Film

‘Wonder Woman 1984’ Early Reviews Are, Dare We Say, Wonderful

"It’s just what I needed. What we all need."

by Merryana Salem  8 December 2020
wonder woman 1984

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After a year of ever-shifting release dates the long-awaited sequel to Wonder Woman is almost here — and early reviews are calling Wonder Woman 1984 a bonafide badass sequel that more than lives up to its predecessor.

The sequel sees director Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot reunited, and doing what they do best. There is a review embargo on the film until 15th, so all the reviews coming in now are totally spoiler-free. But that hasn’t stopped those who have already seen it practically singing on Twitter about it.

It’s Full Of Hope, And Exactly What We Need Right Now!

Many critics cannot stop gushing about the film’s timely message of hope and love. Wonder Woman 1984, despite being set in the past is exactly the film we need right now.

Amy Ratcliffe, editor at Nerdist tweeted that Wonder Woman 1984 is  “just what I needed. What we all need. It’s uplifting, hopeful, and so utterly Wonder Woman.”

While Luke Bugg from The Podcast of Steel said that WW84 is  “the film the world needs right now, no matter what sized screen you get to see it on.”

The New Characters Played By Pedro Pascal And Kristen Wiig Are Show Stealers.

Of course, praises for Gadot’s reprisal of the role were plentiful. “Gadot perfectly captures the essence of Wonder Woman once again!” JimmyO from JoBlo’s Movie Network tweeted.

But admiration for Pascal and Wigg, both new characters in the franchise are equally as high. Megan Damore from CBR wrote, “All of the villains are so wonderfully layered. Kristin Wiig excels in the role of Barbara Minerva/Cheetah… Pedro Pascal adds a lot of fun as Maxwell Lord, but even he is more than he appears.”

Erik Davis from Fandango wrote, “…a terrific ensemble cast; Pedro Pascal & Kristen Wiig were complex & unexpected foes.”

Brandon Davies tweeted that Pascal and Wiig, “are the highlights of #WonderWoman1984 for me.”

Wonder Woman 1984 Is An Instant Classic!

Many critics remarked on how the film feels different to other superhero films. Namely, because it feels more like a classic superhero film. Amy Ratcliffe tweeted, “WW84 doesn’t look or feel like any other modern superhero movie.”

While critic, Courtney Howard also said that Wonder Woman 1984 is, “tonally reminiscent of the SUPERMAN movies in the best spots.”

Josh Horowitz from MTV also praised the film’s nostalgic edge. He tweeted, that the Wonder Woman sequel, “felt like a lost film from the Richard Donner era of superhero films.”

Donner, of course, is the iconic film director responsible for the original Superman films from the 70s and 80s, as well as Lethal Weapon and The Goonies.

The Only Critique So Far? It’s A Little Long…

If you’re not a fan of films over 2 hours long, reviews of Wonder Woman 1984 have warned against its long run-time.

Viewers are warned that the film’s 2hr 31-minute runtime does potentially drag in places (only if you object to over 2 hours of Wonder Woman excellence).

Germain Lussier over at io9 wrote that despite the film’s ambition and well-needed message of hope, that “it’s also very long, to a fault at times.” Similarly, Hoai-Tran Bui from Slash Film wrote, “it’s definitely on the long side, and sometimes slathers on so much cheese that it might be a health hazard.”

Was It Worth The Wait?

The short answer is hell yeah!

Dorian parks from Geeks of Colour wrote, “I loved the first film and I can confidently say the sequel take everything to another level!”

Damore echoed that the sequel was worth the wait, “between the stunning visuals and resonant emotional beats, it’s a piece brimming with charm and confidence.”

Wonder Woman 1984 is hitting Australian cinemas Boxing Day!