Diana was able to find her strength through her love for Steve in the first film. The sequel seems to erase this strength of hers just a bit, and the only saving grace is that she then finds strength within herself, and is able to prove that she can take on the world alone, even if she’s hurting in more ways than one.
The movie starts out strong enough with one of its first scenes being true to its roots. The audience gets more backstory of Diana’s truly extraordinary life growing up, and how her upbringing affects her decisions and views of the world later in life. It’s followed up by a scene of Diana as an adult and the superhero we love, taking out the bad guys, and saving innocent lives. Unfortunately, the film then slows down exponentially and begins to feel as if it focuses more on a villain origin story for not one, but two villains, rather than a story following its actual lead. Both of the villains fall a bit short, especially for those used to seeing truly menacing or intimidating villains in films. Somehow, the film manages to fail at exploring the potential of both Diana and her newfound villains.
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Wonder Woman 1984 isn’t a total “flop”, even though it’s incredibly lacking. It follows a very important focal point of “be careful what you wish for”, and starts out by telling the audience “greatness is not what you expect”. It also delves into society’s moral compass and having to choose between what someone wants, and what the right thing to do is. All of these tropes are ingrained in the fabric of the superhero world, regardless of which comics they’re following. Diana is still clever, having to combat a roadblock that she runs into through the movie, and Gal Gadot’s performance as her is still proof that they really nailed the casting. The problem arises with the lack of action, and it’s subpar villains. Don’t expect too many fight scenes, and expect the ones you do see to be short, and nowhere near as gripping as the fight scenes from the previous movie. Not to mention, one villain, in particular, was the perfect example of wasted potential, while the other was only a threat strictly due to the circumstances of the movie.
While some may find themselves disappointed, Wonder Woman 1984 is still worth the watch. Some of the underlying themes are a nice way to end 2020 with wholesome content after an otherwise incredibly hectic year. There is also some exploration of Diana’s powers that we will no doubt see used later in the DC Extended Universe. It may not have the same dazzle as the first Wonder Woman movie, but it’s still a far cry better than what we’ve gotten from many of the DC films as of late, and a potentially relaxing way to unwind after the holidays.
Wonder Woman 1984 is now available in select theaters, and for stream on HBO Max.
Written by Ashely Laney
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