Some effects here, a little story here… it’s a hero flick!

“Standard fare” was my parting thought after watching DC, and Zack Snyder’s latest cinematic outing in the shapely form of armor clad, whip wielding Wonder Woman. Certainly it was good, but Wonder Woman has never held my interest. Why? She’s boring.

I get the whole routine of her being beautiful, though in order to fight like that with her body tone she would require supernatural strength. She wasn’t exactly showing the muscle tone, if you get me. As I understand it this is quite the feminist parade, but I didn’t see it. That is to say, that’s not what they were aiming to achieve.

Yes she makes the point that Amazons writings conclude that men aren’t necessary, and being created by the gods to defeat Ares, that does make a whole lot of sense. That’s not to say Diana wasn’t interested in the co-star, Steve (Chris Pine). As they were formed out of clay, who would want to sculpt a funny looking man anyway?

Zeus could be tawdry that way. He knew his brother well; he could be a charmer, so it would be appropriate that the Amazons would have no interest in men… though from what I observed they didn’t much interest in each other, either. Matters of war held the highest of priorities. I’m sorry, buy ventolin but, duh.

Unfortunately for the film, Gal Gadot suited the role of the Amazon Queen (self proclaimed) ideally. That is to say, she echoed the bland characterization of the Amazon Heroine that has always been her Achilles heel. Anyone with a keen eye will be able to distinguish her from the animations they used in action sequences beyond her – or the director’s – ability, just as emotional connection seemed to be out of her reach. The most touching moment was just a half an hour in, and it’s a shame to say it flatlined for the rest of the film.

It was good, but for anyone versed in the goings-on of superheros will find this predictable, though the satisfying kind. I admit they didn’t bludgeon their way to our attention span, and though the script was dry, it was pleasant enough. It was a far sight better than that fiasco, Batman vs Superman, and a more solid step into international hero team territory than Captain America was.

DC Comics, regrettably, doesn’t have a long running consistent universe to draw upon, so they’re going to be pulling one together as they go. Or will it be as passe as The Yellow Submarine? Time, as it is said, will tell.

  • June 16, 2017