I think I liked '84 better than the first. But I also think it's the more flawed film.
Gadot was excellent, as was Chris Pine. Those two really work well together, and the emotional arc worked so well that it carried me through the kind of dull middle section of the film. I really enjoyed the humanity of Diana having to surrender the only reward she could ever ask for in order to regain her strength and save the world. It both effectively conveyed the journey she's been on as a character, and gave that note of tragedy to being a mythic hero that the DC films have kind of reached for.
I expected to hate Max Lord, as the idea of the character became clear during the film. Maybe it's the earnestness with which Pascal played him, but I feel like it worked better than it should have. His motivation was shallow, but believable. He was a loser who would do anything to be a winner. No matter the cost. Almost. That ending was beautifully Wonder Woman. No fisticuffs, just truth and love. This is how you show greatness in your hero, by having them stay true to the ideals they claim to stand for and embody them in the face of challenge. (Taking notes, Mr. Snyder? No, I didn't think so.)
Barbara Minerva. Wiig does a great job with not a whole lot of material. I rolled my eyes so hard when the character was introduced, she was such a stereotypical nerd loser with a social crush on the hero. I had visions of Electro from Amazing Spider-man 2. But Patty Jenkins and Wiig succeed in giving the character some meat. I kind of love that the most sinister thing about Minerva is her insecurity, but that it opens the door so something truly evil. I do think it's a bit of a shame that she's just a henchwoman at the climax of the film. And I thought the mutant cat form of Cheetah looked extremely cheesy, but that may be inevitable with the concept.
Also, going to be completely honest, but prior to watching this film it never once occurred to me to see Kristin Wiig as sexy. That's not at all a comment on the actress, I've not consumed much media in which she has appeared, but my mental image of her was very much SNL, not Vogue. But girl can work it. Damn. In spite of myself I was totally drooling when she showed up in the cheetah print outfit. I absolutely love that they managed to make her believably a vixen, without going vamp.
I did find the action scenes fairly trite and dull. Some of the lasso shenanigans were cool, but the most iconic image in the film, to me, was Diana using the lasso to swing from the lightning bolts, and that was just transitional and not part of a fight scene. And the golden Amazon armor was completely superfluous, lasting only moments before being discarded. I guess it was a fun way to work in Lynda Carter, but it was otherwise unnecessary to the film. And I feel like it could have stood to be 20-25 minutes shorter. I was, frankly, bored during the middle of the film. But not as bored as I was by the entire third act of the first one.
When she made her wish, the price she paid was her kindness, her empathy. In order to become hot and popular, as she imagined Diana to be, she gave up the one thing about her that was truly beautiful and worthy of admiration.
Her wish sort of made her into a sociopath. Everything after just sort of followed from the selfishness and delusions of grandeur. I thought her arc was actually pretty good. The movie could have been a little bit clearer on why she ultimately renounced her wish at the end. I assume the lasso's truth power made her see that she had quite literally turned herself into a monster, but I felt like they could have given us a little bit more closure there.
Gadot was excellent, as was Chris Pine. Those two really work well together, and the emotional arc worked so well that it carried me through the kind of dull middle section of the film. I really enjoyed the humanity of Diana having to surrender the only reward she could ever ask for in order to regain her strength and save the world. It both effectively conveyed the journey she's been on as a character, and gave that note of tragedy to being a mythic hero that the DC films have kind of reached for.
I expected to hate Max Lord, as the idea of the character became clear during the film. Maybe it's the earnestness with which Pascal played him, but I feel like it worked better than it should have. His motivation was shallow, but believable. He was a loser who would do anything to be a winner. No matter the cost. Almost. That ending was beautifully Wonder Woman. No fisticuffs, just truth and love. This is how you show greatness in your hero, by having them stay true to the ideals they claim to stand for and embody them in the face of challenge. (Taking notes, Mr. Snyder? No, I didn't think so.)
Barbara Minerva. Wiig does a great job with not a whole lot of material. I rolled my eyes so hard when the character was introduced, she was such a stereotypical nerd loser with a social crush on the hero. I had visions of Electro from Amazing Spider-man 2. But Patty Jenkins and Wiig succeed in giving the character some meat. I kind of love that the most sinister thing about Minerva is her insecurity, but that it opens the door so something truly evil. I do think it's a bit of a shame that she's just a henchwoman at the climax of the film. And I thought the mutant cat form of Cheetah looked extremely cheesy, but that may be inevitable with the concept.
Also, going to be completely honest, but prior to watching this film it never once occurred to me to see Kristin Wiig as sexy. That's not at all a comment on the actress, I've not consumed much media in which she has appeared, but my mental image of her was very much SNL, not Vogue. But girl can work it. Damn. In spite of myself I was totally drooling when she showed up in the cheetah print outfit. I absolutely love that they managed to make her believably a vixen, without going vamp.
I did find the action scenes fairly trite and dull. Some of the lasso shenanigans were cool, but the most iconic image in the film, to me, was Diana using the lasso to swing from the lightning bolts, and that was just transitional and not part of a fight scene. And the golden Amazon armor was completely superfluous, lasting only moments before being discarded. I guess it was a fun way to work in Lynda Carter, but it was otherwise unnecessary to the film. And I feel like it could have stood to be 20-25 minutes shorter. I was, frankly, bored during the middle of the film. But not as bored as I was by the entire third act of the first one.
When she made her wish, the price she paid was her kindness, her empathy. In order to become hot and popular, as she imagined Diana to be, she gave up the one thing about her that was truly beautiful and worthy of admiration.
Her wish sort of made her into a sociopath. Everything after just sort of followed from the selfishness and delusions of grandeur. I thought her arc was actually pretty good. The movie could have been a little bit clearer on why she ultimately renounced her wish at the end. I assume the lasso's truth power made her see that she had quite literally turned herself into a monster, but I felt like they could have given us a little bit more closure there.
