WONDER WOMAN (2017)

Much as Marvel’s CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER/’11 turned to WWII for its origin story, giving unexpected textural elements to standard SuperHero tropes in an era half-familiar to modern audiences; so too DC’s WONDER WOMAN conceives its Isle-cocooned Amazon Princess Warrior by tossing her into WWI-era England to search out her nemesis; then at The Front with her motley all-male gang. A striking (and welcome) move away from the dank, dark, dour tone DC & Warners have been using elsewhere, and with the bull’s-eye casting of Gal Gadot as WW, a smash mix of looks, fighting spirit & unfazable attitude. Plus, a change in directors from humor-resistant Zack Synder to female empowering Patty Jenkins. (Note the early billing on our collectable poster - click to expand.) Jenkins manages to keep the tone light, and usually stops short of the dreaded irony button. (Alas, not the case for romantic lead/action partner Chris Pine who piles irony onto every other line.*) If only Jenkins were equally good at period tableaux: London’s streets are out of a toy train gift box, Amazon Isle a hideous floral mess, and she completely misses what should be the film’s ‘topper’ after WW blows up a church tower to take out a German sniper. Those ground floor church doors are still waiting to be flung open for a triumphant entrance. Still, generally good fun, with a super smart & sneaky perf from David Thewlis.

ATTENTION MUST BE PAID: *After a breakthru in HELL OR HIGH WATER/'16, Pine, back in a tent-pole franchise, resumes putting quotation marks on all his dialogue. Maybe it’s just those eyebrows.