Wonder Woman 1984 at the movies

Wonder Woman 1984 at the movies

It is not always easy to hold on to a moral compass - life presents opportunities and challenges that lead us to question our sense of morality, at many stages.   

Maybe, the reason why superhero stories appeal to us so much, is because we see on screen, what we cannot always uphold in life. Definitely not the heroics or physical force, but the values that lead our heroes to take the decisions they do.  

In times like this, even the smallest reinforcements  that say  it is ok to hold on to our moral compass, are welcome. 

WW 1984, at heart, is just that.

Before you read any further, there are spoilers in this post, so please  stop reading  if you want to watch the movie on screen first.

WW84 opens with a grand Amazonian Olympic setting. For me, it was worth going to the movies, just to watch this sequence in the big screen. All our favourite Amazon warriors are swinging and jumping off impossible peaks, obstacles courses in some sort of ancient Triathlon that involves running , swimming and horseback racing.  Hans Zimmer, who created the original Wonder Woman theme in Batman Vs Superman, joins the party and  brings his large scale epic touch. 

Here is part of  the opening scene with the Amazonian Olympics

Young Diana takes the lead but  attempts a shortcut when she falls back, only to be disqualified by our favourite Amazon , her aunt Antiope.  Says Antiope to little Diana - “ You cannot be the winner, because you are not ready to win, and there is no shame in that. Only in knowing the truth in your heart and not accepting it. No true hero is born from lies. That is the truth. That is the only truth, and truth is all there is.”  

The movie then travels to Wonder Woman in 1984, working at the Smithsonian , battling loneliness that is the norm of her immortal life.  A chance wish brings Steve Trevor back into her life. With Steve for company, she tries to stop Maxwell Lord, the convoluted Dream stone villain.  We get some genuinely nice moments - Steve and Diana flying the invisible jet, fighting inside the White House and Steve trying to fit into 1984 outfits (Chris Pine looks great anyway).  

Gal Gadot is in fantastic form, easily slipping into character . Her tremendous screen presence and charm are on point. Once again, she carries the movie on her shoulders. She gets old school save the day moments that almost feel like reading an old comic book.  It is a delight to watch Wonder Woman lasso her way into malls, rescuing children, fending off thieves and generally being badass with a smile on her face. 

 She is a more mature Wonder Woman, wiser, balanced,  leaning to choose what she wants for once, rather than be the saint-like super hero.  When you are finally happy for her getting time with Steve, she chooses to give it up.  When she has to choose between love and duty, you feel Diana’s pain. 

Just like in the first movie, she channels her pain to draw out her strengths, learning to swing off lightening bolts and to fly fully, a super power we did know she possessed. 

Kirsten Wiig as Barbara Minerva and later on, Cheetah, is built up as a solid villain, worthy of Diana’s golden armor.  The final fight however, lacks the depth in CGI I was expecting. The movie does leave you with questions , if you searched for logic in a super hero flick. If little Diana was strong enough to ace the Olympics, how come the origin story showed her start training in her teens? What exactly was Cheetah’s role in the story besides the build up to a climax fight?

However,  Wonder Woman 1984 is a movie that promotes copious amounts of serotonin on the viewer. Special mention to the post credit-scene  with Lynda Carter , the original Wonder Woman herself, as Asteria. 

Personally, WW1984 was a movie I needed to see.  Most of all, I needed to hear Queen Hippolyta tell Diana this,  when she is disappointed with herself and rather impatient :

“ Your time will come, Diana” 

Diana:  “ When?” 

“ When you’re ready. Look to the Golden Warrior Asteria. She did not become a legend out of haste. She did it through true acts of bravery. Like patience, diligence, and the courage to face the truth.

One day, you’ll become all that you dream of and more, and everything will be different.”