The current status of the DC Cinematic Universe is very much up in the air. With films such as Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad proving to be panned by fans and critics. However films such as Shazam and Birds of Prey proving the more fun a DC film is, the more interesting it is. In between the dark and the light is a hero in red and blue with legs for days. We are of course talking about Wonder Woman. Wonder Woman’s first solo outing proved to be a massive success breaking records all over the world. Wonder Woman is flying back onto our screens in this much anticipated sequel.

Plot Summary

In 1984, Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) is a senior anthropologist at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC. Diana continues to fight crime as Wonder Woman but feels there is something missing in her life. Awkward and stumbling Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig) begins her job at the Smithsonian where she is inspecting a Kryptonian Dreamstone, which grants a wish to anyone who holds it. Maxwell Lord (Pablo Pascal) is looking to acquire the stone and will do anything to get his hands on it.

How Wonder-ful is it?

Wonder Woman makes a triumphant return to our screens. Gal Gadot was born to play this part although her delivery can be questionable at times. Kristen Wiig is the surprise MVP of this film playing what feels like three different characters. Kristen Wiig’s character starts out similar to her character in 2016’s Ghostbusters and as the film goes on she becomes more confident and we see a whole other side to her towards the end of the movie. Pedro Pascal’s performance although goofy at times is a strong performance however his character could have been tweaked a little in the writing of this movie, to maybe give him that something extra. Although the film is written well, the plot can sometimes feel very scattered as there are three different storylines happening at once and they could have been brought together in a stronger way.

The most interesting choice in the screenplay was the the switch of the “fish out of water” element that we saw with Diana in the first movie. We see this in Wonder Woman:1984 with Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) learning his surroundings forty years later in a modern 80s world. The action sequences are astounding, some of the best portrayed in any superhero movie and they pair great with a score from Hans Zimmer that definitely deserves an Academy Award nomination. The production and costume design create an 80s style vibe and don’t lean too much in a Stranger Things style nostalgia that can feel overdone at time. Patty Jenkins is the perfect director for this franchise, she really knows how to tell the story of a strong female heroine who isn’t reduced to her looks but uses her mind, proving smart and sexy are not oil and water. Wonder Woman:1984 is a strong sequel that will have fans lassoed to their seats and wishing they were the woman in red and blue.

Rating: 4.5/5

Wonder Woman:1984 is in theatres and on HBOMax on December 25th.