Wonder Woman #SoLit

May I turn in a blubbering pile of fangirl goo for a moment?

In my youth, I read more Tales From the Crypt comics than super hero comics. However, the T.V. show of Wonder Woman was my absolute fave. I spun around pretending a flash of light transformed me from a mild mannered suit to a blazing warrior. With my friend Rob as the Incredible Hulk, or sometimes B.J McKay (of B.J. and the Bear), and my sister as an elf from Elf Quest, we enacted incredible mash-up adventures and unerringly bested our fictional enemies.

Yes, Wonder Woman has been out for a few weeks, but the theme music still gives me fangirl shivers.

We all know the story of Wonder Woman, Amazon goddess defeats the enemies of the War, who was created in 1941 by Dr. William Moulton Marston, a famous psychologist, male feminist, and secret polygamist.

“Frankly, Wonder Woman is psychological propaganda for the new type of woman who, I believe, should rule the world.” – Marston

Connecting the movie with the original roots of Wonder Woman makes the power of the character work, especially for modern, hardened audiences.

And Warner Bros. didn’t belabour her backstory, unlike the many reincarnations of Batman, where half the movie is him brooding over the past. Honestly, I don’t know why Bruce’s most traumatic night needs to be rehashed each time there’s a reboot of the character – unless it turns out that Wayne Sr. was a robot and he’s really not dead, and his mother is a vampire who can’t die but appreciated the time away from humanity.

I digress.

Yes, the story has very few surprising twists. The narrative follows the hero’s journey (except this heroine starts off as a little girl who wants to be a fighter). Did we expect anything else? No. And for a reboot movie, I wouldn’t want anything else. When Wonder Woman suddenly appeared in Batman vs. Superman, all I wanted was this backstory. Forget fighting the big scary monster – that’s just show-off CGI. Tell me about the bad-ass chick who showed up and saved the day (some say and the movie). Wonder Woman: Rise of the Warrior does exactly what it says on the tin, satisfying the re-introduction of the original warrior goddess to the world.

Yes, Wonder Woman feels like every other super hero’s origin movie. Yes, the are weird plot holes we have to ignore. Yes, I want to see it again and again.

Wonder Woman continues to smash records at the box office despite the smaller promotional budget, as compared to similar films featuring male protagonists. And why shouldn’t it?

Here’s the thing. So what if it feels familiar? If the story was wholly different, the creators risk alienating both the traditional/hard core fans and the casual movie-going fans. Why would any corporate entity want to do that with the first movie out of the gate?

Hook us with your clever banter, Wonder Woman’s re-configured sexy warrior outfit, and that “oh no you don’t” look of hers when fighting the baddies:

 

So what if Diana kicks butt without a drop of sweat, and her long tresses never need to be tied back for battle? This is fantasy, right? If we want gritty realism, we turn to Game of Thrones.

Here’s what they didn’t do. They didn’t turn Diana’s sexual confidence into a hyper-slutty caricature of female sexuality. If I had a daughter, I’d be thrilled to show her this film. I have a son, and I’m going to show him when he decides that he’s ready. In fact, this may be his first super hero movie. Diana doesn’t save the world only because she’s supported by a male mentor. Sure, dashingly handsome Steve (and his secretary Etta – she needs a spin off story) shows Diana the ropes of humanity in London, but Diana and Steve have two different agendas: she’s out to kill the god of war, and he’s trying to stop a plane full of devastating chemicals. In fact, Diana willfully neglects his instructions and takes her own path. Rock on, naive goddess!

What Wonder Woman promises is an alternative to Trinity Syndrome – at least, that’s what I’m hoping for. I think the love that fans have for the film proves that we’re ready to have more storytelling by female directors about protagonists who do not fit the Hollywood stereotypes of women. The movie isn’t perfect, except for the theme song featuring Tina Guo. But if we were expecting perfection, then we’re holding Wonder Woman to a higher standard than every other popcorn munching nonsense action film that exists.

Sorry. I think your computer just had an orgasm.

I am not going to nit pick this movie, out of loyalty to my childhood heroine. No, I lie. I will say one thing. Why the hell would a goddess with that much power want a desk job? She could moonlight on American Ninja for Pete’s sake!

Let me just say that the next Wonder Woman offering from Warner Bros/DC Comics better live up to the bar they’ve just set. If they turn Diana into the den mother of the upcoming Justice League, I might just lose my lunch.