Wonder Woman 1984

Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal, Robin Wright, Connie Nielsen

Director: Patty Jenkins

Based on characters created by William Moulton Marston.

When she isn’t working her day job as an anthropologist at the Smithsonian, Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) has established the reputation of keeping the streets of DC free of crime as Wonder Woman. After stopping what appears to be a routine jewelry store robbery, her department is tasked with examining several items that were found at the scene of the crime. Along with the shy and nerdy Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig), a shy and nervous coworker who idolizes Diana, she discovers a stone with an ancient Latin inscription stating that it will grant its holder their one true desire. Both Diana and Barbara inadvertently state their desires: for Diana it would be to have the love of her life Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) back, while for Barbara it would be to be more like Diana. Meanwhile, businessman and TV personality Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal) desires the crystal as well, seducing a suddenly confident and strong Barbara to get what he wants. As Diana tries to investigate Lord's mysterious motives, her world is turned upside when she discovers her desire came true and Steve has returned to her. Diana must reconcile this sudden new development while attempting to stop Maxwell, whose acquisition of the stone and thirst for power could prove catastrophic.

With 2017’s Wonder Woman, not only did DC and director Patty Jenkins have a global smash on their hands but they singlehandedly saved the mess that was the DCEU and established Wonder Woman’s status as the flagship of the superhero universe. Since then, fans have been waiting in eager anticipation for this sequel, which brought back Jenkins in a much more hands on role behind the camera.

I’m very torn about this film. On one hand, Gal Gadot continues to impress in the lead role and even when the plot goes off the rails she brings a humanity and winning earnestness to Diana. And despite how it ultimately happens, Pine’s return to the franchise injects a lot of life into the proceedings and it's clear he is having a blast with the film's 80s aesthetic. Ditto Pedro Pascal, who is having the time of his life as the over the top, scenery chewing villain. I’m sure I’ll be in the minority here but I also enjoyed Kristen Wiig as well, with her Barbara Minerva eventually becoming the film's secondary villain.

The reason I find myself conflicted comes down to some important plot points. Where the film will most likely lose people will be the stone that grants your desires and its role in bringing back Steve Trevor. I remember when the trailer came out, people were surprised to see Steve Trevor back and speculation hit the internet with reckless abandon trying to figure out how it was possible. This was the best they could come up with? I applaud Jenkins for swinging for the fences in a plot that feels gloriously ripped from a bad 80’s superhero movie, but it is too cheesy for its own good and goes against the more realistic tone she set up in the first film. And while the climactic fight feels more organic here than it did in the first film, there is a strongly anticlimactic feel with a few characters either getting an unearned payoff or no payoff at all. The movie is quite long, clocking in at around two and a half hours so I am wondering if some characters' endings were left on the cutting room floor.

Bonkers plot aside, the film has an infectious energy thanks to Jenkins and team fully embracing the 80s vibe. Jenkins has infused the film with a bright and colorful palette and peppered the film with some fun action scenes that expand on Wonder Woman's powers. There is no doubt this series wouldn’t have been as successful without Jenkins (and Gadot for that matter) and I hope they both continue their involvement in bringing Diana Prince to the big screen. Both women understand the character (I shudder to think what these movies would have looked like if Snyder or another male director had tackled the material) and has been instrumental in why the character has been able to reach a brand new and modern audience.

While it is hard not to feel underwhelmed due to its anticlimactic ending, it’s still one of the better entries in the DCEU. The plot is nuts and is earnest almost to a fault but once you settle in, it’s hard to not be entertained.

Grade: C+

Wonder Woman 1984 is available in theaters as well as HBOMax