Truly a wonder to behold.

Rating: 8/10 (17 June 2017)

I was starting to have my doubts about the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). "Man of Steel" was a nice enough movie that, like Superman, struggled to find its place, "Batman v Superman" was a polarizing flick that was too ambitious for its own good, and "Suicide Squad" was an entertaining film that lacked cohesion. Then along came "Wonder Woman", which I can confidently say restored my faith. For a character that started as an icon of feminism and is a member of the Trinity, it's shocking how long it took for the heroine to grace the big screen (with only a 70s live-action series and a 2009 animated solo film to speak of) without any involvement with the Justice League; personally, I blame DC's over-reliance on Batman and Superman and bad experience with female superhero movies (*cough* Catwoman).
Plot: Diana is the princess of the Amazons who has lived in peace on the hidden island of Themyscira until soldier Steve Trevor crash lands and tells of World War 1. Unwilling to let innocents suffer and suspecting powers greater than man at work, she goes with Steve to fight evil, but as she does she learns what lies beyond her home and what dwells within all of humanity.
From beginning to end I was impressed. The film understands the core of Wonder Woman's character and what she represents, the potential for greatness in all of us in the face of adversity. Gal Gadot nails it, not only being bad-ass, but also bringing much needed depth and charm to her role. I can't help but smile at her innocent and well-meaning view of the world. Chris Pine was perfectly cast as Steve Trevor as well; just seems like a role he was born to play. The two share a very believable chemistry the way they play off each other such as their questions of how their respective worlds work and what do they know about life. The rest of the cast holds up well, offering some nice dynamics and even a humorous moment here and there. In fact, none of the comedy feels forced like in "Suicide Squad", feeling more natural especially given the time period. The story has this interesting shift in its tone and color throughout, starting from the beauty and innocence of Themyscira to the dreary ugliness of the outside world to the hopefulness of the future. Diana's journey reflects this as well, developing in the best way possible into the hero she was meant to be. It's clear that the writers and director knew exactly what they were doing and I give them props.
The action scenes are a great spectacle, especially with the now iconic Wonder Woman theme playing in the background adding to the excitement, with lots of good choreography involving a mix of classic fantasy combat and modern warfare. Even better is that they each serve their purpose in the story rather than being there just for the hell of it. There are some surprising twists I didn't see coming, especially when it came to the villains (who are grim reflections of the real world and each entertaining in their own right), and moments that are both heartwarming and heartbreaking.
As of yet, I can't think of anything negative about the film unlike the other ones. As of yet, this is the best DCEU film ever made and it gave me more investment in seeing more to come. Go ahead and see "Wonder Woman", but don't expect any after-credit scene.