Wonder Woman seals empowering fate for future female superhero movies

Photo+taken+from+Wonder+Woman+movies+official+Facebook+page

Photo taken from Wonder Woman movie’s official Facebook page

Bailey Vandiver

Wonder Woman is both the hero we deserve and the hero we need.

Wonder Woman’s stand-alone film has been anticipated ever since she stole the show in “Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice.” This time, the show is hers alone.

Wonder Woman” grossed $100.5 million by the end of its opening weekend, the most successful opening weekend for a film by a female director, Patty Jenkins.

Wonder Woman, alias Diana Prince, is a female superhero like none before her. Black Widow of the Avengers is powerful and well loved, but she has always been one hero among many. Other than a few allusions to Bruce Wayne, Wonder Woman is the only superhero in the film that is centered on her origin story.

Real-life wonder woman Gal Gadot brings Wonder Woman to life on screen, alongside Chris Pine as spy Steve Trevor. The two fight alongside a group of Trevor’s colleagues, three men with their own specific skillsets.

Wonder Woman shines in every fight scene, whether against German soldiers or in training against her fellow Amazons.

While the World War I setting may seem reminiscent of Marvel’s “Captain America: The First Avenger,” the added element of Greek mythology makes this story unique.

Wonder Woman is an Amazon, a female warrior mandated by the Greek gods to protect humans. The rest of the Amazons add even more girl power to the movie. Trevor’s brave and charming secretary is another strong female character.

Wonder Woman is incredibly strong without giving up being feminine, though she scoffs at dresses because they aren’t practical for fighting.

Perhaps a female lead is what makes this film less dark than the average DC Comics movie. Typically, DC movies have dark storylines while Marvel has a monopoly on humor in superhero movies, but “Wonder Woman” has well-placed moments of laugh-out-loud humor as Wonder Woman encounters the world outside her home island (including men) for the first time. But the film does not give up any action or intensity — it manages to be intense, heartwarming and funny, all at the same time.

As a girl and a long-time fan of superhero films, I was emotional as the movie continued and Wonder Woman become one of my new favorite superheroes. Watching a woman dominate a movie in a male-dominated genre was such an important and wonderful experience for me and millions of other women. Jenkins and Gadot basically carried the fate of future female superhero movies on their shoulders, and they made that future secure.

Jenkins said she wanted to make a great superhero movie, not just a great female superhero movie, just as she herself wants to be a great director, not a great female director.

There is no question that she and her film are great. Some might even call them wonderful.