Wonder Woman stomps and staggers

Rating: 6/10 (7 July 2017)

Let me start by saying that I originally had no intention of seeing this film – purely for the fact I am so lost when it comes to superhero films. There are so many out there right now and with so many crossovers and connected story lines. I feel a bit like I have fallen behind. Friends of mine invited me to go along with them to watch it so I decided to go in like I would any normal action- adventure film and try not to think of it as part of a bigger universe. I'll be blunt – Wonder Woman is good. It's not great. It's not bad.
So, what makes it good? Diana (Gal Gadot) and Steve (Chris Pine) have a great, and at times quite funny, relationship in this film. There are a couple of scenes towards the beginning of the film that feature just both of them (one in particular where Pine is completely naked with just a hand covering his apparently "above average" package) and they do actually make you giggle and the language between them has you mesmerised.
Many characters in this film were probably not needed, although Etta Candy (Lucy Davis) was not one of them. Every word she uttered had left the views laughing and definitely kept a light humored cushion on at times an overly dramatic epic. It would have been nice to have seen more of her.
Ninety percent of the visuals were on top form, especially the close combat scenes entering occasional slow-mos and the Aries showdown towards the end of the movie definitely deserves a thumbs up. However, some might say the simpler effects, such as explosions, did look a little rusty – sometimes doing a practical effect is worth it guys!
What let the film down? As much as I like David Thewlis, the role Aries, God of War, did not suit him. I found Elena Anaya and Danny Huston's characters; Doctor Poison and General Ludendorff, borderline annoying and they didn't really give much to the story like antagonists should. The plot stomps and staggers and at times you're not really sure where it is going. Having said that, the structure of the story felt much more coherent than some of the superhero flicks I actually have seen of late.
Wonder Woman could do with filtering out some of the characters and slightly more attention to its story wouldn't have hurt it. It's certainly worth a watch - if not for the mighty kick-ass Gal Gadot, then maybe the butt-naked Chris Pine.