Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

 

4/10

Starring

Gal Gadot

Chris Pine

Kristen Wiig

Pedro Pascal

 

Directed by Patty Jenkins

 

Wonder Woman 1984 (WW84) is a film that takes its time to nail the 1980s, and you can feel the power that comes from the director, Patty Jenkins, in that aspect. Every other part of this movie, which is supposed to bring the theatrical or streaming power, seems to be lacking. This movie is cliché ‘R’ us—the plot is very well-worn, and the lesson feels like someone watched too much of Disney’s Aladdin. The whole “make a wish, take it back” or “instant gratification not leading to long-term satisfaction” has been overdone on screens over the years. I wonder, from all her fantastic adventures, why this is the one they chose to be the Wonder Woman (2017) sequel.

Let’s not dive into the awkwardness of watching Gal Gadot as Diana, Wonder Woman, make love to her long-lost love, Steve (Chris Pine), who is actually a soul in another man’s body. And let’s not even try to deal with the moral dilemma here of taking over the body of another person and yanking their soul out.

I think the movie just tripped over itself on the same line many movies of old have already. The making of a sequel is always a hit or miss (mostly the latter for many films).

The plot takes off in this D.C.E.U. ninth production, set in 1984. We witness Diana foil a robbery. Her powers and abilities are envied by Barbara (Kristen Wiig), who wants to be as strong or stronger than Diana. When the two are called to identify the antiquities now recovered thanks to Diana, they notice the Dreamstone— a stone that has the power to grant the holder one wish.

You can guess that Barbara wishes to be as strong as Diana, and Diana wishes for Steve back. There’s a catch to all this—the wish takes its own fee without telling. We soon notice the effects on both Diana and Barbara. A certain man, about to go bankrupt, tricks Barbara into getting his hands on the stone, and his wish leads to the death of everyone on Earth. So, Diana has to come through to save us all.

In the end, I feel Gal Gadot stepped up her presence in this film more than she did in the first movie. The first film had the problem of the villain not actually making much sense with its delay tactics and whole plan. Well, this one did a little better in that aspect.

In the end, I won’t be recommending this movie to anyone, the same way people begged me to miss it. I did finally see it out of boredom, but I wish I had found something better to watch.

The D.C.E.U. is so far behind when it comes to appeal and the delivery of excitement. Marvel seems to have figured out this trick, and it’s amazing that their films deliver the needed excitement and mastery of production, all while keeping to a PG-13 rating.