The most heroic superhero ever

Rating: 10/10 (10 June 2017)

The structure of Wonder Woman is a hero's journey done perfectly right. We get to see how she grows up, learn to fight and finally get a call to adventure by the arrival of Steve Trevor. In the other world - that of the First World War - Wonder Woman must overcome both physical and spiritual challenges to finally become the hero that we met in the Batman V Superman movie. Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman fills out the hero's role in Joseph Campbell's old monomyth with charm, intelligence and spirit. The central premise of the character is a belief in the good in all humans (and amazons). This belief is what is challenged during the movie. Which sets Wonder Woman apart from most other superhero movies, where it's all about the hero himself and his bad temper (Thor, Hulk), self worth (Batman Begins), health (Iron Man), inheritance (Man of Steel), love life (Spider-Man) and so forth. Even Captain America (First Avenger) is mostly about his belief in himself. Somehow everything else also works perfectly in this movie: Great locations (Italy for Themyscira, London as 1918 London), great supporting cast (Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright), just the right amount of comic relief (the 1918 men vs Wonder Woman, Steve Trevor's old friends), and a lot of really good action. The only slight problem I could find was the realism of a few of the war scenes. But nothing is that perfect.