Wonder Woman (2017): Before We Watch
The power of love against war, evil, and hate.
Wonder Woman brings us to the end of our month of blockbusters. It’s a powerful, optimistic way to finish. And who among us doesn’t love a little powerful optimism? Pick your song accompaniment: Celine Dion’s “The Power of Love” or “The Power of Love” by Huey Lewis & the News.
Anyway, hello, welcome, and thank you for stopping by. For new visitors, here’s what this situation is all about:
With Savor the View, we’ll watch, think, and talk about movies and the things that matter. A special welcome and thanks to our regular crew!
Each Monday, I share brief, spoiler-free remarks and questions to frame viewing a movie on our own.
Each Thursday, I share post-viewing questions to poke at the issues, ideas, quandaries, inspirations...whatever...that movie might have summoned (spoilers, ahoy!).
Paid subscribers can talk it all out in a weekly Discussion Thread.
Overview
Wonder Woman (2017): This was a film decades in the making. Over the years, many names were attached to the project (ahem, Joss Whedon), but only director Patty Jenkins was finally able to deliver. Her efforts were well-rewarded: Wonder Woman spent some time as the highest-grossing film ever by a solo female director.
Wonder Woman is part of the DC Comics attempt to match the scope and success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The fact that the “DC Extended Universe” (DCEU) doesn’t roll off the tongue or keyboard as readily suggests how well that’s been going.
My not-very-hot take: Lynda Carter remains, of course, iconic as Wonder Woman from the late-1970s television series. But Gal Gadot made an impression, though not favorable to all, with opposition in some countries because of Gadot’s service in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). And this film restored the notion that a superhero movie need not be dark and brooding to also be considered quality.
The universal/general
The beginning of the film sets up the world in which this version of Wonder Woman operates. What is this world’s vision of human creation and of human nature?
Characters purposely use the term “mankind,” rather than “humankind.” Why?
The specific/unique
Who has power in this story? What kind – from what source?
Who are the good guys and the bad guys? How do we know which is which?
The viewer is always present
How does this version of Wonder Woman compare to what you’ve seen in other iterations? What were your expectations and how does this film fulfill (or not) those expectations?
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