Wonder Woman – Female Empowerment (Recommendation)

Year: 2017

Director: Patty Jenkins

Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Connie Nielsen, Danny Huston, David Thewlis, Elena Anaya, Lucy Davis, Ewen Said Taghmaoui, Doutzen Kroes, Lisa Loven Kongsli, Ann Wolfe, Eugene Brave Rock, Samantha Jo, Madeleine Vall Beijner, Emily Carey, Lilly Aspell, Mayling Ng, Ann Ogbomo, Martin Bishop, James Cosmo, Rainer Bock

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSB4wGIdDwo

 

2017 was the year that the world finally started to acknowledge issues such as the gender pay gap, sexual harassment/assault, and equal opportunity in the workplace. We saw the birth of some important campaigns, from HeForShe, Times Up, to the #MeToo hashtag. This was a year for women and men to stand together against all social injustices, for both sexes, and protest that we are all equal, and we aren’t backing down.

In June, Patty Jenkins officially released the heavily anticipated Wonder Woman reboot, which starts on an Amazon island called Themyscira, and introduces us to the protagonist Diana Prince/Wonder Woman (Gal Galdot). Prince’s life solely revolves around her combat training, in preparation for the return of Ares, son of Zeus, who would seek vengeance on the Amazonians and humankind. However, once World War One American fighter pilot Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) crashes near the island, Prince’s life is forever altered. Trevor tells her of the war, which subsequently motivates Prince to leave the safety of the island in order join the war effort.

Superhero films in the industry have always targeted male over female audiences. The Hollywood Reporter suggested that studios depend on the male movie goers making up at least 60% of the audience, which indicates that the films and marketing have a biased and sexist stance from the start of production. That being said, the film demonstrated its success across the board, as not only was  Wonder Woman the 8th highest grossing film of 2017 (raking in $821.8 million worldwide), but the opening weekend stats revealed that 52% of the audience were women, proving that women are very much a force to be reckoned with, once female characters aren’t objectified or reduced to being cliché stereotypes.

Though we have had female-led superhero films before, they weren’t commercially or critically successful. Elektra (2005) and Catwoman (2004) were both criticised for overly stylising/sexualising the female leads and having tedious narratives that lack room for character development. This makes Wonder Woman a breath of fresh air. Yes, the Amazonians are scantily dressed, beautiful women. However, this film celebrates all women, reminding us all to be proud of our appearances and justifying the characters costumes, as they are dressed for war, allowing to utilise their full range of motion. This is made apparent when Trevor’s assistant Etta Candy (Lucy Davis) tries to dress Prince in 1920s garb, though Prince complains about the itchiness and restrictiveness of the clothing, opting for an outfit that resembles that of Trevor. This exemplifies how imagery was used to create equality between the pair, as they respect one another, so are able to dress the same. Moreover, Jenkins establishes the theme of feminism through Candy, who explains to Diana that women in Britain are fighting an additional battle: equality. Candy states that “we use our principles. I mean that’s how we’re going to get the vote”, pinpointing the film historically, as in 1918 the British government passed the Representation of the People Act, giving certain women the vote (women over 30, homeowners over 21, and women married to homeowners), which signified the first steps towards political and gender equality.

In conclusion, Wonder Woman is a celebration of female strength, from the narrative centring on a community of female Amazonian warriors and Wonder Woman being the first female-focused comic book movie, to the director being the first woman to create a live-action superhero comic book movie. Patty Jenkins holds a mirror to the world in this iconic film, and the results will empower women for generations to come; we’re left recognising elements of Prince within ourselves, and feeling ready to go forth and fight for what we believe in.