Wonder Woman succeeds in smashing already-high expectations, leaving behind a symbol that girls of all ages will look up to.
Moviegoers have been hyped up for Wonder Woman, especially as early reviews have described it as the best DC film since Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight. While there is no villain that steals the show like Heath Ledger's brilliant performance as The Joker, Wonder Woman stands as the movie that will finally bring DC up to see eye-to-eye with Marvel.
The Similarities Between 'Wonder Woman' And 'Captain America'
If you would be compared to someone else, then it is great if you would be compared to one of the best.
The Captain America trilogy was one of the best that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has ever released, with Captain America: The First Avenger, set in World War II, dictating the tone for the two other films.
Wonder Woman also takes the audience back in time, but further back to World War I. The similarities between the two movies, however, do not end there.
Both Captain America and Wonder Woman are accompanied by a ragtag group of allies, with a trusted partner at their side. Both superheroes also undergo a transformation as they are exposed to the horrors of war, as Captain America leaves the confines of Brooklyn and Wonder Woman departs the island of Themyscira for the first time.
Wonder Woman, however, creates its own unique stamp on a historical superhero movie, largely due to the unique perspective and innocence offered by Princess Diana of Themyscira and the brilliant take on the role by Gal Gadot.
Gal Gadot Shines As 'Wonder Woman'
Gal Gadot proves that she is so much more than just a pretty face with her performance in Wonder Woman. Gadot was able to portray innocence as she left Themyscira for the first time, with that innocence quickly changing to despair upon seeing the damage left behind by World War I and then into rage as she takes action against what she sees is wrong.
Gadot stole the show when Wonder Woman first appeared in last year's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, with the only complaint being that she did not get enough time on screen.
With her standalone movie, Gadot shines as a beacon of empowerment for women everywhere. She also now has an iconic scene under her belt, as the sheltered Princess Diana transformed into Wonder Woman in her dash across No Man's Land.
The Importance Of 'Wonder Woman'
With how amazing Wonder Woman is, we finally now have a female superhero in the modern age who girls of all ages can look up to. While Black Widow is an excellent fighter and Pepper Potts is a fiery companion, they do not hold a candle to Princess Diana of Themyscira.
Wonder Woman will also teach boys of all ages the strength of women, which is always a valuable lesson to learn.
Wonder Woman brilliantly sets up the next film in the DC Extended Universe, with Justice League set to hit theaters in November. However, the superhero is also a symbol of how women can save the world just as well as men, not just in the movies but also in real life.
As Empire's Chris Hewitt deftly puts it, it is "about damn time" that DC has released a truly terrific film after divided reviews on its previous attempts. Wonder Woman is a definite must-watch, and after the movie, fans will already look ahead to the female superhero's return in Justice League.
