Wonder woman (2017)
Genre: Adventure
Director: Patty Jenkins
Starring: Gal Gadot, David Thewlis, Robin Wright, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Elena Anaya, Danny Huston
Duration: 141 minutes
Class: 12A
KRS Releasing Ltd
The 1970s popular TV series Wonder Woman finally gets a film adaptation, however, it will be a different take on what we’ve seen on the small screen, with Israeli actress and model Gal Gadot in the titular role made famous by Lynda Carter.
The film, directed by Patty Jenkins, is truer to the original DC Comics character. Because Diana Prince (Gadot) was actually a princess of the Amazons, who was trained to be an unconquerable warrior. The film is also not set in modern day times but during World War I.
Raised on a sheltered island paradise, Diana meets US pilot Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) who tells her about the massive conflict that's raging in the outside world. Convinced that she can stop the threat, Diana leaves her home for the first time. Fighting alongside men in a war to end all wars, she finally discovers her full powers and true destiny.
Also in the cast are Robin Wright as General Antiope, Diana’s aunt; David Thewlis as Ares, the treacherous son of Zeus and half-brother to Diana; Connie Nielsen as the Amazon queen Hippolyta, Diana’s mother; and Elena Anaya as Doctor Maru, a mad scientist who specialises in poison.
Gadot already appeared as Wonder Woman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and was well received by critics. They have her performance again.
Chris Hewitt of Empire wrote: “She invests Diana with excitable exuberance, bristling defiance and a disarming belief in doing the right thing. She’s also funny...”
One of the other most common compliments the film has received is, that at its core, it’s a genuine, emotional story about family.
The critics consensus on Rotten Tomatoes reads: “Thrilling, earnest, and buoyed by Gal Gadot’s charismatic performance, Wonder Woman succeeds in spectacular fashion.”
Lynda Carter herself had words of praise for the film and its main protagonist. After the Hollywood premiere, where she met Gadot, she tweeted: “What a wonderful movie!! Gal Gadot is fabulous as Wonder Woman. I had so much fun at the premiere.”
Critics are calling the fourth instalment in the DC Extended Universe the best film so far. Up next is Justice League, which will be released in November and which will also star Gadot as Wonder Woman.
Ratings
IMDB: 8.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
Empire: 4 stars
A family road trip turns into chaos in Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul.Diary of a Wimpy Kid: the Long Haul (2017)
Genre: Comedy
Director: David Bowers
Stars: Jason Drucker, Alicia Silverstone, Tom Everett Scott
Duration: 91 minutes
Class: U
KRS Releasing Ltd
Based on the book of the same name by Jeff Kinney, the fourth instalment in the film series features a brand-new cast.
The plot is set a year after the events of the previous film, Dog Days. While Gregg (Jason Drucker) is looking forward to the summer holidays, his mother (Alicia Silverstone) forces the entire family to take a road trip for a relative’s birthday celebrations. Meanwhile, the young one learns about a convention hosting a YouTube sensation, so he hatches a scheme to attend the event and gain some much-deserved fame.
The film was panned by critics, with most saying that the film adds nothing new to the Wimpy Kid series. One of these, Neil Genzlinger of The New York Times, wrote: “Unfortunately, the fresh blood has been saddled with a tired story, the family road trip that goes outlandishly awry, and the result is another forgettable film.”
Ratings
IMDB: 3.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 17%
Empire: N/A