This week on Geek Gab, Daddy Warpig, Dorrinal, and I discuss DC’s new movie Wonder Woman.
UPDATE: Since recording this episode, I have gone to see the movie. I’m in agreement with DW that this is the best DC movie since The Dark Knight Rises. Granted, that’s a low bar, but at least it’s an improvement.
Here are three statements about Wonder Woman , in no particular order:
- It’s actually not feminist propaganda. Much like Mad Max: Fury Road, I suspect that Wonder Woman was intended to advance third-wave feminism but failed due to technical incompetence at the implementation stage. That might sound like damning with faint praise, but here the failed attempt at feminist message fic left us with a decent story.
- Wonder Woman isn’t portrayed as a female Superman. Instead, she’s DC’s version of Captain America. This works to the character’s and the film’s advantage, because after Man of Steel and Batman v. Superman, both Cap and WW are the supermen we need if not the supermen we deserve.
- In last decade’s superhero film market, this movie would have been considered sub par to mediocre. The rave reviews it’s garnered are almost entirely due to DC–and recently Marvel–dropping the ball recently.
after Man of Steel and Batman v. Superman, both Cap and WW are the supermen we need if not the supermen we deserve.
The best Superman film I've seen to date is named "The Winter Soldier." Second best is named "Civil War," although some may quibble with that ranking.
"The best Superman film I've seen to date is named "The Winter Soldier." Second best is named "Civil War," although some may quibble with that ranking."
I certainly won't.
Some notes on the production:
1) I've heard Patty Jenkins declare that this wasn't a feminist movie, although she was certainly hired as a nod to feminists.
2) It seems that DC, in desperation, changed they're story/scripting process. Instead of producer dictate, they had a number of treatments turned into act one scripts, eliminated the worst and advance the others to act two and so on.
3) Since the DC eu has been failing miserably they scrapped more intensive tie-ins for the sake of a narrative that would stand on it's own.
4) Most crucially they hired the only Chris not working for Marvel.
You did your homework. Thanks for the info!
Brian:
Could you elaborate how the failure of advancing 3rd wave feminism help make a decent story?
I havenèt yet seen the movie but I suspect that the story core is straightforward and pulpy enough that bolting radical feminism falls flat and the writers are stuck (whether they like it or not) writing a decent story.
xavier
I'm still trying to figure that out. They just tried to make a feminist propaganda film and ended up making a good one by mistake.
Brian
Thanks.I suspect Marsden's basic premise is a protofeminism that still has a good pulpy story. It can't be undone by the latest fad 🙂
It could also be the classical virtues break through the jargon wrap
xavier
Why do you think Marvel has dropped the ball recently? "Dr. Strange", "Civil War", and "Guardians 2" were all pretty great, and unless there's something I don't recall (possible) those were the last three, right?