Superhero meets nemesis

Wonder Woman 1984 review

By Tharishi Hewavithanagamage

The sequel to 2017’s ‘Wonder Woman,’ ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ (WW84) is the ninth installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Director Patty Jenkins returns for the sequel, with a script by David Callaham and DC Comics writer Geoff Johns. The sequel focuses on the heroine’s second adventure, set in 1980s America, and introduces an array of new characters into the Wonder Woman universe. The cast brings back Gal Gadot, who reprises her role as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, alongside Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal, Robin Wright, and Connie Nielsen among others.

It’s the year 1984. Diana (Gal Gadot) is living in Washington D.C., and working at the Smithsonian Institution as an anthropologist. She is still committed to her superhero duties, but chooses to avoid having any emotional attachments. Things change when she meets the awkward and clumsy Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig) at the Smithsonian and the two strike up an unlikely friendship as they bond over a shipment of antiquities.

Events escalate as one particular artifact, revealed as the ‘Dreamstone,’ begins granting wishes to those who come into contact with it, starting with Diana and Barbara. When businessman Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal), who has previous knowledge of the stone gets his hands on the artifact, his ambitious nature brings cataclysmic consequences. Diana is faced with defeating Maxwell Lord and the newest addition to her list of enemies-Cheetah, while struggling to let go of her attachment to her long-dead boyfriend Steve Trevor (Chris Pine).

Wonder Woman 1984 tells a more heartfelt and human story in comparison to its predecessor. The film speaks of human emotions like love, and touches on themes of hope and faith, which feels very significant in light of our current reality. Audiences and fans have seen Diana/ Wonder Woman as a woman who is strong and resilient in the face of danger, but this movie takes on a different angle and shows that she too has vulnerabilities and is not devoid of emotions. Having lived alone since her journey through World War I, Diana is no stranger to loneliness, but Steve’s appearance helps her gain a sense of warmth and love that she has longed for, for many years. In contrast to Steve and Diana, Minerva and Maxwell are characters that depict a more hostile and power-hungry nature of humanity.

The combination of the four characters are unfortunately dwarfed by a weak plot. The plot fails to transfer the bond Diana and Minerva share in the comics. Minerva’s sudden and strange role reversal, where she simply appears more chic and more Diana-like after a few changes of clothes, is just bad character development, although her performance as Cheetah is spectacular and unmatched. The plot also leaves some unanswered questions, like what becomes of the ‘Dreamstone’ towards the end of the story, and why bring in just a small snippet of Themyscira and the Amazons.

The story grows more tangled as the central relationships are overshadowed by scenes of Diana and Steve globetrotting while Maxwell twitches his way to achieve his murkily defined objectives. If a bad plot wasn’t enough, the CGI is sure to shock audiences. Wonder Woman 1984 boasts epic CGI fight scenes, although there are only scenes with very apparent CGI and the ungodly-looking creature form of Cheetah that appears in the third act of the film. Despite the plot holes and CGI flops, the movie manages to piece the tale together and whisk audiences away from their worries through a 151-minute runtime, with a cool ‘80s vibe and messages of love and hope, and some badass fight scenes.

The entirety of the story builds on Gal Gadot’s character and she lives up to her role. Gadot plays a fully-fledged superhero in comparison to her performance in the previous movie. The Wonder Woman she plays here is a heroine who is more comfortable with her powers and strength. Gadot’s performance is unparalleled as she taps into the emotional side of the titular character, and shows multiple layers throughout the film. Chris Pine plays the perfect fish-out-of-water as he humorously gets a crash-course about the ‘80s. His presence brings out Diana’s emotions and vulnerabilities. Gadot and Pine showcase their flawless chemistry on the big screen, and it’s very heartwarming to see the pair together again. The newest villains, played by Wiig and Pascal are formidable foes. Wiig’s performance as Cheetah is powerful and energetic, while Pascal plays the perfect charismatic and amoral businessman gone down the wrong path. Patty Jenkins has been candid about drawing inspiration from former US President Donald Trump. In fact, Pascal’s resemblance in the movie to pictures of a younger Trump is uncanny. But the script doesn’t allow the villains room to unleash their full potential.

In the end, Wonder Woman 1984 delivers on a new superhero experience with the added emotional storyline, but fails to keep it well-rounded. Regardless of the flops, it’s interesting to have Jenkins and her team explore Wonder Woman’s many storylines and it’s equally exciting to have her archenemy enter the big screen. Wonder Woman 1984 is breathe of fresh air and epitomizes optimism and hope necessary to get through the situation in the reality of our world. A sequel is already in the works, and audiences hope to explore more timelines and new characters in the coming years with Wonder Woman.