WONDER WOMAN 1984
US, 2020, 151 minutes, Colour.
Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Kristin Wiig, Pedro Pascal, Robin Wright, Connie Neilson, Lily Aspell.
Directed by Patty Jenkins.
If you get the chance to see the small independent movie of 2017, Professor Marston and the Wonder Women, the story of the creation of the superhero and the eccentric creator, his psychology, private life, publicity and motivations, it provides an interesting introduction to Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman and the sequel, Wonder Woman 1984.
Wonder Woman looks back into origins, back into the culture of the Amazons, the warrior women, their independence, their wisdom – and the mission of Diana to go into the future to right wrongs. And her meeting with Steve Trevor, sharing action, and his death.
This is all presupposed here, of course, although there is a fine prologue back with the Amazons, the young Diana in an “Iron Woman� competition, physical, exercise, gymnastics, every sport talent, spectacularly photographed, but teaching her a lesson about not cutting corners, being honest, always promoting the truth.
And then she is in 1984, a glamorous and sophisticated woman of the 20th century world, living alone, working in archaeology in Washington. Gal Gadot made a great impression in the first film and continues to make it, a striking presence.
The audience is introduced to a television personality who encourages people to pursue what they want and get it. This is the moment to make a comment about this character who preoccupied this reviewer throughout the film – he looks like a young Donald Trump, sounds like Trump on television, buzzwords and cliches, has built an empire financially but has failed in his business, indulges in fraud and eliminating opposition, wants to be all-powerful and finds the means, confronting authorities and doing takeovers everywhere, including challenging the President of the United States! Did the filmmakers actually intend to make this parallel? Anyway, Pedro Pascal makes a convincing villain in a kind of Trump mode. Max Lord.
Lord’s philosophy of selfishness and self-centredness is shown wreaking chaos in a mall, including a robbery in a jewellery store – which evokes Diana’s response and she goes into action as Wonder Woman, enthusing us all with her action skills.
Then, there is a drama and no action or fights for about an hour’s running time. This gives us the opportunity to get to know Diana, meet a mousey fellow worker at the Smithsonian, Barbara Minerva, played by Kristin Wiig. And then, the connection with Max Lord, who makes a huge donation (from funds he does not have) and purloins one of the antiquities which has the power to grant people’s wishes. He, of course, has no limit to his wishes and pursues them fully. However, Barbara wishes, after she gets to know and like Diana, to be like her. Diana has some wishful thinking about Steve coming back again.
Wishes are fulfilled. Steve (Chris Pine genial as before) comes back, is in awe of the 1980s, gets a chance to fly a plane (in the middle of a huge fireworks display), rekindle his love for Diana, help her in her combating tanks and photos on the highways and deserts of Egypt.
Barbara’s wish is fulfilled. No longer mousey, she is popular, gaining strength and confidence, style. She supports Lord and makes another wish, to be an ‘apex predator’, Cheetah.
Which puts us on the way then to some final confrontations. Wonder Woman and her exploits in the Egyptian desert. Confrontations with the envious Barbara/Cheetah and fights with her. Building up to an atmosphere of world chaos, the American President handing matters over to Lord, his ability to destroy the world – but a final confrontation with Wonder Woman. And the question: is his final decision Trump -like?
The release of Wonder Woman 1984 was held up by coronavirus – its action will do something to satisfy those who spent 2020 longing for superhero action.
1. Status of DC comics, film versions? Over the years? Wonder Woman and television (and the final credits appearance of Lynda Carter)?
2. The first film, establishing Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman? The detailed background of the life of the Amazons? The warrior women? Competitive? Wisdom? Diana and her mission, her mentors, the encounter with Steve, the collaboration, his death? This sequel presupposing the first film?
3. The return to the Amazon, the elaborate scenery, buildings, mountains and the sea, the amphitheatre? The activity of the women, competitive, the extraordinaire agility, acrobatics? The issue of whether to win or not? No cheating? The overall importance of the truth? The wise advisers to Diana in the Amazon on kingdom?
4. The choice of 1984, memories of George Orwell, disastrous expectations for the world?
5. Gal Gadot as Diana, her appearance, striking beauty, skills and agility? Diana as a 21st-century woman? Sophisticated, manner and poise, style, living alone, her work as archaeologist, yet her powers but keeping them quiet?
6. The end introduction of Max Lord, his TV appearances, telling people that they could get whatever they wanted, the hedonistic philosophy, self-centred, as exemplified by the public, the fights, rivalries, selfishness? The robbery of the mall, the chase, the thieves, their behaviour? Wonder Woman arriving, her lasso, the pursuit, the stunt work, introducing the active hero adventures, tying up the thieves, falling on top of the car? The secrecy with the child?
7. Barbara, mousy, being ignored, not appreciated, her work, the FBI job? Meeting Diana and the effect? The discussions, the expertise, going to the meal, communicating, Barbara walking home, the predator, saved by Diana? (And the predator later attacking her and her dealing with him?)
8. Max Lord, his business, oil, his swindles, dealing with Stagg, exposed as fraud? His relationship with his son and appearing as a loser before his son, trying to defend himself? The big donation, his access to the Smithsonian, Barbara giving him the tour? His knowledge about stones and wishes? His stealing the rock, Barbara saying it had been lent? The issue of wishes? His wanting to become the stone itself and his achievement? Barbara wanting to be like Diana? The business swindles, the empty office, his wish for more accountants, his confronting Stagg and Stagg ousted? Going to Egypt, confronting the Sheik, the takeover, getting the land – building the huge wall, separating people from the water?
9. Barbara, the gradual change, popularity in the office, Diana and her wondering, suspicious?
10. Diana, going to the social for Max Lord, the glamour, the men, the encounter with Steve, her wish, his reappearance, love, their sharing together, the wonders of the city and inventions in 1984, the comedy about what clothes to wear, the taking of the plane, his discovering radar? Flying to Egypt?
11. Going to Egypt, the interlude with the fireworks and the sky? Getting the taxi, meeting the convoy, the action, the tanks, Diana becoming Wonder Woman, the fights and activities? Steve and his helping? Steve and his having to go?
12. The US president, Max Lord invading, the advisers, the confrontation, the president and his wish, nuclear warheads, the advisers, the ensuing mayhem?
13. Lord on television, urging people to wish for what they want? The range of wishes, for people to drop dead, looting and possessions, the ensuing chaos?
14. Barbara, in the plane with Lord, Barbara shielding him? Barbara and her further wishes? Apex predator? Becoming Cheetah? Address, going to socials, the impact? The meeting with Diana, their talk, the range of battles between them, the cosmic battle, Diana drowning Cheetah, her surviving?
15. Diana, giving up Steve, continuing on her mission?
16. The confrontation between Lord and Diana, the fight, her pleas, his being in the container been, the issue of his son, his actually making a moral decision, being saved?
17. Peace restored, ordinary life, Diana meeting the man wearing the clothes like Steve?
18. Max Lord as looking like a young Donald Trump, ambitions, building himself up, television presence and slogans, taking power, stealing, his business failures and collapse, his wishes rather than his own talent and his achievement, the building of the wall in Egypts separating peoples, confronting the president, becoming president, world power and madness? (His finally relenting and choosing his son?)
