Great in so many ways but terribly chiched ending

Rating: 8/10 (15 June 2017)

The film opens with a hint of a superhero crossover, as a courier from Wayne Enterprises delivers a package to Diana Prince, containing a century old photograph. The photograph sets her off on a reverie of her childhood on the hidden island of Themyscira, which ends when a plane piloted by Steve Trevor crashes through their shield followed soon after by a German gunboat. The Amazons kill the Germans but several Amazons are killed, including their beloved general. Trevor tells them of World War I raging outside. So the first question is, if a stray plane and gunboat can discover them, why weren't they repeatedly discovered by stray ships many times before? In response to his question as to how she speaks English, Diana tells Steve that they speak hundreds of languages. So how can they know hundreds of modern languages and yet be unaware of World War I? Diana decides she must leave to help end the slaughter. They set out in a small boat and when they wake up at dawn, they're in London. How did they get from a presumably Greek island to London in a single night?
The historical nexus is well chosen. A fanatical German general and a mad scientist are plotting to unleash a super gas against the Allies on the eve of the Armistice, to prolong the war and ultimately win it for Germany. Trevor, Diana, and a few of Trevor's seedy friends decide to infiltrate behind German lines and stop the Germans. Diana's astonishment and horror at the effects of modern war are moving and wonderfully acted out, and the scene where she leads a charge across No- Man's Land to rescue a village would be utterly absurd if it weren't so thrilling and inspiring.
Diana believes the plot is master-minded by the god Ares, who rebelled against Zeus in anger over the creation of mankind. In due course they infiltrate the German base, Steve hijacks the German plane full of gas bombs and pilots it to his inevitable heroic death. Diana and Ares have it out. Ares explains to Diana that he merely plants suggestions in people's minds, but that humans cause wars all by themselves.
So Diana and Ares slam into each other, each flinging the other hundreds of yards, landing hard enough to shatter pavement. Didn't Superman and Zod do that in "Man of Steel?" They each hurl lightning bolts at each other, so very Palpatine and Darth Vader. The utter unoriginality and physical absurdity of this climactic fight detracts sadly from the film.
So at the end we understand the photograph. It shows her, Steve Trevor and his motley crew just after they liberate the village. She types an e-mail to Bruce Wayne, thanking him. Then we see her on a high perch above modern London, aware that her mission is far more complicated than she ever imagined.