It's going to be a big year for DC. After 2016 proved to be a bit of a disappointment, the DCEU will have a chance to recover with Wonder Woman ahead of Zack Snyder's Justice League. To say that there's quite a bit of pressure on Gal Gadot and Patty Jenkins to deliver the goods with Diana Prince's first solo movie is an understatement. Not only is this the first Wonder Woman movie ever made; it's also the first mainstream, female-fronted superhero movie of the modern age. That's something that Marvel hasn't even gotten around to yet.
Despite the pressure, things seem to be looking up. Some of us here at CinemaBlend recently had the opportunity to see some great Wonder Woman footage at WonderCon 2017 in Anaheim, California, and everything that we saw has us legitimately impressed and excited about what's to come. We have many aspects of this footage to discuss, so let's get started with the endlessly fun dynamic between Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) and Wonder Woman's titular heroine.
The Dynamic Between Steve And Diana Is Fantastic
One of the biggest concerns that we have consistently felt about Wonder Woman is the possibility of Chris Pine overshadowing Gal Gadot. This concern is not without merit; Pine is a bonafide movie star who has used his endless charisma to headline numerous films over the years. After all; the guy is Captain Kirk in the Star Trek franchise. Luckily, the footage that we have seen from Wonder Woman has us sold on the idea that Steve Trevor and Wonder Woman are great partners, and that each of them brings something different and exciting to the table. Although Pine gets considerably more opportunities to crack wise as Trevor, the film still feels like it belongs to Gadot while making him feel useful. This is a Wonder Woman movie in the truest sense, and Steve Trevor is merely there to introduce her to our world.
The Action Looks Great
It has long been established that Diana Prince is the greatest fighter in the DC universe. We got a glimpse of that during her encounter with Doomsday during her first appearance in the DCEU, but Wonder Woman really puts her combat chops on full display. Patty Jenkins deserves some serious credit because the action sequences that we have seen from this solo DC movie are excellent. Equal parts stylish and intense, Gal Gadot throws herself into the combat and stunt work to deliver some truly unique fight scenes that encapsulate the essence of her character -- a balance between mercy and ferocity. Every DC movie features at least one standout action sequence that leaves us breathless, and it looks like Wonder Woman is going to have several moments that will duke it out for the number one spot when this film finally debuts.
Chris Pine Is Great As Steve Trevor
While we have already established that Chris Pine doesn't hog the limelight as Steve Trevor in Wonder Woman, it's worth mentioning that he's perfect in the role. Bringing his trademark charisma and charm to the part of this badass soldier, Pine has an effortlessly cool aura to him that we haven't seen since Harrison Ford first donned the Indiana Jones bullwhip for Raiders of the Lost Ark. He provides plentiful comic relief that perfectly offsets Diana's strong and silent attitude, and he makes the contributions of an average man feel quantifiable and significant in a universe populated by supernatural beings and billionaire vigilantes -- which is something that many live-action superhero movie universes often fail to accomplish. We don't know what the future holds for this DC character, but we hope Wonder Woman isn't the last we will see of him.
The Light Tone Is A Welcome Change
There's no question that DC movies have always been a bit darker than their Marvel counterparts, and there's nothing wrong with that. However, while Wonder Woman embraces the grit and grime of its WWI setting, it's also worth mentioning that it is still a far more lighthearted adventure than anything that we saw from the previous three DCEU films. Diana's fish out of water attitude towards the world of men provides some great humor that feels very reminiscent of Chris Hemsworth's performance in the original Thor back in 2010, and Lucy Davis' Etta Candy gets several standout moments as Steve Trevor's prim and proper (but often wisecracking) secretary. Without sacrificing the global stakes that we have come to expect from this cinematic universe, Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot seem to have created an adventure that relishes the fun and hope of being a hero.
Gal Gadot Continues To Shine As Diana Prince
Despite her limited screen time in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, Gal Gadot became a total scene-stealer when she made her grand introduction as Diana Prince. This was made even more impressive by the fact that Gadot was a relatively unknown quantity in Hollywood before entering the DCEU. On that note, it comes as a huge relief to be able to tell you that her performance in Dawn of Justice was not a one-off. Gal Gadot is the definitive live-action Wonder Woman for the modern era, and she seems to have no problem holding her own as the focal point of a DC movie. DC has made some inspired casting choices in recent years, and Gadot easily ranks as one of the comic book giant's most important picks to date, alongside Ben Affleck as Batman and Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn.
Wonder Woman will debut in theaters on June 2. Check out our movie premiere guide for more details related to the rest of this year's major film releases.
