Episode 1656 Talkback - Wonder Woman Movie Review

Adam_Murdough

WONDER WOMAN!! All the world's been waiting for this: a big-budget superhero movie with an iconic female star AND a female director! Spark up your Magic Spheres and listen as the Geeks react, with enthusiasm that glows as bright as the Lasso of Truth, to DC's latest and greatest feature film. We focus on its twists and turns, its talented leads, its historical setting, its stunning visuals... and maybe even a potential flaw or two. (1:15:45)

Listen here.

electric_mayhem

Great movie, inspiring and hopeful. Looking forward to Justice League

Matt

I thought this was interesting:

https://youtu.be/RdA4tlhbdRk


But, then with (seemingly) everything nowadays, someone has a cause/agenda and it gets filtered through

http://msmagazine.com/blog/2017/06/05/will-wonder-woman-fat-femme-woman-color/

Specifically:

"Also, while the female warriors are strong and ass-kicking, they all have tall, thin body types and they all could be models on a runway. In fact, in a pivotal battle scene, Wonder Woman struts across the battlefield as if on a catwalk. As a result, their physical strength plays second fiddle to their beauty, upholding the notion that in order to access power women must be beautiful in a traditional way. Especially with the body positivity movement gaining steam, the film could have spotlighted female warriors with fat, thick and short body types. While people have said that warriors can’t be fat, some of our best paid male athletes are, particularly linebackers on the football field, and no one doubts their physical strength."

The articles reflecting how Wonder Woman is hurting feminism or more specific causes (http://amp.timeinc.net/essence/culture/wonder-woman-black-feminism-palestine-israel-views?source=dam) seem to be on the increase.

Great reminders of why I've walked away from social media.

Evening639

Matt said:

"Especially with the body positivity movement gaining steam, the film could have spotlighted female warriors with fat, thick and short body types. While people have said that warriors can’t be fat, some of our best paid male athletes are, particularly linebackers on the football field, and no one doubts their physical strength."

.

I agree that Wonder Woman should have the same opportunity to become a fat professional football player as any man in the NFL. She could even serve as a role model to her younger sister and encourage her to try out for a team. I hear the Titans are looking for linebackers.

Matt

Funny side bar on this movie. The Saturday before Memorial Day, my wife took our 4yo daughter to a birthday party for a 4yo girl that's apparently the daughter of my quasi-distant cousin (not worthy explaining that connection.)

Fi never met the girl, nor has ever seen anything Wonder Woman, other then some merchandising in stores. When my wife took her to Target & asked what to get, Fi said "I want to get her Wonder Woman." So they got a few Wonder Woman toys.

Today, Fi had a dance recital & got the DC Girls & movie versions of Wonder Woman figures from my family. She has been giddy playing with them since. Again, no prior real exposure to Diana.

I'd say that goes a long way to make this movie a key (successful) pillar in the DCEU's future.

Matt

I wish @Dani would've thrown her tiara into the mix on this review.

Matt

After finally getting to see this movie, I think the biggest positive was casting Gal Gadot. There was a lot of criticism & concerns with casting a virtual unknown/barely an actress woman to step into these boots. I thought she did extremely well. Watching this felt like I was actually watching Diana instead of a cos-playing actor (see Affleck as Batman).

Just as with many of the MCU array of heroes (not all, but many), I cannot not look at Gal as that character.

The scenes that mirrored Captain America: First Avenger took me out of the movie (I blame the writer), but the rest of the movie was phenomenal.

I think there's an injustice to this movie when many of the reviews focus on the success of a female lead, female directed movie instead of the movie itself. I like both Gadot & Jenkins' work with this, but the movie itself should be celebrated & not used as this symbol of a glass ceiling breaker.