Rating: 4.3/5
Review: "Wonder Woman 3D film review" (141 minutes)

"DCU has delivered a solid solo superhero film, Wonder Woman, that does not only have spectacular and rousing action but has an intriguing character depth and clear-cut plot."

The fourth adaptation based on the DCU franchise is a great solo superhero film. Although the previous films, Batman V Superman and Suicide Squad, did not receive stellar reviews, I enjoyed them as guilty pleasures. I must say I was pleasantly surprised that Wonder Woman got the stellar reviews DCU finally deserves. With all the hype of a female directing a big-budget superhero film to the first female superhero hitting the big screen after a very long time, is it worth all these? Wonder Woman does deliver a solid blockbuster entertainment. On top of that, director Patty Jenkins adds in an intriguing layer of character depth to Wonder Woman so that the film does not only feel superficial.

The story: As an origin story, it takes a while before the real action and story happen. It opens with a young Diana who will grow up to be the powerful Wonder Woman. It is wise that Patty directs a clear cut picture without much distractions along the way. The focus is always on Diana's development. From the start, she is naive about the world outside hers. But as the film progresses, she is beginning to understand the horrors of the real world. Fortunately, the film is not weighted down by her despairs and emotions. Patty and writer Allan Heinberg know how to keep the story forward, injecting it with some surprise humour and well-shot action scenes. For a superhero film, super-powered action is one of the key elements and Wonder Woman does not disappoint. There may only be three major action scenes but they are all fast-paced and thrilling. Even as the climax descends to a full CGI fest, it still delivers thrills and emotions. It is not that the film is without flaws. At times, it feels a little overlong but it is a minor flaw. The villains do not have a very strong presence until the climax. Gal Gadot is convincing as a strong-willed Diana. Chris Pine is decent as the dashing captain Steve. The chemistry between them is great. The rest of the cast are decent enough. Music by Rupert Gregson-Williams is great. He creates an epic atmosphere for the world of Diana and wisely uses the Wonder Woman's theme music that was created by Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL.

3D: Wonder Woman shows how far 3D done in post-production has gone. The sense of depth between characters and background is strong. There is no moment when the picture feels flat. It works especially well during the action scenes. Gimmick shots such as arrows shooting out of the screen are satisfying. The 3D works better in Wonder Woman than Batman V Superman. Wonder Woman does not rely much on hand-held camera work and it is actually a bright picture unlike Batman V Superman.

Overall: Wonder Woman proves that DCU can actually create a clear-cut and rousing film. DCU has already established that it can create some truly spectacular superhero action and Wonder Woman is no different. What is different this time round is that the development of the titular hero is the main focus. She is not weighted down by many characters as seen in the previous films. It is the reason why I like solo superhero films better than an ensemble. Now all eyes will be on Justice League. Hope DCU will deliver another round of solid entertainment.