After almost a year of not having anything new to watch in theaters, no summer blockbusters, no big movies shown in theaters due to the pandemic, Wonder Woman 1984 finally dropped in December 2020.
As one of the year’s most anticipated films, mainly due to the build-up it’s 2017 prequel brought, it was met with mixed reactions from both fans and casual moviegoers (or in some cases, TV viewers).
On one hand, a lot of folks were disappointed at it’s dragging storyline and cheesy over-the-top ‘80s vibe, but on the other hand, lots of people also like and appreciated the light-heartedness of the movie and how it captured the visual elements of the decade.
Expectation versus Reality
When the sequel to DC Extended Universe’s surprise 2017 hit Wonder Woman was confirmed and announced, fans went crazy and eagerly anticipated the sequel. After all, director Patty Jenkins did an excellent job manning the helm of the first movie.
And Gal Gadot. Don’t even get us started. When she was initially cast, it was met with plenty of violent reactions. Her predecessor to the role, the iconic Lynda Carter, has set the bar so high that a lot of WW’s fans did not see how a frail lady such as Gal can ever be transformed into the Amazon Princess.
But when she debuted in Batman vs Superman, everyone was stunned at how she owned the role, albeit her very short appearance. The way she held her own against Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck proved to everyone that she was more than ready for the role. She became Wonder Woman.
So when news of the sequel got out, things escalated pretty fast. Anyone who’s anyone in entertainment and digital arts wanted to take a piece of the action. Everyone fell in line to get a piece of Princess Diana.
A creative agency with a marketing proposal. A toy company that wants to get the license to produce action figures for the movie. A merchandising company to produce different types of items and collectibles to sell. Everyone wants in on it.
The hype for it was built which further increased fans’ level of expectation for it. But as mentioned earlier, when the movie was released last month, it garnered mixed reactions and reviews.
We Needed Wonder Woman 1984
Despite the fans’ mixed feelings about the movie, we believe that it is exactly what we needed at this time. The way the movie was handled — written, directed, and the timing of its release — it was exactly what the doctor ordered for such a time as this.
If you’re a fan of Zack Snyder’s vision for the DCEU that’s dark, grim, and gritty, WW 1984 will not work for you. But if you can set that aside, you will enjoy the movie, despite the cheesiness and sometimes over-the-top acting provided by the main antagonist, Maxwell Lord.
The movie in itself is bright and colorful, a stark contrast to the dark and depressing year that we had with the pandemic running rampant across the globe. It was lighthearted which somehow broke the monotony of seriousness and borderline depressing mood 2020 brought our way.
The fun and campy nature of the film brought a lot of adults, especially Gen X-ers back to their childhood when things were less threatening and just generally pleasant.
But more than the aesthetics and visual appeal, the movie has a much deeper message that is very apt for our time.
It touches on sensitive subjects such as insecurities and greed, as seen in the lives of the villains’ Barbara Minerva (Cheetah) and Max Lord, respectively. It also tackles how our innermost desires may seem harmless to us but can have adverse effects on the world around us.
It teaches us how we can do the world a lot of good when we become selfless and choose to always be on the side of the truth for no true hero can be born of lies. It leaves us with the message that despite the present state of the world and humanity today, we can save ourselves if we only learn to embrace selflessness.
That being said, even if the sequel did not measure up to people’s expectations following 2017’s Wonder Woman, it is the kind of movie that we all need today if only for the break in the monotony it has given us and the simple message about selflessness that it brings.
