Our world is a very different place than it was in 2016 when Gal Gadot first appeared in the role of Wonder Woman. By the time her solo films arrived the year after, it provided the flailing DC's Extended Universe with the shot of adrenaline it so desperately needed, and the world with a new hero driven by hope, courage and power to cling to. Now that the DCEU finds itself in a stronger position, but our actual world darker than ever, the frequently-delayed sequel prepares to deliver the same positive message while continuing the movie universe's robust streak of films with Wonder Woman as the face of DC.
In 1984, decades after the events of the previous film, Diana Prince fights crime while trying to maintain some anonymity. When she comes into contact with a mysterious Dreamstone, she wishes for her deceased lover to return. But when it falls into corrupt hands and greed takes over, the stone's powers become more dangerous and easily manipulated. Patty Jenkins, Gal Gadot and Chris Pine all return alongside franchise newcomers Kristen Wiig and Pedro Pascal as audience clamour for new blockbuster material.
Wonder Woman 1984 is, devastatingly, one of the most disappointing blockbusters in some time. An overlong, unnecessarily convoluted yet surprisingly inconsequential sequel that offers little character growth or narrative development, the sequel fails to follow in the remarkable footsteps of its predecessor. Although it may be tempting to chalk this one up to just falling short of the months upon months of anticipation - it was originally intended to release last December, then delayed until June before being kicked around as a result of the pandemic - the reality is that Wonder Woman 1984 is simply a poorly-made, lacklustre film.
It's hard to say exactly what went wrong but a combination of mishandled elements make it the genuinely disheartening misfire it is. Patty Jenkins has proven her ability to handle the big set pieces in the past, but the direction of the action in 1984 leaves a lot to be desired. With weak CGI and haphazard editing removing the rhythm that gives the defining moments the spark of energy and wow-factor they need, it feels surprisingly amateur and unfinished - in fact, it feels rushed, rather ironic considering that it has been sat on the shelf for months while Warner Bros have formulated a plan for their film slate. For this spectacle to be missing when experienced on the big screen (as I did), it's more than concerning that a smaller streaming screen will be the way this is consumed by the majority of audiences following its domestic move to HBO Max.
At 151 minutes, its runtime may be its biggest flaw. Penned by Jenkins, Geoff Johns and David Callaham, the disjointed story bloats the film and prevents themes, ideas and characters from being explored with the depth they needed to be. It neither progresses the overall wider story nor creates any compelling moments (at least outside of one villain) that make it appear memorable or worthwhile, lacking an understanding of how to juggle the numerous plates it's spinning at any given time. And whilst there always needs to be a suspension of disbelief in films like this, the lapses in logic are distracting and too difficult to overlook at times.
Where Wonder Woman 1984 thrives is with its cast. Gadot continues to embody Diana tremendously; she's not the strongest actor out there, and the emotional moments here are a bit too much of a stretch, but she carries throughout the film an intense conviction that feels so authentic to both Diana and Wonder Woman. Charming her way through the bloated runtime, Gadot really buoys Wonder Woman 1984 which, alongside her chemistry with the playful Chris Pine, cuts through the density of the plot to wonderful relief.
But it is Kristen Wiig who steals the show, despite being under-utilised; her Barbara Minerva is such a promising vessel to explore socially-relevant ideas such as women comparing themselves to others, the "perfect" life and our projected aspirations growing out of fear and self-loathing. While the film touches upon them in its brighter moments, it can sometimes seem lost as the Pedro Pascal's pantomime Maxwell Lord takes centre stage, undermining the character work that bubbles under the surface but never completely comes to fruition. As the superior, layered and complex villain of the piece, it's mightily disappointing that Wiig's Cheetah is sidelined as she is, but when she does have material to sink her teeth into, her strength as an actor who can marry comedy into drama before skillfully shifting gears into something deeper is a joy to witness.
Despite being a big-budgeted extravaganza with so much resting on its shoulders, 2017's Wonder Woman largely avoided the blockbuster cynicism that sank many-a-superhero; unfortunately, said machinery swallows Wonder Woman 1984 whole. It is not a series beyond salvation, but it is certainly a misstep that puts the universe's future on unsteady footing, not once coming close to reaching the heights of its predecessor - the euphoria of the No Man's Land sequences and the pure emotion of a final goodbye are a distant memory now.
On a personal level, perhaps this year has jaded me a little too much to find Wonder Woman 1984 the refreshing tonic so many have. The optimism in its closing scenes is misplaced if it's supposed to resonate with a society who are refusing to follow life-saving advice, such as wearing face masks and focusing on the greater good, leading to a too neat, too tidy and altogether too unrecognisable finale for a film otherwise messy beyond belief. While you have to admire a film with such an earnest outlook, my dwindling passion for a franchise and its characters, matched with my increasing frustration at my own disappointed, had sealed its fate by then, and my rose-coloured glasses were discarded at least an hour prior. If the film had asked for my wish, it would be that Wonder Woman 1984 was as good as it could have been.
Summary: Wonder Woman 1984 is, devastatingly, one of the most disappointing blockbusters in some time. Despite a great cast and a standout Kristen Wiig, they cannot salvage an overlong, unnecessarily convoluted and surprisingly inconsequential sequel that can't escape a blockbuster cynicism.