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DVD
Movie Review by:
Jim "Good Old JR" Rutkowski
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Directed by:
Lauren Montgomery |
Written by:
Michael Jelenic |
Starring the Voices of:
Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Rosario Dawson |
Running time:
74 minutes
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Released:
03/03/09-direct to dvd |
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Rated PG-13
for violence throughout
and some suggestive material. |
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"...a solid presentation overall, that should satisfy the expectations of
the most die hard DC Comics book fan, there is a lot here to respect and enjoy."
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This is not your typical Saturday cartoon; it is
very PG-13. With a ruthlessly bloody opening battle scene and the first line of
dialogue being from the villain, Ares – God of War (Alfred Molina), to Hippolyta,
Wonder Woman’s Amazon warrior mother, this ain’t for the preschoolers. Ares
chides her, “You seem as eager to meet me on the battlefield, Hippolyta, as you
once did in the bedroom.” She replies, “I hope you prove more skilled in this
arena, Ares.” Ok, then!
After the opening battle, Hippolyta pleads with Zeus to allow she and the
survivors to live on a special island. And there, on the mystical island of
Themyscira, the proud, strong warrior race of Amazon women lives in a utopian
civilization shielded from the corrupt world of man. But a betrayal within the
Amazon sisterhood leads to the escape of Ares, the God of War, and Amazon
Princess Diana must capture him before he unleashes global chaos and
destruction. With the aid of cocky fighter pilot Steve Trevor, Diana tracks Ares
to the United States capital for a battle royale.
Respecting her origins before she even comes on screen, Princess Diana’s (aka
Wonder Woman) exposition is skillfully done with action, characters’ clear
motivations and some high drama. The story starts with her mother, Hippolyta, as
mentioned above - a spectacular warrior queen, who even goes so far to behead
her own corrupt son! Soon Princess Diana’s birth is then revealed, which was a
gift from the Gods to Hippolyta. Princess Diana, of course, grows to be a very
strong warrior, though she itches to leave utopia, contribute to the outside
world and…enjoy the company of a man.
The story continues with some creative and tough action sequences as Princess
Diana gains her bearings and learns about American culture while she’s hunting
down the escaped Ares in New York. As she fights crime, the public begins to
call her “Wonder Woman.” Director Lauren Montgomery balances the action scenes
with mellower moments including the awkward but funny sexual tension between
Princess Diana and Steve Trevor (Nathan Fillion).
But heavy emphasis is on Diana’s headstrong mission to stop Ares. Actress Keri
Russell voices Wonder Woman and does a satisfactory job – her intent and
inflections are on the mark, but she really doesn’t have a strong, more throaty
voice to nail the part. And Wonder Woman’s constant angst can be a one-note
delivery…as the joker said to Batman, “why so serious?”
The rest of the cast do a terrific job, and I thought Michael Jelenic’s
screenplay really delivered an entertaining, respectful presentation of Wonder
Woman’s introduction and big mission to save the world from War. And a nice dose
of smart humor always help. And it doesn’t hurt that Princess Diana is gorgeous,
too.
The film is loaded with quite a bit of themes, characters and situations, so the
74 minute run time is brisk, and I think it could have been longer with enhanced
supporting character developments. But this is really a solid presentation
overall, that should satisfy the expectations of the most die hard DC Comics
book fan, there is a lot here to respect and enjoy. For me, This is my second
favorite of the direct to DVD DC movies after The New Frontier. |
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WONDER WOMAN
© 2009 Warner Premiere
All Rights Reserved
Review © 2009 Alternate Reality, Inc.
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