It's been seventy years since her introduction to the world of men, and though she's grown more able and active in that time, Wonder Woman still carries a torch for the short-term romance that violently ended in a WWI fireball. It seems unhealthy that she hasn't accepted the loss in all that time, still dining alone and sad-eying all the happy couples at adjacent tables, but it's convenient for the story (and for viewers) that her heart hasn't moved on, so here we are. Of course, that lost love does eventually, improbably, return from the grave, thanks to the influence of a mystical wishing stone, but (as always) there's a steep price.
While it lasts, Diana and Steve's reunion is an enjoyable reversal of fortunes. Now it's the cocksure soldier who plays the naïve fish out of water, goggling and gaping at the fashions and conveniences of modern luxury in 1980s America, while the worldly Amazonian princess smirks and explains. The weird throwback/leap forward aspect is shallow, but it works. I felt that the first film suffered for its close tonal relationship to other films in the DC Universe, all grim and bleak, and the vibrant, colorful air of these early scenes serves as a sorely-needed dramatic departure. It's fun to watch, easy but functional, and the dominance of a "me" generation serves the broader theme of human greed as a divisive force.
As the plot drags out, though, those simpler pleasures lose their zing and the various threads wrapped around the wishing stone grow unwieldy. It all culminates in a completely nonsensical climax that momentarily throws the entire world into upheaval before the headliner shows up in a new outfit, swings a few punches, lobs some lofty philosophical mumbo-jumbo and literally rides off into the sunset. I didn't buy the evil plot, nor the heroic resolution, and was left unfulfilled.
The effects work hasn't improved from Diana's first outing, either. Most times, the direction is smart enough to mask such shortcomings behind abrupt camera shifts and motion blur, but any time we get a clear shot of the heroine running full-speed (and this happens more than once), it's a hilariously bad look. We're talking made-for-TV special effects here. Absolutely astonishing that a major studio could release something so shoddy and second-grade, especially after so many unexpected release delays.
Ultimately, WW84 is a story of one step forward and two steps back. It conquers the issues of individual identity that plagued the first film, gives us another chance to enjoy the chemistry between costars Gal Gadot and Chris Pine, but also struggles to tell a cohesive story, rambles on for ages (there's at least thirty minutes of fat on this steak) and whiffs on the ending. Plus, the effects. Oh, those effects. A good concept, established with loads of creative energy, that loses its way and peters out after the first hour.
Review by drqshadowBlockedParent2020-12-31T14:57:22Z
It's been seventy years since her introduction to the world of men, and though she's grown more able and active in that time, Wonder Woman still carries a torch for the short-term romance that violently ended in a WWI fireball. It seems unhealthy that she hasn't accepted the loss in all that time, still dining alone and sad-eying all the happy couples at adjacent tables, but it's convenient for the story (and for viewers) that her heart hasn't moved on, so here we are. Of course, that lost love does eventually, improbably, return from the grave, thanks to the influence of a mystical wishing stone, but (as always) there's a steep price.
While it lasts, Diana and Steve's reunion is an enjoyable reversal of fortunes. Now it's the cocksure soldier who plays the naïve fish out of water, goggling and gaping at the fashions and conveniences of modern luxury in 1980s America, while the worldly Amazonian princess smirks and explains. The weird throwback/leap forward aspect is shallow, but it works. I felt that the first film suffered for its close tonal relationship to other films in the DC Universe, all grim and bleak, and the vibrant, colorful air of these early scenes serves as a sorely-needed dramatic departure. It's fun to watch, easy but functional, and the dominance of a "me" generation serves the broader theme of human greed as a divisive force.
As the plot drags out, though, those simpler pleasures lose their zing and the various threads wrapped around the wishing stone grow unwieldy. It all culminates in a completely nonsensical climax that momentarily throws the entire world into upheaval before the headliner shows up in a new outfit, swings a few punches, lobs some lofty philosophical mumbo-jumbo and literally rides off into the sunset. I didn't buy the evil plot, nor the heroic resolution, and was left unfulfilled.
The effects work hasn't improved from Diana's first outing, either. Most times, the direction is smart enough to mask such shortcomings behind abrupt camera shifts and motion blur, but any time we get a clear shot of the heroine running full-speed (and this happens more than once), it's a hilariously bad look. We're talking made-for-TV special effects here. Absolutely astonishing that a major studio could release something so shoddy and second-grade, especially after so many unexpected release delays.
Ultimately, WW84 is a story of one step forward and two steps back. It conquers the issues of individual identity that plagued the first film, gives us another chance to enjoy the chemistry between costars Gal Gadot and Chris Pine, but also struggles to tell a cohesive story, rambles on for ages (there's at least thirty minutes of fat on this steak) and whiffs on the ending. Plus, the effects. Oh, those effects. A good concept, established with loads of creative energy, that loses its way and peters out after the first hour.