Let me start off by saying that I am a HUGE fan of Patti Jenkin’s first Wonder Woman movie. She proved that DC was capable of producing films that matched, and in some cases exceeded, the content that Marvel was putting out. Gal Gadot was controversially cast in the role, but ended up being the perfect choice to embody the Amazonian princess. Her chemistry with Chris Pine’s Steve Trevor laid the foundation for an exceptional film. I have been waiting for this sequel for so long and to have this be the first film I went to see in the theaters since last summer, I really wanted to like this film. All that being said, I was beyond disappointed in this film and almost angry that it fell so short of expectations in almost every category. This is an unworthy sequel to a fantastic first film and shows that DC still hasn’t found the ability to connect with audiences. After such an aggressive opening statement, I should list everything that I found wrong with the film, however that list would be too long. Instead, I’m going to focus on general themes that I feel detracted from the overall film.
Right from the start, I wasn’t sure why this film was set in 1984. Other than a few cliche jokes, I found that it had very little connection to the spirit of the time. That being said, it was one of my more minor qualms with the story. In order for a super-hero movie to work, there must be a “suspension of disbelief”. What that means is that if you are unable to buy into the fanciful world or topic being created, the film will just end up feeling frivolous. Not only does one have to get past suspending their disbelief of the super-hero world, but one has to also get past the premise of the story. The premise is that of a ‘Wishing stone’ granting the wish of anyone who touches it (only one time apparently). ‘Be careful what you wish for’ is a tired cinematic trope that was made even more fatiguing by the confusing aspects of how this stone granted wishes. Everything about the premise seemed cheesy and cartoony. If a superhero film feels cheesy and cartoony, then ‘Game-Over’! There is no way to suspend your disbelief and the eye-rolling starts.
My second issue is the return of Steve Trevor, whom everyone knows by now, died decades earlier in the first film. We were promised by everyone involved in the production that Steve’s return wouldn’t be ‘gimmicky’ or cliche. Well, that’s precisely what it was…a gimmick and cliche. Worse, it was a gimmick that didn’t entirely make sense. Especially, the part about him coming back in another body, yet us seeing him as Steve Trevor. It was a twist that wasn’t needed and only added to the already confusing resurrection plot. I won’t deny that there is still strong chemistry between Gadot and Pine and some of the film’s best moments were between the two. However, I never was able to stop asking myself, “Why is he in this movie”.
My third issue was the use of the aforementioned ‘Wishing stone’. It was an ill-explained, confusingly executed plot device that left me trying to figure out what it actually did. They kind of slipped in that if it grants you a wish, it takes something from you… sort of. It was used as a device to weaken Diana… a little bit. She was still Wonder Woman, just not quite as wondrous as before. They tried to explain the ebbs and flows of her powers, but I never really fully understood how it worked or even the stone’s origin. It was supposedly something immensely powerful but looked liked something one could purchase at Spencer’s Gifts.
My fourth issue was with Kristin Wig’s portrayal of the super villain Cheetah. I’m a big fan of Kristin Wig and had high hopes to see what she could do, but once again we see villainous stereotypes and cliches that we’ve seen countless times before. The bumbling outcast who is corrupted by gaining superpowers. Combine that with some of the weakest CGI I’ve seen in a film of this level and it really was an almost superfluous addition to an already over-long movie.
My final complaint (for purposes of not rambling too long) was the film’s primary villain, Maxwell Lord (played by one of my favorite actors; Pedro Pascal). He was a television personality/oil speculator who, despite his public image, was on the verge of financial ruin. He saw the wishing stone as a means of turning his collapsing empire around. I don’t believe they ever really explained how he knew about the stone (other than some crudely drawn notes on his desktop), but his sole purpose was to possess the stone then have a confusing plan to take over the world. Some critics have tried to make the comparison to Maxwell Lord being a parody of Donald Trump, but other than a few minor connections or references, I didn’t really see anything too overt. What a waste of a gifted actor
If I’m being honest with myself, I do believe some of the harshness of my criticism is coming from trying to compare it to the massive story telling success of the first movie. That being said, even if I were judging this as a stand-alone film, my criticisms still stand. This was an assembling of such a great cast, who were wasted on a cheesy and cartoony story. Surprisingly little action and overly pontificating for a ponderously long 2 1/2 hours. I still hold Patti Jenkins in the highest regard, but this was a miss for her. I really tried to like it, but I felt it just lacked the kind of mojo that makes a super-hero movie special.
I give this film * 1/2 out of 5.
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