Film Name:神奇女俠 / Wonder Woman
[Note: This article contains minor spoilers.]
“Wonder Woman” hit theaters on June 2nd. After being bombarded by so much pre-release hype, I couldn’t resist seeing it on opening day (still haven’t caught up on “House of Cards”). My takeaway: It’s great—truly top-tier among superhero blockbusters of its kind. Considering it’s part of the DCEU series, this film genuinely lives up to all the praise. Its most valuable quality? Its sense of innocence.
I’m neither a DC nor Marvel diehard, nor can I claim to be a fan of either franchise—I simply enjoy watching blockbusters. In that sense, I might miss out on some of the fun… But what makes Wonder Woman great is that it stands as a relatively self-contained story. It doesn’t rely on countless inside jokes that only diehard fans would get, which might turn off casual viewers. Even if you only have a basic understanding of the background, it doesn’t detract from the viewing pleasure.
In that sense, we should thank Patty Jenkins for directing the film, while Zack Snyder stepped back to serve as producer and screenwriter (the latter has a very distinct “style” that I dislike more than I like).
Speaking of Wonder Woman, her last big-screen appearance was a brief yet memorable cameo in last year’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Despite limited screen time, Diana’s stunning looks, formidable strength, and commanding presence won over countless fans, paving the way for her standalone film.
However, if this were merely a story about a beautiful fighter, the film would never have received its current acclaim. Those who’ve seen it likely agree that Diana’s perceptions, reactions, and attitudes toward the mundane human world are profoundly intriguing—and I believe this is the film’s greatest strength and highlight.
To elaborate further, tales of love and hate, good and evil, never grow stale. As long as they’re well-told, audiences will always embrace them—for “the greatest truths are simple, and understanding comes naturally,” much like the pure and courageous Diana herself.
The film’s considerable length stems partly from its extensive opening, patiently recounting Diana’s entire coming-of-age story from the beginning. Had Captain Steve not crashed his plane and stumbled onto Paradise Island, Diana might have remained trapped in the Amazon warriors’ utopian world for much longer.
It’s only after Diana follows Steve into the mortal world that the truly thrilling chapters begin.
Having lived in isolation for so long, Diana is filled with fresh curiosity about everything in modern human society—including men. The most immediate result is a series of comedic mishaps: like nonchalantly admitting she’s read twelve “sex manuals,” bluntly calling Steve’s secretary Etta a slave, or charging through a revolving door wielding her shield and sword.
Yet precisely because she was free from mortal conventions and common sense constraints, Diana often spoke with startling clarity. Her words and actions consistently pierced to the heart of matters, exposing the absurd realities of existence. For instance, she lambasted generals for pontificating about “war or peace” in their war rooms instead of leading by example on the front lines…
Diana learned quickly and could do what she believed needed to be done: beyond mere human common sense, her convictions and will were exceptionally clear and unwavering. She could help Steve and Charlie resolve their troubles, and when crossing battlefields, she would brave the fire to “liberate” villages.
Here lies a particularly heartwarming detail: before heading to the front lines, Steve and Diana recruited several allies, though Diana looked down on them all—Samir the theatrical con artist, Charlie the drunken sniper, and the smuggling chieftain…
Especially Charlie. After the village battle, Diana couldn’t help but complain that he was a sniper in name only. But then Samir’s comment, “Everyone has their own battle,” gave her pause.
Steve’s tenderness, combined with each squad member’s unique charm, finally won Diana over. When they set out the next day, she insisted Charlie stay—not because “he’ll prove invaluable in battle someday,” but simply because “he can sing.”
Diana was undoubtedly a straightforward, pure-hearted warrior, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t tell right from wrong. Audiences never tire of witnessing such characters mature and grow.
The true test for Diana—and her primary purpose for coming to Earth—was how to end the war.
Naively, she initially believed that by heading to the fiercest battlefronts, she could find Ares, the “instigator” of the war. Later, she turned her sights on General Ludendorff, who relentlessly sought to prolong the conflict, convinced he was Ares’s incarnation—that killing Ludendorff would instantly end everything…
In Diana’s eyes, ending figures like General Ludendorff and Dr. Isabel Maru would end the war. But this was nothing but a pipe dream—the crushing defeat and despair that followed allowed Ares to exploit her vulnerability.
Naivety exacted its price. Diana became lost and utterly bewildered.
Fortunately, she had Steve. It was he who made her understand the most clichéd yet timeless truth of humanity: humans can be as ugly as they can be beautiful, capable of selfishness, hatred, and cowardice, yet also capable of generosity, compassion, and fearlessness—all depending on what they choose to believe.
And she, because of Steve’s tenderness and courage, chose to believe in love.
Themes like this are ubiquitous in film, television, and animation. Considering this is primarily an action-adventure fantasy blockbuster, conveying such depth is already a success.
Finally, I must say: while actors’ looks certainly offer inherent advantages, their actual contribution to a work remains limited… It’s been ages since I last felt that an actor’s appearance and presence significantly elevated a production (the last time was when Anna Torv stunned me in the first season of “Fringe”)!
This time, I was genuinely captivated by Gal Gadot. It’s not just about her beauty, long legs, and grace—what truly matters is how convincingly she embodies Diana’s essence. Whether portraying innocence and kindness, fierce combat prowess, or profound compassion, she delivers. (This world really is all about looks, w(ﾟДﾟ)w）huh?)。
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