Film Summary DCCLXXII (Wonder Woman 1984)

 


Well this has quite the little surprise.

So I went into this movie with no prior knowledge of any of the other DC live-action films that have come out within the last 15 years. No Batman v Superman no Captain Marvel (or Shazam, whatever they're calling it). I didn't even see the last Wonder Woman film. 

Completely cold turkey. 

And you know, I kind of enjoyed it. 

It has this silly Richard Donner energy to it. 
Like the way the original Superman movie was. 
It doesn't have the heart of that film, it doesn't even have the dazzling special effects. 
This movie looks oddly cheap for some weird reason. 
I think a lot of its down to lighting but maybe it's just the computer software. 

But you know, I just don't care about special effects anymore. 
All these modern superhero movies look like this. It could be Iron Man, it could be the Hulk or that Super 8 movie. 
It all comes off looking the same. 
You want to impress me. Put the actress who played Donna Troy on a poly-wire system and fly her around like Christopher Reeve.

The story revolves around a magic Rock which has the wish-granting powers of an old-school Genie. Who gives you anything you want but with a price. 
This failing businessman takes possession of the stone and thus turns himself into the stone* so that he can grant wishes and keep himself in continuous power. 
Donna Troy at some point has stop the man from destroying the world but not before she has a lackluster romance with her reincarnated boyfriend. 
Who came about because of plot conveniences wishing. 

The film is at its best when the action scenes start up. They're not really that good half the time. In fact they're so ludicrously over-the-top and silly that they become entertaining in their own unique way.

There are moments in this film that honestly gave me Batman (1966) vibes. 
And it's kind of great. 
If the runtime was cut down by about 30 minutes I think it would work out a heck of a lot more. 
As it is, it's a little too long. 

The first half isn't all that engaging. But the second half makes up for that in spades.
There's even a lady that turns into a cat woman. A literal cat woman will eventually fights Troy for kicks. 
I know she's a real character from the original Comics but I can't remember her name. 
In fact this whole movie gives me Catwoman vibes. Both the Batman Returns film and the Catwoman movie with Halle Berry from the early 2000s. 

In some ways I wish it leans more into the cheesecake and just became a complete comedy of a film poking fun and enjoying itself. 
I mean it's a comic book film. Have a little fun with it all. 

I wonder how many people took this movie to seriously and disliked it because it wasn't coherent enough or was kind of nonsensical. 
They're watching a movie about a magic Amazon woman with a lasso of Truth. Maybe you shouldn't take it too seriously.

Get together with a group of friends, get yourself a couple of beers or wines (or maybe hookah if you're not into alcohol) Sit down and have yourself a fun time.

*That businessman is really lucky that the stone transferred its power in to him. And didn't just turn him into a new rock. If I was a god of deception and I created a magic Genie Rock that's all I would do. 

** The cat lady gets this ridiculous Spike coat as she's turning evil and she starts putting on extra thick eyeliner and Foundation. It's freaking great. What a style

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