I keep thinking about all the little and big reasons why I loved it. And I do not feel ashamed that a big blockbuster superhero fight em' movie made me feel this way.
This blog is about the movie, I'm not going to do major spoilers, but I am going to talk about the movie a little - so if you're a purist and cannot know a thing before you see it- come back later.
The beginning of the movie is set where Wonder Woman, Diana, grows up- on an island full of powerful and colorful and badass women. There was something magical about this movie not having a single male actor for the first 20 minutes (I'm not positive on the timing). It wasn't because I don't like men. Love them. Married to one, have two for kids. It was the simplicity and not-fussiness of having a bunch of women kicking ass like it was not a thing. Many movies start with a ton of men kicking ass like it is not a thing. But seeing this scene with nothing but women- and not women in typical female prescribed roles, but women on horses, women training, women walking around. Women being completely content to do what they want to do. It was a fabulous sight. I had no idea I even needed to see it until I saw it.
The costumes and dialogue gave me powerful women who were independent and had no shame. I don't mean that in the "Have you no SHAME?!" way- but imagine our epic character Eve before she eats the apple- walking around the garden with confidence and contentment. No reason for shame. What a release! I felt the peace of it. No burden of an entire history of submission and limitation. For a wonderful time, I felt the freedom of this!
Then the male characters are introduced and the lead female role is not diminished as a result. Amazing. She is still her. She is still interesting, powerful, independent. In fact- I had to look up the main male character's name to tell you about him because I had forgotten it (it's Steve)!! Steve and Diana have a fun back and forth about social niceties. Steve doesn't want to sleep next to Diana on their boat to the war because it is socially a faux pas. She doesn't get this at all. And it isn't a weird sexual conversation. It is very frank and shame-free. He tries to see how much she knows about sex- she tells him she's very educated, and that her people had determined that "while men are necessary for procreation, they are not necessary for pleasure." This was said very matter of factly, to which Steve sort of humbly accepts the truth, and then she bids him good night and turns to go to sleep. THAT SCENE WAS EVERYTHING.
Wonder Woman showed the audience a woman who was authentically strong, a leader, and also kind and compassionate. No excuses were made for her strength or kindness. There were definitely moments where her kick-ass-ability was played up by the supporting male cast as a wow factor. But I didn't feel like it was only because she was a woman that they were wowed. They were just wowed. Her strength was accepted as legitimate and they followed her.
The first scene where Diana really sort of steps up to the plate and does her bad-ass thing on the war front, I felt this emotional connection to the scene. I rarely feel that. I could relate to her.
I left the movie feeling strong. I walked out the doors with a bad-ass feeling in my steps. Like I could take on the world. I was intoxicated with empowerment. Very rarely do I experience that after movies. I feel entertained or sad or humored or vulnerable, but this movie- I was ready to go join a kick-boxing class. I don't even like to exercise! But maybe now I will. Because I want to be strong like Wonder Woman. I want to fight for love. I want to feel like I can do anything.
I finally want to be a super hero when I grow up.
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