The first batch of reviews for Patty Jenkins’ highly anticipated Wonder Woman 1984 are finally in and it seems that the long-awaited sequel has managed to stick the landing, roughly speaking.
It’s been a tough wait for fans of Gal Gadot’s Diana Prince ever since the first movie premiered in 2017 to critical acclaim and commercial success. Now, the second installment will be making its way to select theaters across the world and HBO Max later this month. But what are the critics saying about Wonder Woman’s next solo outing?
Well, the movie is currently sitting at 88% on Rotten Tomatoes with 58 reviews, so it’s safe to say that the reception has been extremely positive overall. Ben Travis of Empire Magazine called the flick “a vibrant and virtuous adventure,” noting that WW84 may very well have been the hero that “2020 needed all along.” Chicago Sun-Times, meanwhile, praised the movie for its entertainment value, while Variety gave credit to Jenkins’ directorial talent, “on whom the studio took a chance.” Some critics also applauded Gadot’s wonderful performance as the superheroine, with Entertainment Weekly writing that “maybe Wonder Woman will be the one to save us, after all.”
Of course, others were more critical of the film. Matt Goldberg from Collider said that WW84 is “well-intentioned,” though it’s a “sloppy punch against Trumpism.” And Vanity Fair has claimed that while Jenkins doesn’t entirely fail at doing what she sets out to do, she “does let it get awfully messy” with an emotional climax that doesn’t feel earned.
It’ll be a while before a general consensus shapes around Wonder Woman 1984, especially since most people have yet to watch it. But for now, it seems that the majority of critics are loving the pic, despite admitting that it’s not exactly flawless as far as sequels go.