So I finally got to see Wonder Woman.
And I’m still kind of geeking out about it.
Organizing my thoughts about this movie is beyond difficult because as soon as I start talking about one aspect of the movie, I think of another one and immediately wantto talk about that as well.
So I’ll do my best to make this cohesive but it will probably just end up as a frazzled mess.
We’ll just start from the beginning – ish. (*Spoiler Alert*)
The fight scene on the beach of Themyscira between the Amazons and the German soldiers was riveting. Strong, fearless women faced off against the infamous German army of the “war to end all wars”. They had some killer moves, and were ferocious warriors. What made me even more excited was the casting of these warriors. Each woman was strong in her own real life, with titles such as “heptathlete”, “Olympic bobsledder”, “Crossfit champion”, “professional fighter”. Instead of having to learn a completely new skill set and embody someone else’s strength, these women applied their already honed skills and showed the world their true fortitude.
I’ve always been a fan of Greek mythology, so the whole concept of Amazon women and the Greek gods was really cool for me to watch. My whole life I’ve admired the goddess Athena for her wisdom, courage, and strategic abilities. There was the obvious intensity and ability of fatally accurate fighters, but there was also the knowledge that no one should ever rush into war. As a collective the Amazons believed their purpose was to protect mankind, not punish them even if they were unworthy of protection. The Amazons believed in restoring good to a world that had been clouded by evil, and many stood by that mankind was not actually inherently bad.
This belief in goodness is not something I feel like we see very often, especially in superhero movies. So many superheroes, from all franchises, are clouded by a dark past. Within DC, Batman and Superman both lost their parents in brutal ways and carry that weight with them. Diana/Wonder Woman may be naive of the brutality of the human world, but she has such a strong belief in the goodness of mankind that it is refreshing and uplifting. She is not driven by a need for revenge or any other feeling of foreboding responsibility. It may take a while but she truly believes that she is capable of protecting the world from evil forces, not because she has failed elsewhere but because that was what she was created to do.
She’s a breath of fresh air amongst a multitude of dark, tormented superheroes that are probably meant to mimic the gravity of human responsibilities.
Despite being naive for probably the first 2/3s of the movie, Diana/Wonder Woman comes to realize that although mankind may be inherently good, they can easily be influenced by evil. Despite this she holds steadfast that she must protect them and try as much as she can to be an influence of good among so many influences of evil. Diana/Wonder Woman must also realize that her greatest power is within herself. Her ability to defeat her enemies is not entirely reliant on an external factor, like her “god-slayer” sword.
Now if that’s not beautiful, inspiring, and empowering, I really don’t know what is.
Diana/Wonder Woman is a role model for us all to make the right choices amongst so many easier, wrong choices.
Because I’m a nerd for literary devices, deeper meanings, and social implications I truly had a field day watching this movie. There are topics of feminism, corruption, love, choice, and so much more all in this one movie.
Feminism. I know it’s a scary word to some people. It shouldn’t be, but that’s ok. In this movie there’s a wonderful scene where Diana/Wonder Woman is told to wait outside while Steve Trevor goes into a room full of men discussing war strategies. Instead she decides to go inside and see for herself. The beautiful thing is that she doesn’t go in simply to rebel and go against traditional gender roles. She just does not understand why she wouldn’t be able to enter. She doesn’t see gender the way society does, with one gender being “superior” or “better equipped”. She sees humans as just that, humans. This is the broad goal of the equal rights movements. We are all people, humans, who should have a seat at the table and have our voices heard. It’s as simple as that. I’ve heard the insane argument that Gal Gadot was too beautiful to be Wonder Woman, that her costume sexualized her body because of its length and fit. I think that is absurd. No one flinches when male armor is crafted to fit and show off their muscles. Or if they just don’t wear a shirt at all. As far as the skirt length, let me know how this is any better? Ancient Greeks wore skirts, and if the Amazons are based off an ancient Greek society, wouldn’t it make sense that Diana/Wonder Woman also wore a skirt? For goodness sakes, there’s an entire scene dedicated to pointing out that her outfit as Wonder Woman is based off function, and that the women’s clothing she was forced to cover up with was horribly impractical. Also, nowhere in the basics of feminism does it say that women can’t be beautiful. All it says is that women should have control over how they want to look, and no man/woman/society can tell her otherwise.
Love. Steve Trevor can be argued as her love interest. And he loves her for all the right reasons. He definitely sees her as beautiful, I think everyone who has seen this movie can agree that Gal Gadot is a vision. But he is inspired by her determination, her strength, her vitality. She refuses to give up even in the face of the impossible and inspires Trevor to make the ultimate sacrifice in the name of doing right by the world. There’s also the ever powerful love of family felt amongst the Amazons on Themyscira. Queen Hippolyta loves Diana/Wonder Woman unconditionally, and there is an overall feeling of camaraderie and love felt among the Amazons that keeps them functional and lends to such a deadly fighting force. There is even love among Steve Trevor’s little band. They too walk into an impossible situation not only because of the heady feeling of heroism, but because they are a family in their own right. No doubt, they’ve seen some horrific things in such a devastating war, and they have each other’s backs through the trauma.
Choice. Diana/Wonder Woman has the choice to leave her island home and venture into the world. She has the choice to go into battle when the odds seem stacked against her and her band. She has the choice to continue on being Wonder Woman even after she realizes the susceptibility mankind has to evil influence. Choice is becoming a controversial subject these days, but Diana/Wonder Woman holds true that it is an ever important right and privilege.
The social implications of this movie are undeniable. Young girls now have a new strong, fearless, determined woman to look up to. A woman in a leading role, not a supporting role. She is beautiful, inside and out. She is compassionate, she has strong morals and a level temperament. She is fearless, both as Diana and as Wonder Woman. She is not afraid to stand up for herself and those she loves, even in the face of adversity.
So why is this movie so important to me?
This movie made me laugh and cry, and for a good bit I was perched on the end of my seat impatiently waiting for more. You see, I am one of those little girls that needs to see a strong woman with a good heart battling evil. As we get older we become more jaded, more suspicious, and overall more pessimistic. Right now it is especially hard, what with the change in administration, constant conflict, and especially the changing beliefs in what rights and roles women should and shouldn’t have. Diana/Wonder Woman is a role model for me, someone that reminds me to keep fighting. Someone that reminds me to keep speaking up for myself and not letting myself be bullied by those who don’t get me, or think they know best.
Wonder Woman is more than a princess, more than a soldier, more than a woman. She is an inspirational figure for both men and women, a hero our world needs today.
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