A wonderful step forward for DC

Rating: 7/10 (1 June 2017)

DC has finally set their foot in the right direction. Say what you want about the previous films, but I think we can all agree that they weren't as well received as they could have been. Now with "Wonder Woman" we have a good solid superhero story that's actually meaningful. Zack Snyder is not directing this time around, but his influence is still felt in the visual style of the explosive action scenes. Those parts are very entertaining, but they don't take center stage here. This film takes the time to introduce us to characters we can understand and care for. I think Patty Jenkins handled the emotional story nicely. I enjoyed the quite scenes as much as the exciting ones. It's about this one journey which makes it easy to follow. So it's not a very complicated film.
The scenery on the Amazonian island is breathtaking. Perfect use of locations. The ancient Greek mythology elements work surprisingly well. The idea of setting the world outside the Amazonian realm during WWI is good. It makes the fish out of water situation with Diana even more interesting, and above all it really helped her development. So that made sense. I will say this though: If you are well educated in history and you happen to know a lot about WWI, then you are gonna be annoyed by some things here. Because it doesn't stay completely true to how everything was back then. Some liberties were taken here and there. I'm not an expert on war history, but my brother is and I had to listen to many things that were inaccurate on the way home after the screening. So, sure. They should have gotten some more history consultants to revise the production. As a normal movie goer you probably won't even think about those things. But if you are a history buff then take note that this is pure fantasy/escapism. You won't be too bothered about historical inaccuracies if you go in with that mindset. I do think the villains were very stereotypical. Most of the time it works, but I would have preferred them not being so much like cartoon bad guys. The final fight gets really bloated and CGI heavy with many explosions. It's handled much better then how it was in "Batman v Superman", and I'll tell you why: It was focused. The entire movie balances the human story with the action spectacle well. And that gets a good positive point from me.
The main characters are likable here. There's not much I can add to what's already been said, but I strongly believe I'm seeing Wonder Woman on screen and not the actress Gal Gadot. She embodies this role with pride. Her chemistry with Chris Pine is great. There's some banter towards the end that gets repetitive, but other than that I liked it. The movie has a nice message as well. It's about working together and that love and compassion should never be forgotten. All of those things are nice. This movie has an upbeat vibe overall. It's kind of like a classic adventure movie and I like that. You will walk out feeling happy or maybe even a little inspired. That's a good sign that this will not be forgotten anytime soon. So, yes. I can now say that this a wonderful step forwards for DC. They have definitely improved a lot and I hope they continue like this.