Sequelitis and remakes have become a problem in Hollywood. I love sequels, when there are reasons to have them and there is still a story to tell. I love ORIGINAL ideas and ORIGINAL movies much more. There is just something amazing about seeing a new story for the first time. Wonder Woman is not original, but it’s not your standard remake either.

I have long loved Wonder Woman, she was easily one of my favorite comic book characters lodged somewhere between Blade and Iron Man and Batman. Her origin story actually fit a working narrative and embraced her as a true heroic figure.  There was no “brooding darkside” to Wonder Woman, she was a hero, period. And this is EXACTLY what the new movie gets so perfectly right. There is never a real moment of “darkness” in Patty Jenkins’ film. There shouldn’t be. Wonder Woman is basically the God of Goodness, we don’t need dark and brooding to carry her thru the plot. Her goodness IS the plot.

Of course there are times where she has to question humanity, herself, her mother, even the Gods themselves, but none of it is a question of HER. She IS good, there is no question, what makes the movie work so well is the embracing of that very thing. She is out to help the stranded American spy because she can see his goodness, can see he is fighting for an honorable cause, and knows that she was put on this earth to do good. The movie does a great job of almost uplifting the audience with the fact that goodness and love actually CAN defeat evil (even if the times we are living in makes that seem far-fetched).

Gal Gadot is absolutely perfect casting by the way. She brings the perfect amount of swagger to the role. Some roles are perfect for certain people. I can’t imagine anyone else as Iron Man other than Robert Downey, no one else can be Michael Corleone. I can’t envision another actress playing Wonder Woman.

The other great thing about the movie is it is cohesive. Unlike the craptastic Batman v. Superman where Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman first appeared, this movie actually sticks to a narrative and does not stray. There is the hero, her reason for being a hero, the boyfriend, the small ensemble of sidekicks, the villain, and the small twist. That’s it. No “coming in 2019 Wonder Woman 2” or “This is what happens to form the Justice League”, just a story, her story, and that’s all it needs. The movie actually has a beginning, middle and end that wraps up the story they were telling. It’s as good as you’ve heard it is, Go See It.

Final Score: 9/10