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Justice League: War (2014)
Justice League: War (2014)
2014 | Action, Animation
8
7.0 (3 Ratings)
Movie Rating
February 4th saw the release of another Warner Bros. Animation film in the
Justice League franchise titled ‘War.’ DC Comics is continuing to bolster
its brand with regular animated releases, and they are doing a great job.

The film opens as an obvious origin story. Fans of the previous animated
films or TV series will notice some overt departures from the standard fare
of the last few years.

Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) and Batman lead off the film with their first
meeting in Gotham City, working quickly to solve a strange spree of
criminal abductions. As the two broker a tenuous peace and learn to work
together, they realize the Mother Box they found is linked to others like
it, and they head to Metropolis.

Wonder Woman, on her way to meet the President of the United States,
encounters winged beasts similar to ones fought by Green Lantern, Batman,
and Superman. What’s unusual is that this time she uses a sword to
dispatch her enemies. It’s something I’ve rarely seen in previous comics
or animated works.

The Flash, Shazam, and Cyborg all make appearances, and the team’s
structure gradually comes together. Meanwhile, the villain reveals himself:
Darkseid (who is one of my favorite DC villains).

This story is told wonderfully, with great action sequences and voice
acting (Sean Astin and Alan Tudyk – notable names). Overall, I was pleased
and entertained.

That said, there are a few major oddities within the film that stuck out as
strong deviations from the norm.

First, Superman kills someone. Despite the circumstances, I was still
shocked to see his character taken in that direction.

Second, somebody drops the S-bomb. I’ve never seen swearing in a “young
adult” film before, and though it was only used once, I was still taken
aback.

Third, the portrayal of Darkseid. He’s a great villain because of his
physical prowess, omega beams, and intellect. The first two were
represented in fine fashion, but the last was woefully lacking. Nothing
about this film showcased his intellect at all.

Fourth, Shazam seems to favor his lightening powers over his physical
assaults, which again, is in contradiction to most other comics and
animations.

While I found all of these examples strange and uncharacteristic with
respect to the usual formula, none of them were significant enough to be
considered a problem. I’m curious to see where this new trend goes. Will
DC use this as a platform to start a new chain of films or TV shows? Will
the language and body count continue to escalate? These are questions for
the ages.

Bottom line: if you are a fan of the genre, please watch it. You won’t be
disappointed.
  
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Kaz (232 KP) rated Shazam! (2019) in Movies

Jun 15, 2019 (Updated Jun 15, 2019)  
Shazam! (2019)
Shazam! (2019)
2019 | Action, Sci-Fi
Humour, Great Acting (0 more)
Not the Most Original Film, Slow at the start (0 more)
A Fun Superhero Movie
Contains spoilers, click to show
When I started watching 'Shazam' , I assumed that this was a parody of a super hero film. Afterwards I realised that this is a DC comic book character in it's own right.

I liked the acting in this film. Both children and adults in this film are believable and are very good. You could believe that the adult versions of the younger actors were actually them, because they emulated their body language and speech really well (they even looked like the children, as adults!). I really liked the interaction between adult Billy and his friend Freddy, they have some really funny scenes together. It was also nice to see a character with a disability as a main character, who wasn't portrayed as weak or someone you should feel sorry for.

There were some really funny moments in this film and there were some really heartfelt ones too.

My only criticisms of this film would be that it took a long time for this to really get going. Also, the story really isn't that original. It's basically the plot of 'Big' (I liked the scene with the giant piano, as a nod to this film) , combined with a super hero movie.

Despite these issues, I thought that this was a really funny, fun movie and I would quite happily watch a sequel of this.
  
Pet Sematary (2019)
Pet Sematary (2019)
2019 | Horror
A Boston doctor moves his family to what is believed to be a quiet town in Maine. He soon discovers that the town has a secret past and supernatural powers. A good horror movie requires an atmosphere and a good movie based on the book makes you want to read the book to see what was left out. Neither requirement is met in this version of "Pet Sematary." The setting of the atmosphere I may have missed due to longer credits attached to "Shazam" that my gig required me to view. When I entered the theater, the family was already in their Maine house. In the short time I was not there, two things were established, the gas trucks that constantly careen through the town, a ominous sign of accidents to come and the family move to Maine to get away from the hustle of the city. The shadow of death could not have come until I was already in the theater. This aspect of the family dynamic was firmly established later when Ellie sees an animal dead on the road. The titular pet cemetary was also introduced while I was in attendance. The directors did not set up any foreboding specters for the cemetary or the family past, a sign of people in need of paying attention to their own creation. Throughout the film, there should be moments that terrify you from Church to the zombie child to Judd's mysteriously dead wife. None of these approach master level suspense.
  
Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (2020)
Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (2020)
2020 | Animation
9
8.3 (4 Ratings)
Movie Rating
The DC Animated movies are a mixed bags. There are some great ones, and a whole bunch of not so great ones. The top of the pile for me has always been the 2-part adaption of The Dark Knight Returns, until now that is.

Apokolips War is the final movie in the 16-part connected DC Animated Movie Universe, which started back in 2013 with The Flashpoint Paradox, and as a culmination of this particular storyline, it's near perfect.
In terms of plot, things are batshit insane from the get go - notable heroes are slaughtered as Darkseid lays waste to Earth, leaving a broken and small crew left to hold the fort and try and claw a win from a seemingly desperate situation. Everyone gets involved - Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Swamp Thing, Etrigan, Shazam, Martian Manhunter, Raven, the whole Suicide Squad roster, just to name a few, and with all these heavy hitters in tow, it's an absolute pleasure to have Constantine at the forefront of it all, once again voiced by the fantastic Matt Ryan.
He's joined by the likes of Rosario Dawson, Tony Todd, Rebecca Romijn, Jerry O'Connell, Taissa Farmiga, Jason O'Mara, Camilla Ludington, John DiMaggio - it's a stacked voice cast to say the least.

The animation is wonderful, the action is non-stop and brutal, gritty yet smooth - it just feels like the creative team on this one pulled out all the stops to make sure the DCAMU finished with and Avengers Endgame sized flex.
It knocks spots off the first Justice League Dark entry and is ultimately my pick for the finest animated DC feature out there.
  
Wonder Woman (2017)
Wonder Woman (2017)
2017 | Action, Fantasy, War
A glimmer of hope
Contains spoilers, click to show
After a fleeting visit in Batman vs Superman (bleugh), my hopes weren't high for Wonder Woman.
But as everyone knows, it's actually pretty good.

One of the main problems with BvS is that it felt rushed, like Warner Bros were trying to pack in as much as they could in a short amount of time to establish a far reaching movie universe. Wonder Woman is a perfect example of why they should be concentrating on standalone movies first.

Given a full film to shine, Gal Gadot is a great fit as DCs First Lady. The time devoted to her backstory makes you care for her, and her surrounding team mates.
Gadot, and Chris Pine make a duo worth rooting for.

The story being set in wartime is used to great effect. The scene where Diana steps out into No Man's Land is nothing short of breathtaking. The visuals used throughout are great, and the script is a vast improvement on what we've had so far. There are no silly gimmicks like with Suicide Squad, just a good solid superhero adventure, with a good solid lead.

Wonder Woman falls apart at the final hurdle however. After Danny Huston (who is just sort of there) is set up to be Ares, it is revealed that David Thewlis' character is in fact Ares, and what follows is a climatic battle that is a dodgy CGI overload.
I have no problem with David Thewlis playing Ares, but his little mustache peeking out from underneath his Ares war helmet looks absolutely ridiculous.

But honestly, with the exception of the last 15 minutes, director Patty Jenkins has done a pretty decent job of bringing Wonder Woman to life. It's stands alongside Shazam! in terms of quality, and I'm actually looking forward to the upcoming sequel!
  
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LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Aquaman (2018) in Movies

Jul 16, 2019 (Updated Sep 1, 2019)  
Aquaman (2018)
Aquaman (2018)
2018 | Action, Sci-Fi
An average DC entry saved by its own absurdity
I found that Aquaman is a movie of three distinct parts.

It actually starts off pretty strongly, as we're introduced to all the players involved, and all of the important locations.
Jason Mamoa is a very likeable guy, but it takes a while to warm to his gym bro approach Arthur Curry, but he managed to win me over eventually, the charming hairy bastard.
Patrick Wilson is pretty good as Ocean Master, and it's nice to see veterans like Willem Defoe and Nicole Kidman (who gets an early and very brief action scene which I reckon trumps anything in Batman vs Superman).
The story set up is all fine and straightforward, and some of the visuals are pretty impressive, especially sweeping shots of Atlantis.

When the story heads back to land at the mid point is where the films takes a bit of a nosedive.
It all just becomes a bit...boring.
It also falls into the weird "play-a-cool-song-at-random-intervals" trap that Suicide Squad enjoyed flogging to death. (Whoever decided to put that God awful hip hop cover of Africa in the mix deserves a slap)
I also feel that Black Manta was sort of wasted here. He's sidelined to make room for other story lines, which I guess is fine if he's being set up for a bigger role in future installments, but here he just feels kind of tacked on.

The last act of the film is a CGI orgy, but it stands apart from a lot of films in the genre, as it's actually colourful! The sheer scope of the last battle is absolutely absurd, so absurd that it kind of works.

The CGI in question is pretty hit and miss throughout the film - sometimes it looks horrific (young Willem Defoe is haunting) and other times, it's pretty flawless, making for some pretty good action shots.

Overall, for me, the DCEU is still struggling to leave it's mark, but Aquaman and this years Shazam seem like a small step in the right direction.
  
Black Hammer, Vol. 1: Secret Origins
Black Hammer, Vol. 1: Secret Origins
Jeff Lemire | 2017 | Comics & Graphic Novels, Crime, Horror, Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I just wanted to preface this with this: I was recommended BH Vol 1 by a co-worker (as well as a Good Reads user). At the time, I was reading something else, but filed it away mentally for later. Two sales on Comixology, and I pass on both. However, a recent Dark Horse sale spoke to me, and I bought Vols 1 (as well as 2), and Issue #12 (which is not included in the two tpbs).

The series pays more than enough clever homage to the Silver Age heroes. Barbalien bears more than a passing resemblance to J'onn J'onz in the DC Universe, while Golden Gail shares notable similarities to Shazam, or Captain Marvel, also from DC. However, despite the similarities, Jeff Lemire's intent is purely nostalgia and respect, nothing resembling fan service by any means!

Despite aspects of the series that clearly apply to the superhero genre, this series anything but a typical superhero book. Instead, we are presented with a dark (and I mean DARK, like you'll want a milkshake or some Insomnia Cookies after you are finished reading it) tale that is very much about the people who embody the heroes in the series. There are a lot of human struggles and internal issues, all dealt with in a well-written manner, the end result of a series created out of love for the comic heroes of old.

Jeff Lemire is swiftly becoming one of my favorite writers. I got sucked in with his recent new series, GIDEON FALLS, and then now this. I know everyone else has been a fan for the longest time, but regardless, I consider myself a fan now, too! :)

As praise as I am throwing Lemire's way, I also need to throw some to Dean Ormston, the series' A-MAZ-INGLY talented artist! His art suited Lemire's ideas and concepts, rendering them in a way that further supported the tribute to the Silver Age that this clearly was. I glad Ormston remained the artist, as it helped to maintain continuity without breaking the mood.

In closing, I just want to say a big thank you to Baxter for the recommendation and thank you to Comixology and Dark Horse for the sale! My new found love of this series is now forever owned to you both, as well as Msrs. Lemire and Ormston! THANK YOU!!
  
Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)
Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)
2021 | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Contains spoilers, click to show
The Snyder Cut sets up so much for future Justice League adventures, and those things would have been good... but the film absolutely didn't need to be this long to still do that, some of the scenes were so drawn out that it became painful. (I like Jason Momoa getting hit with buckets of water as much as the next person, but even I didn't need that full scene of him standing on the dock in the waves. At one point I wondered if they'd shot extra footage for an aftershave commercial.)

Overall it had a much more serious tone to it, and I don't mind that in a superhero film, but then it goes and throws in the petshop/hotdog scene. I feel like it was meant to be funny, but almost everything about it stuck out like a sore thumb in comparison to the rest of the film. I saw someone say they thought this version of the film was funnier in general compared to the first, I'm not sure we watched the same movie.

If you read my reviews you'll be aware of my feelings on "bizarre" ratios. In things like The Lighthouse I can see why they go with certain aspect ratios, but unless they're being shown on a screen that is that size they're really not for me, it's a distraction. This is a very personal feeling of course, there are a lot of people who like the aesthetics and style choices around this sort of thing. For me though, I want that full screen experience, especially with this sort of blockbuster.

I'm one of these strange people that likes most superhero movies, I liked the various Fantastic Fours, even Green Lantern... and I enjoyed the original Justice League cut. I gave it 4/5. And while seeing everything that was cut out of it makes me feel like we were robbed, I still enjoyed that movie on a rewatch. I'm unlikely to sit through the epic version again by choice, whereas I probably would rewatch the first one.

I always find it a little baffling when it comes to DC and Marvel. For me, Marvel always got the films right, but the TV shows were just okay. And DC always got the TV shows right and their films were okay. (When I'm saying okay I mean they're watchable but I wouldn't need to rush to rewatch them.) That felt like something that was on the change. Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Shazam, all seemed to find a level that worked in a way I hadn't felt about their films in a while. I wanted to see them again, they mixed dramatic and fun in a way that Marvel have always been able to nail. But while this version of Justice League goes out and does its own thing, and that's perfectly acceptable, the tone felt wrong for the set of characters that were brought together... and when you put all the little niggles together from across the whole thing it leaves me with a film I'd be fine without.

Perhaps my rating of this is a little unfair, it has a lot of things I like in it after all. The negatives outweighed the bad in the end though, and as much as I like the Cyborg, Flash and Aquaman development, they wouldn't compel me to sit through it again. Not even in chunks.

Because this had a lot of different things to talk about it wasn't one of my usual reviews, you can find my full review here: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/04/zack-snyders-justice-league-movie.html
  
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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Captain Marvel (2019) in Movies

Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)  
Captain Marvel (2019)
Captain Marvel (2019)
2019 | Action, Adventure
Midnight screening... what was I thinking? Somehow I managed to stay awake in the cinema (others didn't fare so well), but I went in pretty pumped up. Not so much for the film but the overall atmosphere of a Marvel first screening. There were over 100 tickets pre-booked, and the cinema was certainly very busy. There's something about the buzz of an audience that big. I did try and hold a couple of conversations while I was there, they were not successful due to my brain's impaired state.

*sigh*

Let me just get this out now... I enjoyed this movie, but I also didn't like it. I know, what does that even mean? I'm going to waffle a bit and hopefully it'll become clear.

I don't have a lot of pre-knowledge about Captain Marvel, in fact, until the trailers started coming out I'd probably have asked if you meant Ms Marvel or Shazam. As always the similarities between characters and brand is a complete mess.

Brie Larson had some pretty big boots to fill as the MCU's first headlining female character. I feel a bit sorry for Black Widow to be honest, but this is probably a bit lighter than her offering would have been considering her background.

Watching the trailers for this I wasn't left wowed. Vers comes across as rather cocky and after seeing the film I don't think she needed to be that way. Part of me thinks that a difference actress would have played it better, but mainly I'm just happy that they didn't ruin it.

Samuel L. Jackson was a treat, but then when isn't he?! It was nice seeing this more light-hearted side of his character. It leaves us with a little gap in his history that makes me wonder what happened to him. As ever he's a great presence and shows us just a glimpse of what's to come (or rather what we've already seen) while still being funny.

Ben Mendelsohn has made a rather large splash over the last few years in big-ticket movies. Rogue One, Ready Player One, Robin Hood and now Captain Marvel. His character of Talos is comical and warm but I found it slightly strange hearing him with his normal accent. That seems even weirder when I write it down, I guess I'm just hardwired to expect most aliens to sound American! He's definitely my stand out actor in this, he handles the twists and turns of the story wonderfully and made for an incredible surprise. There was one moment with a terrible bit of script that made me cringe at the screen but everything else made up for it.

I probably need to say something about Jude Law, that something is going to be "meh". I'm not sure that I'm fuzzed by any of his roles historically, and this isn't really any different. He also suffered from a dubious bit of script near the end of the film that feels out of place, but I'll leave that one for you to contemplate on.

I know I've been a bit of a mix so far about Captain Marvel but there are a lot of things to like about this movie. In particular, Marvel have really nailed music on the head recently, Guardians Of The Galaxy (1 not 2) and Thor: Ragnarok being two of my favourites. There's that moment of joy when you hear those old tunes, a smile crept across my face for every one of them. It was a great selection and they fitted into place amongst the story so well.

Nostalgia value is high in this one. Ahh, Blockbuster, I do miss you. There are plenty of things to spot, I'm sure that someone has already created a bingo game to go along with it... or a drinking game, "cry into your drink uncontrollably when you see Stan Lee". We obviously knew he'd filmed some cameos before he moved on into his big ol' galaxy, it was lovely to see him smiling out at us. Not only was it a fun little cameo but Marvel also did something magical with those opening titles and it made me cry... don't judge me!! I didn't cry as much as I did during the credit tribute in Once Upon A Deadpool though.

I could keep waffling, I'm fully aware that I've gone on a lot longer than normal about this one. I'll try not to keep you too much longer.

Obviously they've used some artistic license with the characters from the comics, as they do. The Skrull minions are so close to the comics, I was a little dubious about them when they popped up but they're carbon copies. The main thing that I know they changed was Nick Fury's eye, this version is better than the comics. I'd be interested to know how SLJ felt about finally being able to play Fury with both his eyes.

De-aging was used again but with much heavier usage than we've seen before. It was a bold choice doing it on one of the main characters when he's got so much screen time but I'm glad they chose this over recasting him. There weren't any of the minor oddities that were visible during Ant-Man & The Wasp's use of it, it all looked quite natural. There's no denying that Coulson might be a little overdone but *squeeeeee* little Coulson is so adorable that I don't care!

I mentioned my issues with Vers in the trailers, that wasn't the only misgiving I had. There weren't as many as the "I'm never going to see this movie" crowd (you know you're going to see it, get ahold of yourselves) but there were a few.

We've been with this series for over 10 years, this film leads into the last film in the sequence... and now they're giving us a new character? That's what I have an issue with. Don't get me wrong, I like the idea that they're bringing in a female character to clear up the mess created by the (mainly) boy's club, it's art imitating life... I'm joking, partly... but I can't help feeling like this is more of a last minute add-on. Previous new additions have appeared in other films, they've been able to interact with characters. The whole way through we've been shown teamwork and camaraderie, and throwing Captain Marvel in at the last minute flies in the face of that. But if we'd had her around before this then we probably wouldn't have needed Endgame because there would have been no distractions from what needed to be done. (Before you start on me we see that for a fact, none of Thor and Starlord's nonsense.)

For all of my waffling about it feeling separate they have clearly tried to connect her to the existing MCU. There are links in there on multiple fronts which give you hints at other films, it's quite impressive that they managed to make this without it being filled with series continuity errors.

As my last parting comment I want to say that Goose was amazing. Sadly not so hot on the CGI, I did wonder at one point if he was going to jump up and dance Garfield-style at one point. Annoyingly I already knew some details about this fluffy character before seeing the film but it just left me with anticipation. I didn't think that Fury would be a cat person though.

What you should do

If you're a Marvel fan you're going to have to see it before Endgame, but quite frankly you should want to see it. You could skip it if you really want to... but do you want to risk it? No, I didn't think so.

REMEMBER: There are two credit scenes, one in the middle and one at the end.

Movie thing you wish you could take home

Of all the things I'd have to say Goose, that cute little floof would brighten my day as well as coming in handy for several reasons.
  
Wonder Woman (2017)
Wonder Woman (2017)
2017 | Action, Fantasy, War
Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman Chris Pine as Steve Trevor No Man's land sequence The score Girl Power F YEAH Steve and Diana's relationship (0 more)
Third act is a little generic Villians aren't as memorable as other DCEU villians (0 more)
"I can save today, you can save the world"
Remember when some trickster claiming to be a former worker from Warner Bros. wrote an open letter saying that Wonder Woman was just another mess of a DC movie, et cetera? I remember how Patty Jenkins responded to that. She tweeted: "Just wait and you'll see".

Honestly, I don't know how anyone could even consider that there was the slightest chance of this movie not being good, and I'm gonna tell you why: this is the very first big female-led superhero movie, in which the title character also happens to be the greatest female superhero in history. If you really think that Patty Jenkins, also the first woman to ever direct a superhero movie of this caliber in a industry where women barely stand any chances to get to direct major blockbusters, would let this movie be anything less than great... You've got another thing coming, mate.

Wonder Woman is a traditional, oldschool superhero movie, but the first essentially feminist one at it, and they couldn't have chosen a better setting to tell this story, or a better character to star in it. The movie's social comments are strong and constantly present, but never forced, because it is only natural: by placing Diana, a princess raised in an island of warrior women, in the middle of the reality of World War I, the absurdities of the feminine role in the world - and so many other human corruptions - automatically come to light. The way Diana reacts to this world raises a great sense of awareness, with a touch of poignant humor to it. There is a very funny subtle arc of her wanting to take out her cloak, but not being able to because her armor is "barely any clothes", hinting not only at society's sexist feminine dressing code - which is still a thing today -, but also gradually adding power to the iconography of Wonder Woman in full costume; this is Wonder Woman's much awaited debut on the big screen in a solo movie, and like Superman and Batman before her, her first appearance needed to be something incredibly striking. Patty knew that, Gal knew that, and they made it happen. Even if we already saw her in BVS, the very first time Wonder Woman walks up in full costume here is undoubtedly one of the most iconic moments in superhero cinema.


Jenkins is extremely devoted to giving Wonder Woman the iconic debut film she deserves, and she nails it - there's quite a bit of remarkable shots and set pieces that let out the same imagetic power as in Donner's Superman, Burton's Batman or even Raimi's Spider-Man, and I must highlight the No Man's Land sequence. It's my favorite part of the movie; Jenkins and Heinberg carefully work on Diana's mindset as she first witness the horrors of human war, not being able to help everyone, horses being hurt so they can move faster, a mother and a child begging for help, and it all leads up to the powerful moment of a woman crossing the land no man could cross - and Heinberg's dialogue doesn't rely on obvious statements such as "fortunately I'm a woman" (I'm looking at you, Batwoman trailer), it simply lets the image strike us, because it is powerful enough by itself, and boy did that cause some serious goosebumps.

Speaking of dialogue... It's so terrific, so well written. The exchanges between Diana and Steve Trevor are very clever and funny, but most of all natural. All the characters are also extremely likable; Allan Heinberg's writing knows that not all of them can be given deep development, but nonetheless he gives them stories, personalities and purposes, and that - plus the charismatic performances - makes them very empathetic. The villains are not as remarkable as in some of the other DCEU films, but they didn't need to be; the movie doesn't require in-depth arcs from its villains. They have a strong presence when they're in scene and a well elaborated lore, and that's everything they need.

Contrary to the Nordic mythology depicted in the MCU, here we are talking about real gods, true deities, not superpowerful aliens that only strike a similar image - and that also brings a few narrative dangers along with it, after all, it was in greek mythological stories that the concept of Deus Ex Machina first appeared. Heinberg's screenplay, though, makes a few clever twists in that mythology to avoid easy solutions, which adds to the storytelling, the world building and the developing of the themes as well. The lore surrounding the God of War Ares, for example, is not a simple Diabolus Ex Machina as "he influences men to war and if you kill him every man goes back to being good and everything's alright", no, it's more narratively complicated and socially engaging than that.

And Gal Gadot... I'm at a loss for words. I'll confess right here that when she was first announced as Wonder Woman, I was one of the few who were very opposed to that casting. I've never been so wrong in my life, and I've never been so happy about it. She really is Wonder Woman. She's so graceful and adorable, but a major badass when she needs to be. The way she moves, the way she curiously looks at things, the way she speaks, and the way she incarnates Diana's evolving from her naive beginnings to the wise warrior... She's not only an icon, she's a true hero. Comparisons to Christopher Reeve's Superman were made for good reasons.

Chris Pine is also great, he walks perfectly in the line between funny and serious, Steve Trevor is a darling character and his chemistry with Gal is on point. Their relationship is very well constructed and becomes highly emotional by the end - there are scenes that filled my heart with joy, and others that made it ache.

The action is exciting and full of originality, and I like how Jenkins uses slow-motion differently than Zack Snyder. I know that Snyder helped her direct some of the action sequences, which is understandable since Jenkins had no experience with this type of movie, but you can tell it's not the same. In the fights themselves, there's this feel of sensibility to how these people react to Diana, and it's slightly different from the typical "regular people react to superhumans among them" trope. The cinematography is very keen on portraying the difference between Themyscira - an island of colors and natural beauty - and "jolly ol' London" - desaturated and smoggy, a scenario in which Diana's colorful armor shines in a most beautiful contrast.

And the soundtrack. Rupert Gregson-Williams made a beautiful score that brings out the best in every scene. It's heroic, very heartfelt, and loyal to the foundations of what makes superhero music so memorable. Gregson-Williams adds new themes to compose Wonder Woman's musical identity, but Hans Zimmer's main theme from BVS still lives, and it plays in some heart-pounding scenes. I love that they're dedicating that much attention to the musical continuity, because amongst Marvel's many qualities, they're doing a lousy job in that area. Wonder Woman's theme is the most catchy superhero theme in a long time, it quickly gained a lot of appreciation and by continuing on using it, Gregson-Williams collaborates to making Wonder Woman the strong cinematic icon she's setting out to be.

The irregular reception of previous DCEU movies also extols the impact of Wonder Woman, as do the distinct styles between the films. One of the DCEU's biggest virtues is that singularity of each film; be it a near disaster movie epic such as Man Of Steel, a complex deconstruction of heroic values such as Batman v Superman, an stylish chaos such as Suicide Squad or a traditional, graceful superhero film such as Wonder Woman, these movies are all in the same universe, and that very fact is an example of its richness. A lot of people will think Wonder Woman is the best DCEU movie of the lot, some will stick to BVS, others to MOS, maybe for some it's Shazam, but that's the fun of it: we can discuss this forever. Each of these movies mean different things to different people, we're way past simply labelling one as "better" and the other as "worse".

Wonder Woman, however, is not simply a movie about a very strong woman. It's an achievement for every woman. There were tons of girls dressed up as Wonder Woman in the theater, and just seeing how ecstatic they were after the movie brought me joy. There were tons of applause. It's a mark. Be that as it may, Wonder Woman will be remembered as the most impactful superhero film of its time. In 1978, Superman showed to the world how a man could fly; in 2017, Wonder Woman showed to the world how a woman can fight.