WW84 Movie Review
Diana must contend with a work colleague and businessman, whose desire for extreme wealth sends the world down a path of destruction, after an ancient artifact that grants wishes goes missing.
Why did I come to this movie again?
New movies have been rare in the past year. I admit we watched this one at home in December, then I went to see it a second time in the theater with a few friends. I was excited about another Wonder Woman movie (I liked the first one, barring the bad guy at the end) but wasn’t sure about the story. It felt bloated even before I saw it. Mostly I was excited to see a film in the theater.
4 of 5
Characters
The character I identified with most in this show was Barbara Minerva. For lack of a better description, she’s an awkward nerd. That’s me! She started off great.
Unfortunately, Diana started out, and stayed, a bit whiny. Yes, I said it. She’s got no friends. Doesn’t socialize. Never goes to museum functions. This is all a choice, then she realizes how lonely she is without Steve. Who has been dead for something like seventy years. I’m no immortal, but there are a lot of good people in the world. Why hasn’t she bothered to get to know anyone? Yes, it’s hard to see people age when you don’t, but if you’re in the human world, you may as well get the whole experience. Like moving on.
Chris Pine is pretty much Hollywood gold. I thought he did a great job bringing Steve into the 1980s.
I never did connect with the bad guy, Maxwell Lord. His entire agenda is selfish. The film gave him a chance to actually love his son, which would have made me like him, but the writers or director failed there. At no point did I believe Maxwell felt love for his son. No, he just wanted his son to be proud of him. Again, selfish. Now the selfishness works for the plot. To a point.
3 of 5
Did I care what happened?
It’s a superhero movie. I usually care what happens.
5 of 5
Plot Holes
Again, it’s a superhero movie. There are plenty of plot holes. Suddenly being able to turn a jet invisible? With no prior mention of it in the movie? Sloppy writing. Where did they refuel when they went to Egypt or when they came back?
The wishing stone thing could have been very, very cool, but all we know is that it was made by a bad god and it’s brought down half a dozen civilizations over the course of human history.
Remember that, half a dozen civilizations. Which totally ruins the end.
I liked the idea of truth being the theme of the show, but sheesh, don’t ram it down my throat every ten minutes. Try some subtext. Symbolism. Subtlety.
3 of 5
How many times did I yawn?
Strangely, during the first scene. Other than that I was good.
5 of 5
Cool Factor
For being set in the 1980s, I expected more of the 80s. There was a lot in the beginning, then it just fell away.
The filming itself was great. Good action scenes. Fun stuff. I actually enjoyed it more in the theater than at home.
4 of 5
The End
Here’s my real beef.
First off, there is no explanation about the stone going into Maxwell Lord. Why is he falling apart? Give me three lines of background (not supposition about the Monkey’s Paw, because that’s not exactly how it was working) on that and the bad god that made it, and I would have been happier.
Remember those half a dozen civilizations that the stone has destroyed? You can’t tell me that even with Diana’s rope broadcasting truth through the world (another very confusing bit) that every single person of 1980s earth would renounce their wish.
Barbara’s ending was frustrating then sad.
Also, nothing in the movie showed me that Maxwell Lord actually cared about his son, so that fell flat.
3 of 5
Overall Enjoyment
Like I said, I thought the theme of truth was a good one, and very fitting for the show, but the execution was too clumsy to be truly enjoyable for me.
A lot of people I know liked that the final battle was won with love, not violence. I agree, and only wish that it had made a little more sense. I spent the last few scenes trying to figure out how they were doing what they were doing instead of believing it would work.
I loved the cameo at the end!
3 of 5
Final Score = 30
