A definite success

Rating: 9/10 (11 June 2017)

When Wonder Woman made her first appearance in 'All-Star Comics' 8 (October 1941) she plunged straight into the Second World War. The film version differs: *her* world war is the *first*. That's not the only difference: gone is William Moulton Marston's Paradise Island, populated by warrior Amazons preaching the virtues of loving submission mixed with bondage and a little light spanking; in comes Greg Potter and George PÃ©rez's Themyscira, whose Amazons spend their days honing their warcraft. The film opens there, trots quickly through the young Diana's childhood (with an annex of Amazonian history) before we arrive at the main story: American (but working for the Brits) spy Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) crash-lands off the island's coast, unwittingly leading a German warboat to discover the island. In the first of many impressively-staged battle scenes, Diana (Gal Gadot), Trevor and the Amazonian swords 'n' sandals military repel the Germans and Diana, convinced that the war is the fulfilment of Greek war god Ares' plans, elects to travel to "Man's World".
There is some humour: eg Pine and Gadot re-enacting the old 'man rises naked from bath just as woman walks into room' schtick. But on the whole this is a fairly dark film, such as when Diana witnesses life in the trenches and Belgian villagers being killed with poison gas. (So no "Fighting for your rights/In your satin tights" here!) I guessed which one of the 'goodies' would turn out to be a 'baddie' (after all, it always happens in this sort of film), but the individual's motivations were a refreshing change from the usual desire to rule the world. Acting-wise, the statuesque Gadot of course looks the part and portrays a confident young woman whose innocence at the ways of Man's World never becomes annoying. In the supporting roles, stand-outs for me are Robin Wright, icy-cold but ferociously sexy as Amazonian general (and Diana's aunt) Antiope; and SaÃ¯d Taghmaoui, whose romantic, life-and-soul-of-the-party sidekick to Trevor hides secret ambitions. I wonder if for David Thewlis this was a 'got to pay the mortgage' sort of job, but he still adds value as a crusty British official.
Quite why the decision was made to set the film during the First World War I do not know; however, it gives a nice period feel to the piece and, of course, opens the tantalising possibility of a WWII-set sequel. I have a couple of quibbles: on isolated occasions the CGI flying sequences look distinctly animated; the closing 'love will conquer anything' speech is resoundingly clunky; and the implication that Diana and Trevor have sex is just wrong! But on the whole this is a very enjoyable film - I have not seen any of the other DC movies but the widely-expressed opinion that this is better than the rest does not surprise me.