1st Look: "Wonder Woman" Final Trailer

The Trailer music says it all. Warriors, by Imagine Dragons.

“The time will come
When you’ll have to rise
Above the best and prove yourself,
Your spirit never dies!”

Israeli action queen Gal Godot steps away from her Fast and Furious friends to front the first, and arguably the best woman’s role in the graphic fantasy world, Princess Diana of Themiscyra. Chris Pine steps from playing starship cowboy captain to US fighter pilot, admittedly in a different war. More characters make the jump to the silver screen, including Wonder Woman’s pal Etta Candy, and the nefarious Doctor Poison, originally a Nazi scientist but just as dangerous in 1916, when mustard gas was the Weapon of Mass Destruction of the day.

The heart of the classic tale seems intact, although some details have been altered. Actually, moving it back in time from World War II to World War I may be a stroke of brilliance; WWII was already covered in “Captain America: The First Avenger” and the very young might get the stories conflated. (Don’t think we did not notice the shade in child Diana’s line, pleading with her mum for weaponry, “What if I promise to be careful? Just a shield, then? No sharp edges.”) Moving back to the earlier conflict offers a different look and feel, yet maintains the high danger level on a global level. The fashions will please the hearts of the costuming fans, with spiffy uniforms, dapper dans and fun frocks for every body type. No, you really cannot fight in proper Edwardian skirts, and there’s going to be fanfic about Wondy consulting with the Suffragists about proper fighting togs – who invented “bloomers” after all? Women, in the 1850’s, before Diana’s time but you know those would have been more to her taste.

At first we worried about the listing of five names under “writer” but since one of them was the character creator, the immortal Charles Moulton Marston, we’re not nearly as worried. He would be proud to see his iconic elements early in the film, especially the Lasso of Truth. Did you know he was one of the inventors of the lie detector? True story. Screenplay credited Allan Heinberg has previously written for The Catch (2016), Grey’s Anatomy (2005), The O.C. (2004), Sex and The City (2000), and Party of Five (1998). However, on the Comic Book side, he has also written for Young Avengers, JLA and Wonder Woman so now we know that he knows his comics canon, and how the key target audience of comic book fans will react. Please them and they will give the movie all the good word-of-mouth you could want. Mess up, and prepare for the worst … <Cough>Man Of Steel</Cough>.

Now we want to take a closer look at director Patty Jenkins and her previous work, often about women in challenging situations, to say the least. Monster (2003) examined the real-life story of Aileen Wuornos, a Daytona Beach prostitute who became a serial killer. Jenkins directed the pilot and one episode of detective drama Killing, AMC’s first series with a female lead. As for the present work: the original Wonder Woman story was written in the 1930’s and set in pop culture memory, but Diana’s story of a sheltered innocent facing a complex world and coming out on top fits neatly into Jenkins’ known creative strength.

Let’s take a look at the new trailer, which will have to hold us until June. Great Hera! What a movie!