Story, villain problems continue to plague the DCEU

(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman is everything that the DCEU should want to be going forward, but somehow isn’t? It nails the origin story, while perfectly placing Wonder Woman (also known as Diana) in a situation that is spot-on for her character.

Diana believes that she can end the war of man by defeating the ‘god of war’ (Ares). She also demonstrates throughout the film that she is a hero that will fight with every last breath to do the right thing. It is a very enjoyable movie, and the only thing it lacks is a great ending.

What Wonder Woman brought to the DCEU for the first time was a sense of humor (without being campy) and a tone that was much lighter. And it perfectly fit with this character. Wonder Woman showed that everyone involved (writing, directing, production) understood that she is a great hero, and that gender has nothing to do with it – she stands side by side with Batman and Superman because she is their equal (and maybe even a cut above when it comes to the DCEU).

In the third act, Wonder Woman defeats General Ludendorff, who she thinks is Ares. And when this doesn’t end the war, she is disheartened. It is a terrific scene, as she realizes man’s thirst for war isn’t just the result of the gods. For just a moment, there was a real depth to understanding the human condition – that both good and bad people exist and it has nothing to do with the influences of some outside force or god.

Then, the moment passes. And it is revealed that a different character is actually Ares, and Diana is forced to fight him instead. It sort of undermines what just came before with Diana’s realization about good and evil.

But the ending needs a big fight, so it is ‘Wonder Woman v Ares: Last One Before Justice.’ It’s not a bad idea, but that fight (which is supposed to be between two gods) isn’t nearly as good as the various battles that preceded it. Of course, this fight involves a shift to a heavy CG battle. And the grounded story, which existed to that point, disappears rather quickly.

Still, with Steve Trevor’s (Chris Pine) sacrifice at the end of the film, little could ruin this final act. It wasn’t perfect, but Wonder Woman is still damn good. Yet, the legacy of the film is how much it may have hurt the next one… the big one… the team-up!