It is full of light, color, heart and a cohesive history, characteristics that make it one of the best of its kind in recent times

Rating: 8/10 (3 May 2020)

With the proper introduction of the Man of Steel, with the new older summer of Batman and the anti-heroes who are part of the Suicide Squad, we can finally enjoy a movie of Wonder Woman, the most powerful heroine in the DC universe. After being introduced to the general public in cinemas in "Batman vc Superman" that already gave us a very good idea of who the character was and what she was capable of doing and now, the wait is finally over. To bring this super powerful woman to the screen, she was called Patty Jenkins, who does not have as many jobs on her resume, but who became known worldwide for directing Monster (2003) that gave the Oscar for Best Actress to Charlize Theron for playing Aileen Wuornos, a prostitute who becomes the first serial killer woman in history.
One of the great strengths of the production is the script by Allan Heinberg - egress from TV series like "Grey's Anatomy" and "Sex and The City" - which builds a script with many merits, respecting the origin story of Wonder Woman bringing to it highlights several other aspects. Setting the plot at the end of the First World War, the script manages to present aspects of the behavior and customs of society from the beginning of the 20th century, and issues related to the power of those who are in charge of nations, political decisions, all still permeated with gods and legends. mythological, as well as dilemmas of whether or not humanity deserves to be protected by the Amazon.
The film begins today, after the events of 'Batman v Superman - Origin of Justice', and shows Diana Prince, who works in the Antiques Department of the Louvre, receiving a World War I photograph from his mail sent by Wayne Enterprises, when you start to remember your past. So we are transported to the beginning of the 20th century, when we see little Diana, who has always wanted to train with the other Azones, but who was prevented by her mother Hippolyta, who hid her father's identity from Diana, thought she you shouldn't worry about that in times and peace and that you should play like a child and not fight. Over time, Hippolyta is convinced by Antiope and Diana then starts to train more than any other Amazon. When pilot Steve Trevor crashes on his plane and is rescued by Diana, all Amazons learn about the dangers that surround the isolated Paradise Island in the world of men.
These first forty minutes of the plot are dedicated to telling Diana's childhood, showing how life is on Paradise Island, and better setting the viewer in Greek-Roman legends. With Diana's departure with Steve, it is interesting to note Diana's still naive gaze on humanity, especially in a time of war. The contrast of this naivete in her eyes with that of the experienced pilot and spy Steve is when we realize that she was there embarking on a transformative journey towards London where her beliefs would be confronted. In fact, arriving in the English capital, more aspects of this naivety in relation to the customs of society are understandable and a highlight of the film alongside Etta Candy (Lucy Davis), Steve's secretary. While Diana was born and raised trained to be a warrior, she does not understand the use of dresses, fashion, etc. Even going through a revolving door in your new outfits and a sword becomes a hilarious challenge and trying ice cream for the first time becomes a unique experience. There is also time to be impressed by man-made weapons to kill people. Even the struggle for the right to vote - which would only be won years later - is cited as a criticism of society at the time. The same criticism used later when Diana enters a military audience where only men are allowed. And what about Diana confronting the coldness of political decision and calling the general a coward for allowing soldiers to die on the front lines of battles? Just what we expect from the character. The best of "Wonder Woman" is due to this meeting of two peoples: Diana's, composed only by women; and ours, where women had (still have) fewer rights and opportunities than men. The script is fanciful in scenes where the current machismo is ridiculed with pleasure by the protagonist.
The script uses the entire first half of the plot to insert Diana into the world of men and develops the character in a slow, careful and skillful way. And from the final half, Diana is able to show her skills to humans, with special emphasis on the scenes when the team reaches the Western Front in Belgium, they are interrupted by enemy machine guns, but Diana leaves alone in the middle of no-man's-land and gathers allied forces behind it to free the village of Veld. The scenes of Diana appearing behind the barricades and facing the enemy soldiers is epic, as well as the scenes in which she invades through the windows the places where she faces
The script uses the entire first half of the plot to insert Diana into the world of men and develops the character in a slow, careful and skillful way. And from the final half, Diana is able to show her skills to humans, with special emphasis on the scenes when the team reaches the Western Front in Belgium, they are interrupted by enemy machine guns, but Diana leaves alone in the middle of no-man's-land and gathers allied forces behind it to free the village of Veld. The scenes of Diana appearing behind the barricades and facing the enemy soldiers is epic, as well as the scenes in which she invades through the windows the places where she faces several German soldiers to the sound of the heroine's theme song. In the final stretch, there are also the excellent action sequences with Diana's fight with Ludendorff and, especially afterwards, against another unexpected villain amidst many destructions, shots and explosions.
One of the highlights of the film is the relationship between Diana and Steve and that was essential for the film to work. Since Diana rescued him from the sea, we have noticed a sexual tension between them. The complicity between the two only grows over the two hours of projection and makes us cheer for the couple at all times. The chemistry between Gal Gadot and Chris Pine is evident and the scene in which he teaches her to dance under the snow and then go to the bedroom and surrender to the love they feel for each other is the culmination of the couple's relationship building. It is in Steve that she knows love and better understands the human action. Humanity's decision is the cause of war and violence, but humanity is also much more than that. It is a humanity capable of loving and that deserves another opportunity. It is also worth highlighting the duo that leave with Diana and Steve to destroy another arms factory together with Ludendorff and Maru. Spy Sameer (Saïd Taghmaoui), excellent sniper Charlie (Ewen Bremner).
If most of the film builds an exciting film in both visual and narrative, the ending, despite having twists and turns, cannot escape much of the concept of elevating action at the expense of coherence. They are minutes of much noise for nothing, without any direct contribution to the lesson that the heroine needed to learn about humanity. These are moments when the director changes the retro look and uses more practical effects for a more obscure and full of green screen effects.
The production of the film also deserves all the praise. Production designer Aline Bonetto, photography by Matthew Jensen are incredible in perfectly setting the time of the First World War in both sets and costumes. It is a war movie with the presence of a superhero, making everything more real and believable even with all the fantastical aspects that involve the origin of the heroine. The soundtrack by Rupert Gregson-Williams is sensational. The composer mixes action themes very well, using the character's theme music very well in moments when he detonates his enemies and also several stretches of pure emotion in the midst of the climate of war. In the post-credits we still have the Australian singer Sia, who wrote a song for the film, entitled "To Be Human", with the English musician Labrinth, who is also on the soundtrack.
'Wonder Woman' is a film with excellent production, with a first script and that works thanks to the direction of Patty Jenkins and the scenic presence of Gal Gadot. The choice of the dietician is not only for the symbology of a woman directing a film of a female protagonist in an action film but, consequently, also for being the first woman to direct a superhero film with a female protagonist in Hollywood. Just to abuse the clichés of films of the genre such as slow cameras and camera turns in the beating scenes, the scenarios where these scenes take place end up differentiating the film from so many others of the genre.
The Israeli actress, on the other hand, manages to pass the still naive look of young Diana in the land of men, all her discoveries and dilemmas, which contrast very well with the wiser posture of the character of the first and last scenes of the projection. Diana was very well represented as a normal woman. A woman with very high values, but still a woman. It can be sensitive. She is smart and emotionally independent. She may be confused. She may lose her confidence or not. She's everything. She has a human heart. The actress exudes charisma, easily switching between the sweetness of a young woman discovering a world different from her own and the strength of a warrior who distributes tapas without losing her hairstyle.
'Wonder Woman' is the best film in DC's eccentric extended universe, a work of great quality, quite faithful to its original material, which was a box office success and which will certainly generate new sequences. It is a symbol for women and it came to break barriers and prejudices. It is full of light, color, heart and a cohesive history, characteristics that make it one of the best of its kind in recent times.