***YOU'VE BEEN WARNED.***
Diana’s origin story starts out with her as a princess in her home of Themyscira. As a young precocious child she was eager to train as a warrior as all of the other Amazonian woman did including her aunt, General Antiope. Her mother tells her the story of how Zeus created them and humankind and how his brother, Ares, corrupted mankind and killed the other Greek Gods except for Zeus, who defeated him and gives the Amazonians a weapon that can defeat him if he ever returns. This just spurns her desire to become a warrior. Her mother, Queen Hippolyta is completely against this idea but realizes she has no choice as Antiope trains her in secret. Her mother gives her approval with the promise that Antiope will train Diana stronger, harder and better than anyone else.
This is made clear with the fact that Diana has a destiny she doesn't yet know. As she grows older, she becomes skilled in fencing, archery and hand-to-hand combat so much that she hurts her aunt during one of her many training sessions highlighting her differences. Considering they're all really badass Amazonian women, this is super serious.
At the ends of the island she sees a plane crashing into the sea carrying none other than Steve Trevor. She rescues him from drowning just in time for the German soldiers, who are after him, to follow him into their hidden paradise.
With a senseless violence, the Germans attack the Amazonians who are forced to fight back. They are successful but not without the loss of Antiope who dies saving Diana, pleading with her to go with her last breath. The choreography and cinematography is pretty amazing as we see the women fighting and gliding through the air with a grace that is almost like a dance. But there is also a sense of horror as Diana experiences death of a loved one for what might be the first time in her long life.
Resisting the urge to kill Steve, the Amazonians take him in. They wrangle information from him (pun intended) with the Lasso of Truth. He finally admits he is a spy for the Allied Forces and was in a facility run by General Ludendorff and found a notebook belonging to the evil Dr. Poison, who has found a way to produce a deadly weaponized gas. With his tales of the war and the deaths of many men, women and children, Diana is convinced Ares is responsible for all of this.
Impressed with Steve’s desire to stop the war, she takes the lasso and the Godkiller sword, which can destroy Ares, and leaves with him even though her mother warned her if she leaves then she cannot return to the island. They set sail to London.
Basically being the most beautiful woman in London and wearing body armor draws attention to them so after Steve brings her to his secretary Etta to help find her something less conspicuous and they take down German soldier sent to bring back the notebook, they finally get to Steve’s boss at the war cabinet but they are not impressed. They work on negotiating a armistice with Germany and do not want anything getting in the way of that.
Despite pretending to accept his orders, Steve and Diana round up a group to get them to the front lines with one of the war cabinet speakers, Patrick Morgan. They gather a team together: the drunken sharpshooter Charlie, the charming wannabe actor turned spy Sameer and Chief, a Native American smuggler. Initially Diana is unimpressed with the group and their grey morals, but she comes to understand they're all fighting an internal battle.
This is where Diana's principals are challenged. She would never have thought she would be apart of a team who lies, kills from afar and deceives. Steve makes her see that not everything is as black and white as it appears and they often butt heads, but they help each other grow.
Diana isn't one to just stand by when someone is danger. Her power and fighting ability stands out as she pushes through the trenches taking most of the enemy fire so they can get past the lines to free the village of Veld controlled by the enemy. The team celebrates their victory with a night of dancing and drinking in which Diana and Steve kiss.
Chris Pine and Gal Gadot have an effortless chemistry and compliment each other as not only a couple but a partnership. Her morals and sweet naïveté show him the right thing may not always be the smart thing and his realism helps her to adapt to this new world.
Steve and his team find out Ludendorff and Dr. Poison will be at a gala celebrating their success. Diana refuses to be left behind and follows him. Before she could go after him, Steve stops her but this doesn't work in their favor as Ludendorff gases the village that they had just saved. Diana is heartbroken by the loss of life and angered that Steve stopped her before she could kill Ludendorff in the middle of the gala. By herself, she goes to confront Ludendorff, who she believes is Ares. He is no match for her despite the gaseous substance he inhales to give him somewhat of a steroid superhuman effect. However, after she kills Ludendorff, she is shocked to realize there is still fighting and that they are still trying to release the gas.
Despite Steve’s attempt to make her see they are all damaged, she doesn't believe mankind is worth it. This being exactly what Ares wants and he reveals himself to her as being Patrick Morgan, who has been whispering his nefarious ideas into humans ears and they have acted on them. Ares believes that together they can wipe out humanity so Earth can be a better place. He reveals the Godkiller sword can't kill him, but she was the weapon Zeus created to destroy him and she tries exactly that.
Meanwhile, Steve and the others are overpowered and can't stop the poison bombs from being loaded on the plan. Knowing what he has to do, he sees Diana one more time and tells her he needs to do this because the world needs her. With his declaration of his love, Steve sacrifices himself by getting into the plan to blow it up before they are disarmed. Diana is heartbroken and enraged by the loss of him that she nearly turns her anger on Dr. Poison but instead aims it at Ares refusing to let him warp her conviction. She finally finds the power within herself and destroyed Ares once and for all.
The movie ends with Diana in present day Paris emailing Bruce Wayne a thank you for reminding her of Steve and the reason why she still fights for the world even now.
I applaud DC for making a spectacular female-centered superhero movie. I know many little girls who'll be able to come home with a new sense of empowerment and a role model. Diana has a moral compass and compassionate side that doesn't overshadow her ability to kick ass when necessary.
There was a lot of weight on this film as it was the first time Wonder Woman was going to be on the big screen. With a woman at the helm, there was a lot of pressure to get this right and on director Patty Jenkins. She has done a superb job with bringing the hero to life and I for one can't wait for the [obvious, but not yet confirmed by the studio] sequel.
Written by Carly B. -- Click to read Carly's posts
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