Wonder Woman, directed by Patty Jenkins, is about a young woman named Diana (Gal Gadot) who lives on Themyscira, an island that Zeus isolated from the entire world filled with Amazons who are female warriors. Diana is raised by her mother Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen) and her aunt Antiope (Robin Wright). They train her to become a very powerful fighter, but when she rescues an American pilot named Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) from the ocean, she discovers that all this time “the war to end all wars” has been brewing. This film was very empowering. Unlike many superhero movies that often times get lost in the fighting, Wonder Woman brought to light a very refreshing storyline. In the beginning, Diana had a fixed mindset and believed that mankind had been corrupted and controlled by the god of war, Ares. However, as she is thrust into the world of man, she spends more time with Steve, Sameer (Saïd Taghmaoui) Charlie (Ewen Bremner) and the Chief (Eugene Brave Rock) who gradually start to change her way of thinking. In movies like the Avengers, Thor and Captain America, the superheroes are backed up by other superheroes or super intelligence agencies but in this film, she was supported by four other men who stood by her side despite their lack of superpowers.

The cinematography was beautifully choreographed. I was very glad to see a variety of different shots that made the film extremely artistic. Also, the characters were perfectly casted. Gal Gadot portrayed Diana with a fierceness that not only emitted strength and independence but also a tenderness that all women can relate to. Her readiness to protect and astonishment at the atrocities of war really demonstrated her kindness and desire to help people. She wasn’t fighting because she was a hero and that’s what she needed to do, she was fighting because she wanted peace amongst humanity. Chris Pine’s Steve Trevor was, in my opinion, the perfect male love interest. He added humor to the film through his awkwardness and perfect dialogue. Rather than evoke a sense of male pride, Steve recognized the defects of man and genuinely wanted to help stop the war. I loved that rather than try to be the hero, he let Diana be the strongest one and backed her up whenever she needed it. The other characters such as Sameer, Charlie and the Chief were also by Diana’s side. Despite the harm that the war had caused them and their differences, they all stuck together and showed Diana the strength of friendship. In the end, the secondary characters ended up becoming just as important as Wonder Woman herself.

I also wanted to take a moment to praise the director Patty Jenkins who had been striving to make this film for 13 years. Ever since she earned any success in Hollywood, she had been attempting to persuade Warner Bros to let her make the film. Thank god, her 13-year journey is over because the final product was absolutely amazing. It’s been awhile since I last saw a superhero movie and watching this one really reminded me why superheroes want to protect humanity in the first place. Furthermore, it was a perfect film for little girls and women in general because not only did Diana act as a symbol of femininity, but Patty Jenkins’ success was an inspiration. It reminded us that woman too can make movies and not only romance movies, but action films that both genders can watch and enjoy. Ultimately, Wonder Woman is a great addition to the superhero franchise. Diana entered humanity believing that ending Ares would make all corruption disappear but discovered that humanity is multi-faceted and despite our flaws, we have a goodness in our hearts called love. Sending young boys and girls this message of believing in love and the goodness of humanity is very important nowadays.

So, next time you go to the movies, I highly recommend you watch this film. It has the perfect dose of action, romance and depth to either change your perception or send you through an action-packed rollercoaster.