Wonder Woman: No Spoilers
- Christopher Lopez
- Jun 7, 2017
- 4 min read
“Everything is more difficult for Wonder Woman because she is the only one of her kind. She carries impossibly representational weight.” These are the strong words of comics historian, Carolyn Cocca, in her most recent book about comic book Superheroines and their cultural significance. Cocca is obviously aware that there are more heroines than Wonder Woman, but I think there’s some truth to her statement: being a symbol of power, grace, equality, and love for females in particular and humanity in general was inextricably bound to who what kind of heroine she would be. Whether or not every iteration of her has lived up to that standard, the standard has been there. So along with the pressure of “saving” the DC cinematic franchise and establishing itself amongst a very(!) crowded genre, Wonder Woman has to also take on “impossibly representational weight.” The film and titular character do a fantastic job at all three.
The film is an origin story, but before you role your eyes at another one of these superhero origins, Wonder Woman puts a spin on the trope. The opening scene places us in a world that has just witnessed the events detailed in Batman v. Superman, and Diana “Prince” has returned to her work as curator of ancient artifacts at the Louvre. As we watch the scene unfold we hear Diana solemnly reflect upon her disappointment in the World of humans and her apprehension over saving a planet where beauty and destruction co-exist. She used to want to save the world, now she is unsure if the world should be saved: “I learnt this the hard way, a long time ago.” In the spirit of reminiscence, she receives the original copy of an old photo from the WWI archives (which we have already seen in BvS) from a friend” in Wayne Enterprises. It’s the photo that triggers Diana to replay the events of a time long ago.
We are taken as far back as Diana’s childhood in the beautifully designed and shot Themyscira, home of the Amazons. Here we learn of their origin as well as the origin of humankind and the plight which they all suffer: war and violence instigated by none other than the god of war himself, Ares. Once Ares is destroyed, the world will be liberated from the bondages of fear and war, or so Diana thinks. After the unexpected arrival of a U.S. pilot, Steve Trevor, and his talk of a war that will end all wars, it becomes clear to all the Amazons that Diana must go. So she leaves Thymyscira to go into “Man’s world,” to fulfill her purpose, defeat Ares and save the world.
However, the disparities between her sense of justice and community and that of humankind’s bruises her optimism and pokes holes in her simple narrative. She’s perplexed by the patriarchy Etta deals with, disgusted by the Powerful’s disregard of the sanctity of life of those who are “less important,” and shocked to hear that even some of the “good people” are culpable of crimes of violence (Diana’s conversation with Chief, a Native American, about the tragedy his people suffered under Steve Trevor’s people being a poignant example). By the third act, she must decide who she’ll be and what she’ll do with a deeper sense of self and human nature.
Wonder Woman is one of the more rewarding origin stories the genre has given. Framed as recollection and not as a simple linear story line, we don’t just get to know how Diana became the heroine we know and love, but we get to rediscover with her why she chooses to champion justice for the world and how she is able to see beauty and goodness when brokenness and evil are so prevalent. It’s not just a journey we watch unfold, but it’s a journey we join.
For being a 2 ½ hours long, the film keeps a good pace for the most part. When the plot slows down, we are compensated with meaningful character development and some tender shots, as in the village party. When the story gets action-heavy and CGI constructed, we have enough story and character motivation to interpret the meaning behind the punches, explosions, and screams. With that said, the action sequences didn’t feel as hollow and bombastic as most usually do in this genre. There was always an element of symbolic significance to the fights. When Diana, steps out of the trenches, the scene represents not only a princess warrior kicking ass; she steps out into No Man’s Land because no man is concerned with risking himself to see an oppressed people restored to their land, but she is willing. With the intention of liberating the villagers, Wonder Woman also represents the audacity, power, wisdom, and passion of women: this sequence brought me to tears both times I watched it.
This tonal change to the action and heroism in the comic book film genre is true to the source material’s portrayal of action and justice. Along with fighting against evil, Wonder Woman was also concerned with diplomacy and the restorative transformation of her enemies to the good humans she believes they can be. It’s more than just about the good people winning, but more importantly about the beliefs of peace, justice, and love living on in humanity. This is why, for Wonder Woman, “only love can truly save the world.” The character stands tall under the ideological and artistic weight she must carry, and the film sets the bar high for the superhero subgenre.
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