The wait was worth it. Wonder Woman is fantastic – full of all the heart, hope and humour that Diana deserves.

Rating: 9/10 (31 May 2017)

Right out of the starting gate, Wonder Woman has had to bear the burden of great expectations – a burden her male compatriots, from Batman and Superman to Spider-Man, have been spared. Her comic-book history, dating from 1941, is no less long and illustrious, but this is the first feature film starring Diana of Themyscira to have made it out of development hell. Get it wrong, and Diana's legacy falters and fails. Somewhat unfairly, the film is also expected to serve as the litmus test for all female-led blockbuster movies from now till the end of time (Can Women Do ACTION?!?!) while saving the critically savaged DC Extended Universe (DCEU) from itself. No big deal.
It's truly wonderful, then, that Wonder Woman doesn't just meet these expectations – it surpasses them. As a film, it's an unequivocal delight. There's so much here that's fresh and intelligent and beautifully done, from its proud feminism and rich character work to jaw-dropping action sequences, that it's easy to forgive a few third-act woes. In a franchise hitherto characterised by misery and man-pain, where the 'heroes' aren't necessarily better than the humans they're supposed to save, Diana arrives as a pure adrenaline shot of heart, humour and hope.
We first meet Diana (Gal Gadot) in Themyscira, a secluded island paradise cut off from the outside world. Here, Diana is safe, sheltered by her mother, Queen Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen); trained by General Antiope (Robin Wright); and protected by a tribe of warrior women known as the Amazons. But everything changes when American spy Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) literally crashes into her life, bringing with him war, death and the fate of mankind. Convinced that Ares, the Greek god of war, has returned to wreak havoc on Earth, Diana leaves her home to fight for humanity – ordinary, selfish, sometimes downright terrible people who may not deserve her as a champion.
On its own merits, Wonder Woman is a rip-roaring adventure from start to (mostly) finish. Audiences are swept along for the ride as Diana, still learning the true extent of her formidable powers, storms through Europe and World War I. There are fisticuffs in London alleyways, and a rousing charge through No Man's Land in German-occupied Belgium.
But, while there's plenty of spectacle on display, the film also takes are to show us the relationships that make Diana who she is and who she will become: from the women who guided and inspire her, to the men who give her reason to defend the world when it seems broken beyond repair.
In particular, there's a beautiful give-and-take to the way Diana and Steve dance – literally and metaphorically – with each other. He shows her the world; she shows him the hope she has for it. There's a touch of rose-coloured naivete to the way Diana navigates the conflict raging around them, but neither Steve nor the audience thinks less of her for that. Instead, he learns and grows with her – as does she, with him.
If there are still naysayers left after her striking debut as Diana in Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice, Gadot's performance in Wonder Woman should shut them up for good. She looks the part, of course – you'll believe she can really fly, dodge bullets, and hoist tanks above her head. But she also lends her character plenty of heart and charm, making Diana achingly relatable and human. Gadot is funny, too, as she navigates an unfamiliar world where everything tries to convince her that she's less than who she really is. (Spoiler: it doesn't work.) She shares a sweet, lovely chemistry with Pine, who's evidently game for anything, including some rather welcome casual objectification.
It's hard to believe that Wonder Woman is only Patty Jenkins' second film as a director. Not only is it completely different from her indie art-house debut, Monster, Wonder Woman is a properly huge blockbuster that juggles action and comedy beats with confident flair. Jenkins choreographs Amazons tumbling through the sky, loosing arrows and swords with deadly precision, as well as she handles tiny moments of human connection – from Diana discovering the magic of ice cream, to snow drifting down from the heavens as music plays and life, for a moment, seems perfect.
That's not to say everything about the film works. The final third is strangely messy, as plot points start to crash into one another and Diana's true nemesis emerges. Uncoincidentally, it's at more or less the exact point when Wonder Woman starts to look and feel more like the rest of the DCEU. Diana's defining showdown – full of CGI, fire, explosions and shouting – loses a great deal of the depth and nuance that worked so well before. (Heads-up: you might also find yourself asking, 'Why did you do that, Steve Trevor? Why?!?!') Jenkins still manages to tap into the emotional core of the moment, but a few canny script tweaks might have held everything together better.
Nonetheless, Wonder Woman remains a remarkable achievement by practically any measure. As a superhero film, it's a sublime blast of fun. As a film made for, about and by women, it's every bit as smart, capable and inspiring as its lead character – an empowering gem that will now belong to anyone who's ever loved or been a little girl. As the latest entry in the struggling DCEU, it's easily the best installment yet, bringing hope and wonder into a universe too grim and dark for its own good. And, as a comic-book adaptation, it does justice to Diana's roots, blending origins old and New 52 in a way that should please fans of all generations.
In short? It's a home run – and thank god for that!