Gal Gadot makes her mark in the latest DC Extended Universe live action film Wonder Woman. The film is based on the comic book series created by William Moulton Marston.
**SPOILER ALERT** – Unless you have seen Wonder Woman on either the big screen or on DVD, you might want to wait to read this until after you have watched the film.
At the impressionable age of 4, my mother sat me down in front of the tv so she could make lunch in the kitchen and little did I know, that was something that would leave a lasting impression in my life. You see, on the tv was a sweet woman named Diana Prince who with just one spin and a blast of light turned into the Amazonian warrior Wonder Woman.
Lynda Carter (right) was very influential in bringing about strength and inspired young girls to be strong. Gadot is doing the same for a new generation.
Even at that young age, I thought she was amazing and strong. She made a little girl think that she can be strong and fight the bad guys. I was 4 though, the most I could do was toss paste or building blocks at them. Not to take away from the other DC Comic heroines, but it was Wonder Woman who brought inspiration to young girls and young women around the world over the years. With that being said, it comes to no surprise that when it was announced she would finally get her own featured length film, it would become one of the most highly anticipated films in cinematic history. For many comic book collectors and fans such as myself, this was a long time coming. It couldn’t have come at a better time, especially considering the current state of affairs this country is in; the world for that matter.
I was one of the lifelong fans who viewed the film on the big screen and found it to be very well put together. I will admit before seeing the movie, I wasn’t too keen on Connie Nielsen being Diana’s mother Hippolyta. Don’t misunderstand what I’m saying, Connie is a great actress; she just wouldn’t have been my first choice. However, after seeing her performance, she presented the Queen of Themyscira as someone who is not only loving to her Queendom but also assertive and protective. Mostly to her daughter who has been bestowed such a power given to her by Zeus himself.
Connie Nielsen as the Hippolyta, Queen of Themyscira, with Lilly Aspell as the young Princess Diana.
Gal Gadot had been given what can be considered the superhero role of a lifetime as, in my opinion, the first lady of DC Comics. She presented Diana as someone who not only has a heart but also the determination to be a strong and formidable fighter. She brings about strength and courage that she at such an early age; Diana was more than eager to becoming one of the strong defenders of her land. She brought about innocence and strength to the role.
Gadot’s appearance in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice made for great transition to her film as well as The Justice League film which is being release on November 17, 2017.
Her introduction to the big screen was appearing alongside Ben Affleck & Henry Cavill in Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice; the battle with Doomsday would solidify her mark as a contender in the superhero film genre dominated by men. She entered the scene with that now iconic theme music and was a true force for these two superhero titans and the horrendous creature that Lex Luthor created. I knew then her film was going to be epic; it was that and more.
Emily Carey portrays the teenage Diana that grows to be the skillfully & strong warrior with a heart (Gadot).
The origin of Diana’s story shows how as the little princess, she had a fire inside of her; the ambition to save and protect mankind. This feeling of determination to achieve this grand act grew stronger as she got older; that proved very evident during her last training session with her Aunt Antiope (played by Golden Globe winner Robin Wright) and the other warriors of Themyscira. She is true to the sworn duty of The Amazons – to defend the world.
Two of the many Themysciraians that trained Diana to be the fighter she is were Antiope (Wright) & Artemis (Former Boxing Champion Ann Wolfe)
And defend them she did…
While Gadot displayed great fighting skills as the fearless DC Comic character, she was 5 months pregnant at the time.
Wonder Woman provided some of the most amazing fight sequences on film that are on the worthy level of Thor & Logan. We can start with when Captain Steve Trevor, played by Chris Pine, entered their Queendom while trying to escape the threat of German soldiers. We would see these brave and skillful women execute their moves; the sweetest being Antiope taking out three soldiers with the swift use of her bow and arrows. There was the failed ambush in one of the alleys in London after Diana’s makeover; those men had no clue what they got themselves into. They underestimated this poised woman, thinking she had to be incapable in defending herself. Word to the wise guys – look beyond the surface. The best sequence however was when she was fighting against the German soldiers at No Man’s Land. It was most epic when she entered one of the rooms with a knee slide; epic indeed. The powerful last move was on the sniper in the abandoned church was magnificently well orchestrated. Some of her fighting moves were reminiscent to those that were made in the STARZ Original Series Spartacus.
The movie wouldn’t be complete without the Lasso of Truth.
After the first meeting of Captain Trevor and the unexpected battle with the German soldiers, we would see the infamous Lasso of Truth. It would be safe to say that it’s very much needed right about now. The way she whipped out that rope after defeating those alley goons, it shows how Catwoman was given her whip action. Can you imagine the things the current Commander in Chief would say with that wrapped around his wrist? He’s already saying some outlandish things; that lasso would multiply that by 20 at the least.
One thing we can be sure about action films – there’s always room for a little humor. These three scenarios are a great example.
Wonder Woman shows us that with all the war and chaos there is some room for humor. And how good is a superhero film without a little humor right? The conversations alone between Diana and Steve about what would be considered “above average” and the act of how she eloquently put it “pleasures of the flesh” are ones designed for a bit of a laugh; as well as the awkward sleeping arrangements on the ship. Captain Trevor’s secretary Etta (Lucy Davis – UK’s The Office, Better Things) offers a sunny disposition with her interactions with Diana, as well as her ability to show she is as intelligent as she is bubbly. Sameer’s (Saïd Taghmaoui – American Hustle, First Light) instant fascination upon meeting her proves that no matter the timeframe, when you meet an incredibly beautiful woman, the machismo emerges.
When Steve offers to update Diana’s wardrobe so she blends in well with London’s society, may remind you of the shopping experience Julia Roberts had in Pretty Woman; except for… well you know. When she walked out of the dressing room in the final ensemble, not only did it take Steve’s breath away, he thought up a finalized detail. This detail is thought of to be a nod to a fellow superhero who is just as extraordinary.
The glasses given to Diana by Steve Trevor gives her a look that is meant to pay homage to fellow hero Superman’s alias Clark Kent.
There were some very formidable adversaries in this story played by top caliber actors.
General Erich Ludendorff – Danny Huston (Big Eyes, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Magic City)
Danny Huston is one of may actors who can portray a very convincing villain. Side note: The General is an actual person in history.
Huston has made his way into the DC Extended Universe playing yet another antagonist in the form or The General. He wishes to not only be a mastermind in the war but the most feared. He’s not going at this goal alone, he had a bit of help from a maniacal source.
Dr. Maru aka Dr. Poison – Elena Anaya (The Infiltrator, The Summit, Talk to Her)
Dr. Poison was so diabolical, she tested her experiments on her. Hence the mask on her face,
Isn’t it interesting how the villain has a deformity of some kind and a sharp mind to go with it? Dr. Poison fits that bill. She is an intelligent chemist who drives to push the threshold of what it would take to not only defeat the opposing side with dangerous gases and it seems enable Ludendorff’s habit of a deadly high that enhances his level of strength. She has even tested her concoctions on herself; hence having the Phantom of the Opera type mask on her face. There’s no such thing as testing the limit with someone known as Dr. Poison.
Sir Patrick Morgan – David Thewlis (Regression, The Harry Potter Franchise, The Zero Theorem)
Thewlin reminds us of his skillful range as an actor as the mysterious peacemaker Sir Patrick.
Many may remember Thewlis as Professor Lupin in the Harry Potter films. In Wonder Woman, he plays a peace speaker named Sir Patrick Morgan who in truth is more than what is being presented.
All this amazement was directed by one Patty Jenkins, who thanks to this project, became the first woman to direct a superhero film as well as having the biggest domestic opening of all time. It seems like a well fit opportunity, a woman directing such a movie that is led by a woman. In an interview, she expressed her admiration of this legendary comic book character. This was truly expressed in the finished product that became a blockbuster film with the Rotten Tomatoes rating of 92%; the highest for a superhero movie.
(L-R) Director Patty Jenkins, Chris Pine, Gadot & Nielsen at the San Diego Comic Con
Not everyone was so complimentary to what Patty wonderfully directed. There is always one…no matter what.
Academy Award winning director James Cameron decided to take upon himself to think before he speaks. Variety magazine reported that during an interview with The Guardian in August, he felt that the film shows Wonder Woman as “an objectified icon” and that the film is “a step backwards”. He would go on to compare his heroine characters Sara Conner of The Terminator and Ripley of the Alien films strength and troubled personas garner respect from the audience. Surprisingly though, Cameron had some female backup. Former Playboy writer Susannah Breslin viewed Wonder Woman as “a Playmate with a lasso” and “female power with no balls”.
Lynda Carter, who portrayed the legendary comic book hero in the 1970’s addressed Cameron’s feelings toward the box office hit on social media:
“To James Cameron -STOP dissing WW: You poor soul. Perhaps you do not understand the character. I most certainly do. Like all women–we are more than the sum of our parts.” “Your thuggish jabs at a brilliant director, Patty Jenkins, are ill advised. This movie was spot on. Gal Gadot was great. I know, Mr. Cameron–because I have embodied this character for more than 40 years. So–STOP IT.”
Jenkins hoped to have original actors Lyle Waggoner & Lynda Carter (Top l-r) make cameo appearances. Unfortunately, Waggoner retired from acting in 2005 & Carter experienced scheduling conflicts.
Jenkins herself responded with the following published statement on Twitter:
“James Cameron’s inability to understand what Wonder Woman is, or stands for, to women all over the world is unsurprising as, though he is a great filmmaker, he is not a woman. Strong women are great. His praise of my film Monster, and our portrayal of a strong yet damaged woman was so appreciated. But if women must always be hard, tough and troubled to be strong, and we aren’t free to be multidimensional or celebrate an icon of women everywhere because she is attractive and loving, then we haven’t come very far have we.”
Gadot, Jenkins & Pine have a laugh in between takes of the great alley fight scene.
What Mr. Cameron needs to understand is that there is more than one form of a female superhero and yes, she can be beautiful as well. His comments can be perceived as in order to be strong and formidable she should have a troubled past and have nothing more than grit. It’s apparent that he isn’t someone who has or would follow the story of Wonder Woman. She is daughter of the Greek God Zeus and Amazonian Queen Hippolyta; the former being a mythical Greek God. If you followed the story you would see that Patty Jenkins did an awesome job as the director of this record breaking film; just as she did with Monster.
One would think that with his mindset, a woman directing a film of this magnitude shouldn’t have happened. Maybe he wishes he was the one chosen as director or another man all together. Just because you’ve written and directed Academy Award winning & box office smashes doesn’t make you the foremost authority in filmmaking. That’s privilege reserved for someone like Spielberg or Lucas; I’m sure they wouldn’t feel so threatened by Patty. We mustn’t forget though; this envious vibe is coming from someone who lost the Oscar to ex-wife#1 Kathryn Bigelow – a woman.
Diana (center) with her comrades after the battle in No Man’s Land. (l-r) Sameer (Thaghmaoui), Steve (Pine), Chief Napi (Eugene Brave Rock) and Charlie (Ewen Bremner)
What needs to be understood is that in today’s day in age of film there is room for success for both men & women; Cameron should accept that. This was an empowering film that, believe it or not, is very much needed right now. If Wonder Woman were in our world now, the possibilities are endless.
With directors like Penny Marshall, Nancy Meyers, Amy Heckerling and Nora Ephron, we may not have had the pleasure of seeing the works of Patty Jenkins. And because of success with films like Monster & Wonder Woman, another door will open for more of an interest in women directors. They are becoming a stronger force in the industry causing men like Cameron to figuratively shake in their boots and with good reason. I for one look forward to more women directors taking the helm for live action comic book films in the future. Either step up your game guys or step aside; let a woman run things for once.
Wonder Women Gal Gadot & Lyda Carter and the Wonder Woman premiere at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood
On a personal note…
Of all the pieces I have written for my blog, this one is most important. Every writer has a process to complete an article. The brainstorming, the rough drafts, the editing and proofreading. I use this process and more; I wanted to make sure this was done right and honor a great character who has been my lifelong favorite superhero. Personally, what Wonder Woman has defined for me, is that you can be strong yet vulnerable. Beautiful and smart. Loving and protecting. She’s now teaching a new generation of little girls and young women these qualities; my Mother presented that to me as well.
I dedicate this article in loving memory to the woman who brought this superhero in to the life of that four-year-old girl. I carried that feeling with me when I went to see the film on the big screen. I’d like to think she was with me in the theater; at least watching over me as I looked on with excitement.
This one is for you…Mom
That’s my opinion & everyone is entitled to one.
T. S. Jones
Moonchyld's Entertainment 