Reviews - Two Disc Special
Edition DVD
Street Date: March 3rd, 2009
Languages: English
Subtitles: English, French
Run Time: 74
Rating: PG-13
Media Quantity: 2 (DVD 9)
Packaging Type: Amaray Case |
Aspect Ratio:
Original Aspect Ratio - 1.78 Widescreen [16:9 Transfer]
Sound Quality:
English: Dolby Surround 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Surround Stereo
|
DVD Features:
● Wonder Woman: A Subversive Dream - She is one of the pillars of DC
Comics. We examine why Wonder Woman is important in the grand scheme of
the DC Super Heroes and how her raw strength and power helped define a
new generation of empowered women, who realized that their gifts of
intellect and strength were just as powerful as their male counterparts.
● Wonder Woman The Daughters of Myth – The riveting documentary
historically defines the meaning of the Amazons and how this links in
with the evolution of the Wonder Woman character from comics to screen.
● Audio Commentary: featuring commentary by Gregory Noveck (Senior Vice
President, Creative Affairs, DC Comics), Bruce Timm (Producer), Lauren
Montgomery (Director) and Michael Jelenic (Screenplay).
● Bruce Timm’s Top Picks: Popular episodes from the Warner Bros. archive
of Justice League/Justice League Unlimited animation featuring Wonder
Woman; all personally selected by Bruce Timm, producer of this Wonder
Woman feature film. All formats include “To Another Shore” and
“Hawk and Dove.”
● Digital Copy Download– Warner Bros. is including a Digital Copy of
Wonder Woman on the DVD which will provide fans a legitimate means to
enjoy their favorite action hero anywhere they want on their portable
video device. Formats supported include: iTunes, Windows Media Player.
Restrictions apply. Consult product packaging for details.
● Sneak Peak: The next DCU Animated Original Movie.
● Wonder Woman: The Amazon Princess – This featurette includes both a
thumbnail history of the character of Wonder Woman featuring interviews
with DC Comics creators and artists (Paul Levitz, Dan DiDio), and behind
the scenes footage of the upcoming made-for-DVD release punctuated with
interviews from the production staff and voice talent behind the film
(Keri Russell, Alfred Molina, etc.)
Synopsis: On the mystical island of Themyscira, a proud and
fierce warrior race of Amazons have raised a daughter of untold beauty,
grace and strength Princess Diana. When an Army fighter pilot, Steve
Trevor, crash-lands on the island, the rebellious and headstrong Diana
defies Amazonian law by accompanying Trevor back to civilization.
Meanwhile, Ares (the god of War) has escaped his imprisonment at the
hands of the Amazonians and has decided to exact his revenge - intending
to start a world war that will not only last for centuries but will wipe
out every living being on the planet, starting with the Amazons! It is
up to Princess Diana to save her people and the world by using her gifts
and becoming the ultimate Wonder Woman!
Review (James Harvey)
Wonder Woman has always been a
hard-sell it seems, and unfairly so. While I can understand the
somewhat reluctance to get involved with a character that can be
difficult to relate to, you have to admit that she's a great
romantic figure, one that reminds me, personally, of some of the
best characters in classic literature. An Amazon born of the
clay, she rose to become an ambassador of peace, falling in love
with the world she's never seen. How classic does that sound?
Regardless of that, and save for a hit live-action series from
the 1970s, she's had a difficult history in the media. Even
though she's an influencial character, Wonder Woman has never
really broke out of the shadow of Batman and Superman, her male
DC Comics counterparts. Well, hopefully that will all change
with Wonder Woman, one of the best DC Universe Animated
Original Movie DVD releases to date. Let's get that pesky
synopsis out of the way and dig a little deeper into this new
animated feature.
On the mystical island of Themyscira, a
proud and fierce warrior race of Amazons have raised a daughter
of untold beauty, grace and strength Princess Diana. When an
Army fighter pilot, Steve Trevor, crash-lands on the island, the
rebellious and headstrong Diana defies Amazonian law by
accompanying Trevor back to civilization. Meanwhile, Ares (the
god of War) has escaped his imprisonment at the hands of the
Amazonians and has decided to exact his revenge - intending to
start a world war that will not only last for centuries but will
wipe out every living being on the planet, starting with the
Amazons! It is up to Princess Diana to save her people and the
world by using her gifts and becoming the ultimate Wonder Woman!
The opening battle sequence for Wonder Woman is a
sight to behold, full of sharp directing and beautiful
animation. While the battlefield is littered with corpses and
combative foes, the backgrounds are detailed and lush. It's an
absolutely stunning opening, and also pretty violent. Swords
clash and heads fly as the Amazons struggle to defeat an evil
foe. And this sequence is literally just the beginning. All this
sequence does is provide the backdrop for the rest of the movie.
Once the words "Wonder Woman" blaze across the screen, the movie
picks up with the leading character, Princess Diana, front and
center. And, thankfully, the movie does live up to the promise
of the opening sequence, even if it does falter a little here
and there.
Without a doubt, Wonder Woman is a fun
movie, full of striking visuals and great performances. Nathan
Fillion is absolutely perfect as Steve Trevor, who has some of
the best dialogue bits in the movie. Fillion manages to play up
the cocky nature of Trevor without it becoming too overbearing
or tiresome. There's one moment in particular, when Fillion
bares his soul after unknowingly stepping into Wonder Woman's
Lasso of Truth, where we get an understanding of who Trevor
really is. Keri Russell also manages to hold her own in this
movie. I'll admit I was initially skeptical of her being cast as
Wonder Woman when the news originally broke, but she does a good
job with the role. She really does push herself into the role
admirably and manages to pull it off. I don't think she
absolutely nails is like Fillion with Trevor, but she does solid
work as Wonder Woman, even resulting in some really hilarious
moments here and there. Russell's voice also helps define
Diana's age in the movie, too. She's still young and, I suppose,
a bit fresh when it comes to the world around her, and we see
that. There's one amusing scene where Wonder Woman, just
arriving in New York, tells a little girl to "Unleash Hell" in
an effort to console the child. Trevor and Diana have great
chemistry and, thankfully, Trevor never overshadows Diana
despite his strong presence in the movie.
Overall, I
thought the movie was very well cast, with everyone pulling
their weight respectively. If there was a weak point, I'd have
to say that Rosario Dawson was a bit too rough as Artemis. I
understand the character and what Dawson was going for, but I
don't think she pulled it off as well as she could. There were
some line reads that sounded so stilted compared to the others.
The movie does have a couple other detractors, though.
It tends to jump around for the last twenty minutes, and while
the movie does set up that Trevor and Diana are closely
following Ares, I don't think it's handled as well as it could
have been. This comes apparent especially for the final battle
which has the Amazons just showing up in Washington, DC after
Ares pops up there mere moments before. Yes, the Amazons do have
a magic mirror to view the outside world, and Paradise Island
does seem to pretty damn close to North America, like a few
miles away at most, but they do show up way too fast for my
liking. But, again, one can assume that the Amazons were also
tailing Ares, making it easy for them to show up when they did.
Still, how everyone winds up in the same place at the end seems
a bit contrived and could have been handled better. It's not too
distracting, but I guarantee that it may give you pause to
wonder, even for just a few seconds. Since I'm not a life-long Wonder
Woman fan, I am sure I missed a few other inconsistencies a
dedicated Princes Diana fan would have picked up, but that
seemed to be the major dropped story-point for me.
Well,
there's also the unexplained invisible jet the Amazons possess,
but I'm sure others more knowledgeable in Wonder Woman lore than
I can touch upon this better.
To get back on track, I
still think Wonder Woman is a solid animated
action-adventure, emphasis on "action." As extremely evident by
the opening sequence, this movie isn't for the faint of heart.
The battle scenes alone make this movie not entirely
kid-appropriate. We see a huge amount of stabbings and
decapitations within the opening moments, and then many more
during the climactic battle. The amount of dead in this movie is
staggering. And, as violent as these battle scenes are, they're
aren't as violent as early reviews will lead you to believe. In
fact, based on the commentary track for the movie, they seem to
have been toned down from their original presentation, which
would be understandable given the final product. Despite that,
it's still a violent movie, even if some of the more graphic
moments, such as decapitations, are done in silhouette.
Thankfully, the epic battle and fight scenes are countered with
Trevor and Diana, who are paired up for the majority of the
movie. Like I said above, there's good chemistry between the
two, and that helps balance the movie. If the movie was just an
animated retread of 300, then it would get tired really
quickly, but that's not the case here. The script provides a lot
of light and quiet moments that allow the characters to breathe
and move the story along naturally. Even the villains are given
some delicious moments, especially a very disturbing Hades, who
has some really great, creepy scenes. Everyone has a moment to
shine here, making it possible to actually care about what
happens and how the movie unfolds, even if the movie succumbs to
some erratic skipping toward the end of the feature.
A
lot of this is easily overlook-able thanks to some of the truly
beautiful animation we see on display here. I briefly mentioned
it above, but I'd like to go a little more in-detail for a
moment. Whether it's the opening battle scene or the detailed
cityscape, the animation on Wonder Woman is top-notch,
and possibly the best looking DC Universe Animated Original
Movie title to date. The movement is so fluid, with some of it
even bordering on rotoscope-smooth quality. There's one scene
involving a zombie Amazon (yes, you read that right) that is
animated in draw-dropping fashion. Yes, there are a few glitches
here and there, but any animation errors are far and few
in-between. The only things that may stand out to the trained
eye is the occasional obvious use of CGI, to bulk up the size of
battle scenes and number of characters, or the odd jumpy
animation cycle, such as walking cycles or the odd background
movement cycles. But, like I said, it's nothing that takes away
from the story at all. Overall, Wonder Woman likely has
the best animation to date for a comic-themed direct-to-video
animated feature, full of beautiful detail and sweeping visuals.
The movie is truly an eyeful.
If I had to compare it to
the previous DC Universe Animated Original Movie releases, I'd
rate it as the best yet. Much like Wonder Woman, each of
the previous installments had their flaws, but also had major
redeeming factors, too. Justice League: The New Frontier
was a great production, but struggled to fit a massive story in
a meager 75-minute movie. Batman: Gotham Knight was an
interesting experiment with six loosely related shorts, with
some better than others. Superman Doomsday was an
unapologetic smashfest that was heavy on visuals but a bit light
on story. Regardless of their faults, they were all enjoyable
and fun, but Wonder Woman does them all better for one
major reason. While there may be a few unexplained jumps, the
movie doesn't feel as rushed as previous animated features. Wonder
Woman is allowed to breathe for the 75-minute run time.
It goes without saying that Wonder Woman is an
animated feature that actually does have something for everyone,
as odd as that may sound. We get comedy, romance, action,
amazing animation, everything, and it's all actually balanced
really well. Just keep in mind that, like the previous DC
animated features, this movie it not appropriate for the younger
set. Easily the best DC Universe Animated Original Movie title
to date, it seems as though the creative team behind these
direct-to-video animated features are finally getting a hang of
what they can and cannot tell over a 75-minute period, and Wonder
Woman is an example of a step in the right direction. Not to
say that the previous DC Universe Animated Original Movie titles
were bad, they weren't, but they seem to be finding their
comfort zone on how to work these 75-minute features and Wonder
Woman is a prime example of that. This direct-to-video
animated feature is nearly perfect, and pretty much is until the
third act when the script takes a few jumps that seem to come
out of nowhere. Despite the flaws, once again, I find myself
standing behind and touting this release as Highly
Recommended. Wonder Woman is a great installment in
the DC Universe Animated Original Movie line, and a movie that
I'm sure fans new and old will gladly get behind.
The
DVD:
As with previous DC Universe Animated Original
Movie titles, Warner Home Video has released Wonder Woman
on single and double-disc DVD and high-definition Blu-ray. The
two-disc DVD release features an embossed and foil reflective
slipcover. The only insert is includes the instructions for
obtaining the available digital copy of the movie.
As for
the release itself, Warner Home Video has done another excellent
job putting together a solid release. While it's not the best DC
Universe Animated Original Movie DVD release, it's still nothing
to scoff at. Before we get to the bonus content, let's briefly
touch upon the overall look and feel of the disc. The video
transfer of the movie is a sight to behold, with no noticeable
compression or artifacting, resulting in an amazing transfer.
The audio transfer is just as solid with Warner Home Video
giving this release a great Dolby Digital 5.1 track. So, now
that we've determined how excellent this release looks and
sounds, what about the rest?
As for extras, on the first
disc we get a Commentary Track featuring senior VP creative
affairs, DC Comics Gregory Noveck, Producer Bruce Timm, Director
Lauren Montgomery and Writer Michael Jelenic. It's a good track
for the most part, with Noveck and Timm talking for the bulk of
the track and Montgomery and Jelenic occasionally speaking up to
share their thoughts on the project. Both Jelenic and Montgomery
briefly talk about abandoned ideas from the movie and some of
the edits made to the feature, including the reduction in blood.
The track manages to cover nearly every aspect of the film's
production and is a great extra. The first disc is rounded off
with a look at the upcoming Green Lantern: First Flight
animated movie and a collection of trailers and extended
trailers looking at past DC Universe Animated Original Movie
releases.
As we move on to the second disc, we are
greeted with two documentaries, both of which run just over 25
minutes in total. Both Wonder Woman: A Subversive Dream
and Wonder Woman: Daughter of Myth touch upon the roots
of the character and the mythology of which she is based. Aside
from a few clips from the animated feature, there's little
mention of the movie. The documentaries focus on the interesting
comic book origin of Wonder Woman, how she came to be, and how
her influence has lasted for generations. Looking into the myth
behind the character also results in some pretty interesting
facts being uncovered, including the discovery of a group of
mummified women with traits similar to that of the Amazons.
Interesting stuff that's worth a look, even if the documentaries
are too short for my liking.
The second disc is rounded
off with two Justice League Unlimited episodes, "Hawk and
Dove" and "To Another Shore," providing suitable entertainment
for those looking for more Wonder Woman.
The Two-Disc
Special Edition release of Wonder Woman is pretty solid,
even if it isn't as packed as I'd hope. While it may have some
flaws, Wonder Woman is probably the best DC Universe
Animated Original Movie title to date and if you're looking for
the best way to experience this movie, the Blu-ray is the way to
go. Now, if you don't have a Blu-ray player, then this Two-Disc
Special Edition DVD is the better alternative over the single
disc, but I find the Blu-ray release to be superior over this
DVD release of Wonder Woman. With a good amount of bonus
content, Wonder Woman will easily provide hours of great
viewing, including a solid rewatchability factor of the main
feature and some fascinating content from the bonus materials. I
do think the two documentaries could have been longer, as they
run just a shade over 50 minutes combined, but what is there is
great watching. The Two-Disc Special Edition release of Wonder
Woman comes Highly Recommended to own, though I'd
recommend getting the Blu-ray release if you have the technology
to play the high-definition release. Warner Home Video has done
a great job giving fans an immaculate release for on of DC's
most beloved characters.
Review (Disney Boy)
It was with great anticipation and joy that I sat down to watch
DC's latest animated film, Wonder Woman. For far too
long, comicbookdom's original heroine has been left warming the
bench as Batman, Superman and Spider-Man get to have all the
animated and live-action fun. So it is a great relief to confirm
that the film holds together very well, bringing strong
characterizations and considerable action to vivid, 2D life. It
stands tall, easily the most impressive of DC's recent series of
direct-to-DVD features, but - to fans of the character who have
waited years for a movie like this - it all boils down to one
question: Does it do justice to Wonder Woman? The short answer
is...depends on what you consider most important to the
character.
Synopsis: On the mystical island of
Themyscira, a proud and fierce warrior race of Amazons have
raised a daughter of untold beauty, grace and strength Princess
Diana. When an Army fighter pilot, Steve Trevor, crash-lands on
the island, the rebellious and headstrong Diana defies Amazonian
law by accompanying Trevor back to civilization. Meanwhile, Ares
(the god of War) has escaped his imprisonment at the hands of
the Amazonians and has decided to exact his revenge - intending
to start a world war that will not only last for centuries but
will wipe out every living being on the planet, starting with
the Amazons! It is up to Princess Diana to save her people and
the world by using her gifts and becoming the ultimate Wonder
Woman!
The Movie:
Many would argue getting
that getting her origins right is half the battle, and they
would be correct. All of the elements from Wonder Woman's
original origin story in 1941's Sensation Comics #1 are
present and accounted for. After suffering at the hands of man,
the Amazons of Greek myth retreat to a hidden Paradise Isle to
live in peace for centuries. When their Queen, Hippolyta, longs
for an infant daughter, the Gods breathe life into the tiny baby
she sculpts out of clay, and bless her with great speed and
strength. As this Princess, Diana, reaches maturity, American
air force pilot Steve Trevor crash lands on the island and a
contest is held to determine which of the Amazons will return
him to the modern world. Against her mother's wishes, Diana
disguises herself and participates, winning the right to don the
star-spangled costume, golden tiara and Lasso of Truth of Wonder
Woman. The movie earns serious points for keeping at least that
much the same.
Wonder Woman the character, however, as
anyone who has followed her evolution in the comics can attest,
isn't quite so easy to nail down. Diana is the embodiment of
numerous contradictions. A gorgeous, virginal Princess in a
revealing one-piece who speaks of strength of character, inner
beauty and women's rights. A proud and skilled warrior on a
mission of peace to undo the influence of the God of War. An
outsider from a race of immortal, reclusive women trying to
teach the modern world to be more open-minded. If a writer
swings too far in any one direction, Diana can easily be reduced
to a vapid pin-up or man-hating brute.
Case in point, the
popular live action series from the 1970s. If Lynda Carter's
beloved portrayal of the Amazing Amazon laid the sweet and
feminine on a bit too thick, Bruce Timm's Justice League
and Justice League Unlimited tried to rectify this by
depicting her as more of an aloof outsider with a royal temper.
Neither really managed to achieve the balance between beauty,
brains, brawn and compassion believed by many to have been the
crowning achievement of George Perez's famed relaunch of the
Wonder Woman title in the early 1980s. His 62-issue run
on the book brought Diana's mythological origins to the
forefront, including supporting roles for the full Greek
Pantheon, established her firmly as an Emissary of Peace and
developed the unique attributes of each of her rivals, including
Circe, Dr Psycho and the Cheetah to name a few). Though the
first six-issue storyline from those books is used as a template
for the events of this movie, Wonder Woman confidently
marches to its own tune, stripping down each of the characters
to the bare essentials and redefining them for a new audience.
Perez attributed the Amazons' mistrust of men to their
suffering at the hands of demigod Heracles and his army, who
used seduction as their weapon to conquer and imprison the
female warriors. Timm's Justice League recast Hades, Lord
of the Underworld, as the handsome aggressor, and the Queen's
one-time suitor, in an attempt to provide Diana with a more
visually Satanic foe. This film finally brings Diana's long-time
comic book arch-nemesis Ares, God of War, to the forefront of
the action, but re-envisions him as a Justice League-style
Hades, Satanic motifs intact, in order to tie him more closely
to Hippolyta. In a new twist, Ares' abuse of the Queen is shown
to have resulted in the birth of a son, a situation she
rectifies early in the film, providing Ares with ample
motivation later on to go after Diana.
For the
convenience of the scriptwriters, Ares is portrayed as more of a
mortal, which permits Diana to engage him in hand-to-hand combat
sequences, but ultimately robs their relationship of the nuanced
respect they've shared for years in the comics. If Greg Rucka,
Phil Jiminez and George Perez were able to spin stories out of
Diana and Ares' opposing ideologies without allowing either to
triumph simply by smacking the other in the face, one can only
wonder why Simone and Jelenic opted not to rise to the occasion
and avoid the typical, tired hero/villain showdown. The end
result is an Ares who never really comes across as charming,
menacing or powerful as the producers would have intended and
the film suffers as a result. Even once he's finally regained
the full breadth of his powers at the end of the movie, his
plans are disappointingly one-note. The comic book Diana
convinced Ares that launching a nuclear attack on the world
would only kill off the worshippers from whose devotion he draws
his very existence. If handled correctly, such a conclusion
would have made both Diana and Ares look a little more wise, but
then I often find myself wondering why Perez's work isn't
followed more closely.
His Diana was as much an eager,
joyful young woman as obedient servant of the Gods. Though she
lacks the ability to fly under her own power, a trait she's had
since the 80s, this Wonder Woman is more the captain of her own
ship, acting without any prompting from Goddesses or time for
tearful farewells. As much as this re-interpretation empowers
the character, her likeability suffers, and in that respect,
she's not alone. Hippolyta and the Amazons are shown early on to
be remorseless killing machines with a stiff upper lip even when
faced with betrayal at the hands of one of their own. Their
Paradise Island is less a sanctuary of higher thinking as a
prison from which even the Queen secretly hopes to escape. They
are defined almost entirely by the abuse they're suffered and as
such, nowhere near the aspirational figures from the comics.
So, it only stands to reason that this Wonder Woman would be
similarly unsentimental and battle-ready, not that this accounts
for all her odd reactions throughout the movie. When Steve
realizes Ares' presence has incited acts of violence in Greece
and Turkey, Diana is content to remain in New York and do
tequila shots while waiting for further murders to occur and a
pattern to emerge that will better pinpoint her enemy's
location. Later, when she's threatened by a mugger in an
alleyway, this Diana replies "Maybe I want somebody to
get hurt". In one of the movie's cutest bits, she even teaches a
young girl how to impale the boys who refused to allow her to
partake in their jousting match. Ambassador of Peace, I think
not, and it's a shame. Whatever you want to say about Carter's
flouncy, grinning Diana, she stole the hearts of a generation in
a big way. Even Justice League Unlimited's Princess
eventually softened up a bit over time. This Diana still has a
ways to go and as such, the movie lacks something
quintessentially "Wonder Woman".
From a visual
standpoint, though, the film proves the days of groaning over
the limitations of digitally-inked animations are far behind us
now. The story opens with an epic battle the likes of which
we've never seen in any previous DCU animated project, and
continues to bring cleverly-staged, if somewhat overbearing,
action sequences right up until the closing credits. The
characters move across the screen with grace, with extra
flourishes given to everything from small hand gestures and
follow-through movements to hair and clothing. Though the basic
look of the movie is still Bruce Timm-influenced and a far cry
from Disney-levels of intricacy, the added shadows and diffused
light create new, intoxicating environments. The freshness of
Themyscira's air is almost palpable. Its lush, ancient forests
contrast nicely with the gritty streets of New York. The cloudy
skies, especially, bring a level of realism and sense of scope
to the world of the movie that marks a considerable step up.
As far as character designs are concerned, a small
controversy was already brewing months ago, when an early
promotional image showed Diana bearing more than a passing
resemblance to another seemingly ageless icon...Cher.
Thankfully, when this Wonder Woman leaps deflects bullets with
her silver bracelets, the comparison will quickly be forgotten.
Fans will be pleased by several small touches, including Diana's
Greek facial features and her mother's brunette locks, and
disappointed by the one obvious misstep - Ares. Until someone
can make a case for why the blue armour he's worn for the past
thirty years is somehow less classic than the Joker's signature
purple suit, I will continue to speak out against this
red-and-black look. He's not Satan and audiences don't need to
see the color red to understand that a villain is evil. Etta
Candy gets a similarly disappointing redesign. The "pleasantly
plump," as Timm later puts it comic book wife of Steve Trevor
seems to have switched bodies with the typically thin Hades
off-screen, who, in Wonder Woman, sits on his throne
eating grapes as though he were Dionysus. First-time director
Lauren Montgomery can hardly be blamed for wanting to set some
of the characters apart from their past incarnations, though,
and overall, has much to be proud of.
Perhaps the only
aspect of the film that cannot be debated, even by the most
particular of critics, is the invaluable contribution of
composer Christopher Drake. Hippolyta has two rather moving, if
noticeably dialogue-free moments in the picture, first when she
sculpts her daughter into existence on a rainy morning and then
when she unflinchingly allows her to leave home despite wanting
her to stay. Both are bolstered by Drake's enveloping score,
which does most of the heavy lifting, bringing deep emotion to
all the scenes and covering for where the script or performances
fall short. A soundtrack DC had better be on the way because
this man has pulled off quite a feat.
The all-star cast,
meanwhile, is something of a mixed bag. Keri Russell (Felicity,
Waitress) breaks free from her primetime past as
soft-spoken Felicity Porter to deliver a surprisingly confident
performance as the titular heroine. Rosario Dawson (Sin
City, Seven Pounds) brings an inspiring level of
passion and commitment to her role as the Amazon Artemis. Alfred
Molina (Spider-Man 2, The DaVinci Code) and
Virginia Madsen (Sideways) play well off each other as
Ares and Hippolyta in the opening scene, but fall flat
elsewhere. The simple truth of the matter is, voice acting is an
art unto itself, and not every actor can bring across a
well-rounded performance using only their voice.
Screenwriter Michael Jelenic, with story support from Gail
Simone, takes special care to craft a self-contained adventure
in no way hampered by the film's limited running time, a brisk
70 minutes. The overall structure is sound, even though some of
the supporting character arcs come off half-baked. Though they
aim for a King Triton-like growth on the part of Hippolyta, the
character feels more held back than anything else, boxed-in by
the script's desire to portray her largely as a bitter, one-note
victim instead of the cautious and loving Queen fans have come
to love. Similarly, Jelenic prefers to have Diana's mission of
peace come about as a result of the events of the film. Both are
interesting variations, but like Justice League before
it, run the risk of leaving fans feeling as though they're
getting an upside-down cake.
Elements like the infamous
Invisible jet and Ares' armies of monsters are thrown in without
explanation. The Amazons fly atop winged horses that pop up
conveniently for the battle scenes, but otherwise appear not to
live on their island. In the climax, Ares calls upon lighting
and raises armies of undead warriors, apparently without either
Zeus or Hades' assistance. These sorts of random occurrences
don't initially detract from the picture, but stick out upon
repeated viewings.
More successful are the attempts to
create chemistry between Steve and Diana, a couple whose Lois
and Clark-styled beginnings were gradually abandoned in the
comics, leaving Diana without a romantic partner for much of her
60+ year history. Though Simone, current writer of the Wonder
Woman book, has been pushing the limits of Diana's eternal
virginity by pairing her up with Tom "Nemesis" Tresser, fans
have struggled to warm to the idea of this fresh new suitor
having the honour of 'getting it on' with the Princess. Nathan
Fillion (Firefly, Castle), who plays Diana's
original blonde boy toy as the familiar jackass with a heart of
gold everyone knew in college, and is likely to win audiences
over with his relatable, mature sense of humour. When Steve
quips about the "God of Dependability" or starts spilling his
heart out because his foot is stuck in the Lasso of Truth, you
can't help but smile. His "men are pigs" shtick eventually wears
thin, but that's more the fault of the script, whose overall
depiction of men leaves much to be desired. He doesn't
completely seem like the perfect man for Princess Diana and
there is often more animosity between them than affection, but
the same can be said of the movie as a whole. Very close, but no
tiara.
Still, this film feels as much like a tactical
move as anything else. In creating a functional template for a
feature film and proving to audiences that Diana can kick butt
without the presence of a Justice League, perhaps Wonder
Woman will encourage DC to finally move forward with a
live-action film franchise or regular animated series. Then
again, the PG-13 rating, with a slightly more bloody R-rated
version eventually on the way, and implied sexual content kind
of negates this picture from the "kiddie flick" category.
Without the support of the Saturday Morning Set - who buy the
toys that get cartoon shows turned into movies - can this film
really make the impact needed to convince studios that kids, and
their parents, will spend cash to see more of the Amazing
Amazon? Only time will tell. And what is time to an immortal...?
The DVD:
Below is a breakdown and review of the
presentation and bonus features for the Two-Disc Special Edition
release of Wonder Woman.
PACKAGING:
The
Two-Disc Special Edition DVD comes in an amaray case with a
slip-cover. There's a nice foil effect on the slipcase, and the
design is much nicer than that of the single-disc, although
closer inspection of Diana's chest plate will reveal a small
coloring mistake that's repeated on the first disc. I can't
quite figure what situation would require her to pose like that,
but regardless, it's eye-catching and far nicer than the cover
of the no-frills release.
AUDIO:
It’s rather hard for
me to speak about the set’s Dolby Surround Sound 5.1 track, not
having much of a fancy entertainment set-up. Still, everything
sounded good to me! The dialogue was audible, and the mixing
provided depth to the action without ever drowning out the
lovely score. There are options on the disc for English and
French subtitles, but the only spoken language track is in
English.
VIDEO:
The 1.78 Widescreen aspect ratio [16:9
Transfer] is used to full effect. There is a clear sense of
scope to the movie, and thankfully no problems with the digital
transfer, which is clean of interlacing or ghosting.
MENUS:
The menu screen itself has a nice layout – divided
into “Play Movie” “Bonus Features” and “Languages” - without
some of frustrating animated introductions that are sometimes
forced upon us. It’s worth pointing out that although the film
is divided up into ten chapters, no chapter menu is included on
the main screen.
BONUS FEATURES:
Let's start going
over the bonus features on the first disc. Starting off with the
commentary track, Timm, Jelenic, Montgomery and DC honcho
Gregory Noveck touch on a variety of topics, including an
expanded explanation of the Amazon Persephone's arc, the reasons
behind the decision to deny Diana the power of flight and
possible ideas for a sequel. There are several unusually long
pauses in the track which left me wondering if WB edited out
some comments, but it otherwise moves along at a casual,
informative pace.
DC comics readers will be excited to
see a first-look at the next direct-to-DVD project, Green
Lantern, starring the voices of Law and Order: SVU
star Chris Meloni as pilot Hal Jordon and Victor Garber as his
mentor/foe Sinestro. The piece features the actors and
production team commenting vaguely on the plot while storyboards
whip past the screen.
Fans who purchased DC's last DVD
movie will recall having seen a similar promotional featurette
for the Wonder Woman movie, and it is also included here.
The actors and creative team all make brief appearances to drum
up interest in the flick and express gratitude to one another
for a job well done. Though it clocks in at a brief ten minutes
and repeats most of the information included in the featurettes
on disc two, it's worth watching if only to see Rosario Dawson
kiss her "guns".
Two similar features for Batman:
Gotham Knight and Justice League: New Frontier are
included, along with four trailers - Lego Batman, Inkheart,
Scooby Doo and the Samurai Sword and The Real
Adventures of Johnny Quest.
The second disc features
two documentaries exclusive to this special edition DVD.
The first, Wonder Woman: A Subversive Dream touches on
William Moulton Marsden's creation of the character and her
metamorphosis into a feminist icon. A Harvard psychologist,
Marsden is famous for having created the lie detector machine,
which itself became the inspiration for Diana's Lasso of Truth.
Through the use of vintage clips, the doc really succeeds in
painting a portrait of the era in which Diana was born. Among
those interviewed in the 24-minute-long featurette include
Wonder Woman-enthusiast Andy Mangels, various authors and,
somewhat amusingly, Playboy figurehead Hugh Hefner. Sadly, the
participants stop short of elaborating in detail on why Marsden
himself is considered somewhat controversial. Denny O'Neil,
meanwhile, whose reinvention of the character in the 1970s
robbed her of her powers, costume and, arguably, her identity,
is provided a welcome opportunity to explain himself. Curiously,
the discussion concludes without mention of Perez's 1980s
relaunch of Wonder Woman, which is surprising given its
impact on the movie. Though the feature mostly skims the
surface, it still does a good job of explaining to newcomers how
Diana's evolution over time cemented her as a fixture in pop
culture.
After that, Wonder Woman: Daughter of Myth
covers a variety of Wonder Woman-related topics, but begins with
a look at the archetypes Marsden drew upon when linking his
creation to the world of Greek myths. A quick history lesson on
the various Greek Gods is provided, as well as glimpses of some
of the remaining temples in Greece. While the participants here
are mostly the same as in the last featurette, the piece itself
is rather unfocused. Fans will be happy to see mention made of
Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman series, but disappointed the
lady herself makes no appearance. It also clocks it at roughly
24 minutes.
Though rights issues were likely to have
played a role, I have to express disappointment over the fact
that neither of these featurettes detailed the history of Wonder
Woman on the small screen. Having starred in the aforementioned
Carter series, and then co-starred in the numerous Hanna Barbera
Super Friends cartoons and again on Justice League,
it would have been interesting to hear what the various DC and
Warner Bros creative teams thought about the evolution of the
character with regards to this new movie.
Perhaps to
offer us an opportunity to do exactly that, producer Bruce Timm
throws in two Diana-centric episodes of his fan favourite series
Justice League Unlimited. "Hawk and Dove" focuses on
Diana's battle to control her temper while trying to keep Ares
from inciting a civil war. "To Another Shore" is a decidedly
more entertaining romp, in which newly christened Ambassador
Diana of Themyscira finds herself battling various members of
the Legion of Doom when they crash an environmental conference.
In addition to Wonder Woman Susan Eisenberg's great chemistry
with Scott Patterson, as Agent King Faraday, the episode also
focuses on the most likeable aspect of this version of Diana -
her sibling-like relationship with fellow outsider Martian
Manhunter.
The second disc also features a Digital Copy
for those wanting to download the flick onto their PC, Mac or
iPod.
The Verdict:
While the movie comes very
close to nailing everything a Wonder Woman movie should be, the
cast and script miss the mark in some rather important areas.
Still, fans of the character and DC Comics in general will find
plenty to enjoy in this Special Edition set that will hopefully
serve as a first in a long line of further Wonder Woman
releases. In other words – let’s bring on a sequel and see if we
can’t do better. |
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