Wonder Woman 1984 Thoughts SPOILERS

[Kirby101]

Would have been better to place it in the 1970s with her an IADC agent and pine playing a great nephew of the original Steve Trevor.

One of many ideas that are better than what they did.

Didn't she fight in WWII? Couldn't she be part of the Feminist movement of the 60s? Why jump to the 80s?

[basbash99]

One of many ideas that are better than what they did.

Didn't she fight in WWII? Couldn't she be part of the Feminist movement of the 60s? Why jump to the 80s?

Originally i thought it was just tapping into Hollywood's recent 80s obsession (Stranger Things, It, X-Men Apoc) .. but it feels like Jenkin wanted to make an 80s superhero movie (like the Superman films), and decided an 80s setting would make that more appropriate. i guess? The villains and plot both seem like stuff you would see in one of the Donner movies.

[Comic-Reader Lad]

Originally i thought it was just tapping into Hollywood's recent 80s obsession (Stranger Things, It, X-Men Apoc) .. but it feels like Jenkin wanted to make an 80s superhero movie (like the Superman films), and decided an 80s setting would make that more appropriate. i guess? The villains and plot both seem like stuff you would see in one of the Donner movies.

I think if the movie had been shorter, I would have liked it better, but too many times during the movie, I kept "waking up" and felt that too much time had elapsed without something interesting happening.

The fact that Superman II had the Kryptonian villains at least allowed for some good action scenes even when Superman was not there, but the Diana-less scenes in WW84 didn't really interest me to the point that it deserved the screen time allotted to them. Really, the movie should have been about 20 minutes shorter. I don't know that I would have eliminated entire scenes, but perhaps I would have shortened a bunch of them. It seemed like they were going through the fireworks for too long a time without any reason for the additional length, for example.


On another note, cbr and other places are reporting that WW84 is now Certified Rotten at Rotten Tomatoes with a score of 59 with 378 reviews, but when I just checked it was still at 60 with those 378 reviews, so it seems like it's just on the precipice. If you're one of those RT-Conspiracy theorists, you might believe Warners got someone to flip their review.

[basbash99]

I think if the movie had been shorter, I would have liked it better, but too many times during the movie, I kept "waking up" and felt that too much time had elapsed without something interesting happening.

The fact that Superman II had the Kryptonian villains at least allowed for some good action scenes even when Superman was not there, but the Diana-less scenes in WW84 didn't really interest me to the point that it deserved the screen time allotted to them. Really, the movie should have been about 20 minutes shorter. I don't know that I would have eliminated entire scenes, but perhaps I would have shortened a bunch of them. It seemed like they were going through the fireworks for too long a time without any reason for the additional length, for example.


On another note, cbr and other places are reporting that WW84 is now Certified Rotten at Rotten Tomatoes with a score of 59 with 378 reviews, but when I just checked it was still at 60 with those 378 reviews, so it seems like it's just on the precipice. If you're one of those RT-Conspiracy theorists, you might believe Warners got someone to flip their review.

Oh, yeah, i definitely would agree that '84 does not come close to the best Superman films (I and II), just that it seems like that's what she was going for imo. WW 84 is closer to Superman III or IV in terms of the story's quality... but even III had its memorable moments while WW 84 is largely forgettable. Somebody remind me what quotable dialogue folks will remember from this one, cuz i'm unable to come up with anything.

Not surprised that WW 84's RT rating is declining, i expect that to continue. While anyone with HBO MAX who was interested has probably already watched it, eventually the DVD will come out and people will rent it at redbox or whatever and be disappointed.

[Kirby101]

Something about Truth being better than Lies, blah. blah blah....

[Jokerz79]

One of many ideas that are better than what they did.

Didn't she fight in WWII? Couldn't she be part of the Feminist movement of the 60s? Why jump to the 80s?

When announced to be set in 84 and her living in DC I thought given she came to "Man's World" during the suffrage movement they chose that year to comment on the 1st time a major American political party had a female on the national ticket, but nope.

[green_garnish]

When announced to be set in 84 and her living in DC I thought given she came to "Man's World" during the suffrage movement they chose that year to comment on the 1st time a major American political party had a female on the national ticket, but nope.

In the end, there was no particular reason to put the story in 1984. It could have been set in any year without changing a thing except a few cultural references of dialog.

[Jokerz79]

You know we have Justice League and now the Snyder Cut Justice League what about Justice League WW84 Cut you know with one added new scene.

Bruce: I recognize you now Diana, you were the lady on tv in 1984 when I was an adolescent who told me I had to give up my wish and let my parents die again!

[SiegePerilous02]

A lot of this could have been avoided if the first mainstream film series for Wonder Woman wasn't forced to have her debut in the past while also not having her be a public superhero until the present day just so Superman could still technically be first.

[Steel Inquisitor]

One of many ideas that are better than what they did.

Didn't she fight in WWII? Couldn't she be part of the Feminist movement of the 60s? Why jump to the 80s?

To tell a specific story that had specific themes. Max Lord wasn't chosen at random, he encapsulated the era of Reagan and Gordon Gekko.

[Witchfan]

I went to a theater to see this movie, and I was by myself. Not good for this movie.

[titanfan]

I went to a theater to see this movie, and I was by myself. Not good for this movie.

It's now running behind Tenet at the Box Office, which isn't good. But the box office drop off was only -45% or so, which is kinda standard for this type of movie.

At this point they already approved the sequel so it really doesn't matter, WB is just going to write this movie off.

[lefthanded]

Lots of things worked, and lots of things didn't work in this movie. So in the end, merely an average superhero movie.

The things that were great about the first movie - Gadot as WW, Steve and Diana interactions, Diana's life on the island - remained great in this second movie.
The new things in this second movie that were great - Pedro as an over the top Maxwell Lord (I could watch a standalone Maxwell Lord movie with walking around yelling 'What do you wish for'), Wiig being an awkward Barbara like a character from SNL - were only great as an individual ingredient, and didn't really mesh well together for a full movie. If they focused only on one villain, the movie could have been shorter while also developing that character more.

Barbara's change needed more time to develop, not just from human > superpowered, but superpowered > cheetah. Not to mention, most of her screentime was alone and not interacting with Diana or anyone of note. They could have had her go on a date with the guy she had a crush on and realize how douchey he is, which could have fed into her thinking that other humans are beneath her (which would parallel her thinking of being an 'apex predator' in contrast with WW's desire to raise everyone).

Same with Maxwell Lord. We needed more background from him, rather than the montage just at the end. His character arc progressed along the 'and then' route - none more obvious than in the 3rd act, where, after granting a wish, he just happens to see the technology macguffin he needs for the finale. They should have established him actively researching/discovering it, rather than just happening upon it like getting gum during checkout.

This franchise seems to be becoming like James Bond movies - some are good, some are not good, but the character is still worth following. My only hope is that now that we have seen two WW movies with lackluster third acts (with the same director), that the third will not be the same.

[Material Flux]

I haven't seen the movie yet, but the decision to place it in 1984 seems ill-conceived.

I believe that this and the decision to bring Steve back were at least partially motivated by Justice League. Bruce mentioned that Diana had shut herself off from the world after losing Steve, but perhaps execs thought that Diana shutting herself off for so many years was unlikely, so they brought Steve back later on to explain it.

[basbash99]

I believe that this and the decision to bring Steve back were at least partially motivated by Justice League. Bruce mentioned that Diana had shut herself off from the world after losing Steve, but perhaps execs thought that Diana shutting herself off for so many years was unlikely, so they brought Steve back later on to explain it.

I think it has less to do with making the film fit in with JL continuity and more to do with wanting Pine back as the chemistry & interactions between Pine and & Gadot were one of he most appealing things about the first WW movie. I'm sure a big part of coming up with '84's plot was "find a way to bring back Steve Trevor", who cares about continuity. After all, we're meant to believe than in JL nobody recalls that time back in 84 when everyone had their wish granted.