Wonder Woman 1984

Other than Tenet there haven't been any big-budget Hollywood blockbusters in movie theaters this year so I have been anticipating the release of Wonder Woman 1984 for a long time!  I saw it last night in an IMAX theater with Dolby ATMOS sound and, while it didn't quite live up to the original, I loved the spectacle (I think it should be seen on the big screen with a giant tub of popcorn, if at all possible) and the message.  It is 1984 and Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) curates antiquities at the Smithsonian and anonymously rounds up criminals as Wonder Woman but she is sad and lonely because she has been mourning the loss of her lover Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) for over sixty years.  She is befriended by Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig), a gemologist at the Smithsonian who is warm and compassionate but also awkward, mousy, and forgettable.  The Smithsonian acquires an ancient artifact that is purported to grant the wish of anyone who touches it and both Diana and Barbara wish for their deepest desires, not really believing that they will come true.  Barbara idolizes Diana and her wish is to be just like her which leads to more confidence and, rather unexpectedly, an increase in strength.  Max Lord (Pedro Pascal), a sleazy oil tycoon, visits the Smithsonian looking for the artifact which he believes he can use to save his failing business.  He seduces Barbara so that she will give it to him and ultimately wishes for world domination.  The artifact grants wishes but also takes what the recipient holds dear in return; however, even though Diana's strength is depleted and Barbara loses her humanity, they are unwilling to renounce their wishes.  As Lord's wish causes instability in the Middle East and brings the world to the brink of nuclear war, Diana must decide what is most important.  For me, this movie lacks the emotional resonance of Wonder Woman and is a bit convoluted but there is still a lot to enjoy.  Some of the best scenes from the original are when Diana is a fish-out-of-water who marvels at everything she sees in the modern world of 1918.  These are mimicked when Steve is amazed by the technology of 1984, especially supersonic planes and escalators, and there is even a fun scene with Steve trying on clothes. The loud and colorful action set pieces are thrilling, particularly a car chase in the Egyptian desert and a stand-off in a corridor of the White House, and there is a truly awe-inspiring sequence that gave me goosebumps.  More of the Wonder Woman mythology is introduced, including the invisible jet and the Golden Eagle armor, and these scenes are also clever and exciting.  Gadot gives another charismatic performance and I loved Diana's character arc because, even though she is less naive than she once was, she is still eventually motivated by the goodness within mankind in a pivotal scene.  Both Wiig and Pascal look like they are having a lot of fun portraying these over-the-top villains, especially Pascal as a megalomaniac con-man who perfectly embodies the excess of the era.  The story is a powerful indictment of greed and instant gratification and I really liked the message that it is better to live with the truth than an illusion.  I loved seeing this with a large socially distanced crowd (and the aforementioned popcorn) and I would definitely recommend it!

Note:  There is mid-credits scene with a really fun cameo but no end-credits scene.