The full reviews are in for Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman 1984” and while for the most part there’s plenty of positivity about the new film, scores are down on its predecessor.
On Metacritic the film is holding a 67/100 vs. the 76/100 the first film received, while on Rotten Tomatoes it stands at 88% (7.3/10) compared to the 97% (/10) of the first.
Reviews paint it as a big throwback to 1980s film, not just in look but also construction, along with being highly vibrant, colorful, playful and a surprisingly effective satire of Reagan-omics and their long-lasting impact.
Complaints range about the level of cheese/goofiness and the film’s final act which once again devolves into a big CG fight spectacle. Here’s a sampling of reviews:
“Jenkins is an enormously talented filmmaker on whom the studio took a chance – one that’s seldom questioned when conferred upon men – and she proves her worth by never letting the spectacle drown out the performances.” – Peter Debruge, Variety
“Jenkins… doesn’t totally fail her own premise. She does let it get awfully messy, though, on her way to a climax that tries for an emotional resonance it hasn’t quite earned.” – Richard Lawson, Vanity Fair
“As candy-coloured and bright as the first film was all muddy dark-blues, Wonder Woman 1984 has an enlivening sense of bubbly pop to it.” – Barry Hertz, Globe and Mail
“It’s also brimming with the same wonder and joy as the first film, the rare movie – of any stripe – that doesn’t just want to believe in the goodness of people, but is willing to make them truly work for it. That’s superheroic.” – Kate Erbland, IndieWire
“This is an epically long and epically brash film from director and co-writer Patty Jenkins, but Gadot has a queenly self-possession and she imposes her authority on it.” – Peter Bradshaw, Guardian
“There’s a lot to love in WW84: bold performances from a delightful cast, fantastic costumes, Jenkins’ fast-paced direction. But it’s in service of a plot that loses sight of what makes the character so great in the first place.” – Esther Zuckerman, Thrillist
“Wonder Woman 1984 feels very different from what we are used to in the superhero landscape. It has more in common with Big than with Batman v Superman” – Rosie Fletcher, Den of Geek
Warner Bros. Pictures has also released the film’s opening scene which you can see below. “Wonder Woman 1984” swings into cinemas and on HBO Max on Christmas Day.
