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This year has been a year unlike any other. For movie lovers, it’s been a year without trips to the theater to watch big-screen summer blockbusters—a year short on superheroes. So as the year comes to a close, the release of Wonder Woman 1984—whether you’re watching on the big screen or on HBO Max—just seems like an incredibly big deal.
Wonder Woman 1984 finds Diana Prince (Gal Godot) living a lonely life in the totally tubular ‘80s. She’s the center of everyone’s attention, but she’s desperately missing her true love, Steve Trevor (Chris Pine). But everything changes for Diana when the FBI sends some artifacts from a recent heist to her Smithsonian colleague, Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig). Though it seems like just a cheap rock, it hints at unbelievable powers—and it immediately captures the attention of Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal), a struggling oil man with dreams of worldwide domination.
As Diana takes on this greedy businessman, she has other obstacles to face: the challenge of being one of the few tentpole releases of the year—and also the challenge of following up a wildly successful predecessor. The original Wonder Woman was a tough act to follow. It had everything you’d want from a superhero movie: action, drama, laughs, and a hero with the perfect mix of strength and compassion—who fights for the helpless. But the sequel isn’t as successful.
Diana is still an undeniably endearing character. She’s tough and strong, and she takes her responsibilities as a hero very seriously. She fights for those who can’t fight for themselves. And as she struggles with the choice between her own needs and the needs of those around her, she shows both vulnerability and selflessness.
Somewhere, though, in Diana’s quest to prevent Lord from unleashing this deadly power on the world, the film loses its focus. The ‘80s may have been an iconic period in time, but the ‘80s campiness is a far cry from the wartime grandeur of the original. The story here is jumbled and perplexing and much longer than necessary. Though Diana is still a strong and likable (and sometimes even relatable) character, her personality doesn’t shine through quite as much as before. And in the film’s attempt to recapture the heart-swelling drama and excitement of the original, it simply falls short.
In a year lacking in big-screen heroes, Wonder Woman 1984 is a welcome release, offering the kind of big-budget action and excitement that movie lovers have been missing. But, unfortunately, the messy story just doesn’t live up to the hype.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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