Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

2017’s Wonder Woman was a breath-of-fresh-air in the then fairly dark DC Extended Universe of films. It featured a strong female hero — played by Gal Gadot — and a fun and engaging story. Marred only by a generic villain, it was my favorite of the DC superhero films up to that point. (It has since been surpassed by Shazam!) So, it was with great anticipation that I sat down to watch Wonder Woman 1984, the sequel co-written and directed by Patty Jenkins, who helmed the 2017 film.

This time around, we find Diana Prince (Gadot) working at the Smithsonian Institution as an antiquities and archeology expert. She befriends a nerdy and insecure new employee, Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig), who works in her department. The FBI asks Barbara to authenticate a relic seized from a robbery. Diana immediately recognizes it as a mythical gemstone that can grant wishes to anyone who touches it.

This gem is the literal keystone of a three-headed plot line that involves the desires of Barbara, Diana, and a man named Max Lord (Pedro Pascal, The Mandalorian.) Barbara wishes to be more like Diana. She wants Diana’s beauty and confidence; unaware that Diana is also an Amazonian superhero. Diana wishes for the return of her lost (and quite dead) love, Steve Trevor (Chris Pine.) Max Lord, a failed oil tycoon, wishes for his empty oil fields to hit black gold. Like “The Monkey’s Paw” — a story that the script literally calls out by name — things do not go well for those that have made a wish.

Unfortunately for the audience, the movie follows a similar trajectory for those of us who wished the film would equal the first. There are moments of Wonder Woman 1984 that I quite enjoyed but, overall, the film is a mess. Pedro Pascal is the biggest highlight. His character requires a mammoth ego projection and Pascal delivers in spades. Max Lord is equal parts used car salesman, late night TV pitchman, and Donald Trump. His name is the least subtle thing about him.

Gal Gadot remains an extremely likable screen presence. Both in and out of the Wonder Woman costume, she exudes charisma. This time around the Diana Prince character shows a degree of vulnerability (literally and emotionally) and Gadot handles this new dimension well. Her scenes with Chris Pine, as Steve Trevor, have genuine chemistry. Pine’s reactions to the technological advancements in flight are quite amusing.

What doesn’t work is virtually everything else. More often than not, the action scenes feel as digital as they look. The script hammers home points about greed and deceit unmercifully. More isn’t always better. If you walk away from the movie not receiving that message loud and clear, you most likely fell asleep. (And that wouldn’t be surprising thanks to the leaden second act and overlong running time.)

Kristen Wiig’s Barbara Minerva is a mixed bag. Her initial scenes of self-effacing insecurity feel like a comedic put-on. As her character grows in confidence and strength, her performance improves considerably. But by the end of the film, Barbara literally morphs into a computer-generated character and Wiig’s influence takes a backseat to pixel pushing.

The exciting opening sequence with Diana as a child led me to believe that Wonder Woman 1984 was going to be a lot of fun. The rest of the movie never lived up to that expectation.