Stellar origin story works to give Warner Bros its first true hit
Before the release of Wonder Woman, Warner Bros. Studios and DC entertainment were in a bit of a rut. The 2016 critical flop Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice began the DC Expanded Universe, DCEU, on a bit of a low note, with its rushed plot and boring characters. Fans were excited to see a fresh new take on the superhero genre later that year with Suicide Squad, but were once again let down by the muddled story and confusing nature of the film. Although these films did have mild commercial success, fans and critics were growing tired of DC's attempts to emulate the success of Disney's Marvel Cinematic Universe. Thankfully, Wonder Woman sidesteps the last two films' flaws to deliver an entertaining and action-packed origin to the famous heroine.
Even behind the camera, Wonder Woman looks to defy expectations and shake up the superhero movie formula. With a female director, Patty Jenkins, at the helm and a superpowered woman as the star, Wonder Woman seeks to empower girls of all ages with the story of Diana, a powerful Amazon princess who finds a soldier, played by Chris Pine, after his plane crashes off the coast of her island, Themyscira. Watching Diana undergo the trials to become the Wonder Woman is entertaining and inspirational, which makes the many action set-pieces also carry an emotional weight on top of the usual excitement. Overall, Wonder Woman acts as a wonderful origin story that successfully kicks off the story of the amazing amazon and the gods that give her her power.