HAZED RECOMMENDS WONDER WOMAN
by Hazed
I’m a big fan of superhero films. Ever since Iron Man blasted onto the silver screen in 2008 I have looked forward to each year’s new blockbuster superhero movie – and by and large I haven’t been disappointed.
But one thing was missing from all those films. Where were the female superheroes? With the exception of Black Widow, one of the Avengers but not a very prominent one, all the heroes were men.
Until Wonder Woman. Following a cameo role in last year’s dreadful Batman v Superman (in which she was most definitely the best thing), Wonder Woman now has her own film. And it’s the business.
The film is the origin story for the superhero. Princess Diana lives with an Amazonian tribe on a hidden island for thousands of years. Then during the First World War, an American spy crashlands a plane in the waters off the island, and Diana is drawn into the conflict. She leaves the island with the intention of finding and destroying the god Ares, who she thinks is the cause of mankind’s wars. Taking on the name Diana Prince, she has to deal with the male-dominated world as she embarks on her mission and finds her powers.
It is so refreshing to see a strong, kick-ass woman as the centre of the film. The biggest male role is that of the American spy, played by Chris Pine, and he’s very much the side-kick. He is the Lois Lane to her Clark Kent. No wonder stupid alt-right whiny manbabies are upset!
The film is directed by a woman, and that makes a huge difference as well. At no point does the camera linger on Diana’s butt, or her boobs. Instead, we see close-ups of her rippling thigh muscles as she lands after a massive jump, and her strong shoulders and arms as she fights. Despite the skimpy outfit, this heroine is not sexualised. She is celebrated for what she can do, not what she looks like.
As a character, Wonder Woman is colourful and bold, and she stands out against the drab horrors of the battlefield and the grey, restricted world of early 20th century life.
The film has an entertaining and absorbing plot, plenty of action sequences and a good sprinkling of humour – everything a good blockbuster movie needs.
After the last two decidedly dreadful films from DC, Wonder Woman really is a breath of fresh air. I thoroughly recommend it.
