(Spoilers, kind of?)
Disclaimer: I LOVED the first Wonder Woman film. Patty Jenkins delivered a fantastic period piece with a strong woman and a solid superhero narrative at its core. With that in mind, I went into Wonder Woman 1984 feeling optimistic.
I was unimpressed. The plot is bizarre and difficult to follow at times, and I honestly found myself laughing during what was meant to be the climax, saying to myself “what the heck is even going on?” Diana comes across as rather one-dimensional compared to the first film, and her movements during action scenes sometimes felt flowy and vague compared to her precise, powerful fighting style in previous films. Lots of awkward dialogue that tells instead of shows. Diana’s golden armour at the end is kind of awkward-looking too, especially those big, unwieldy wings when they’re not being rendered with CGI. The visual effects are lacklustre in general, with a lot of the action being muddled by poorly conceived cuts. I could go on...
With these things in mind, it isn’t all bad. There are funny moments and some decent (though scarce) action, and though I know many people had their issues with Barbara Minerva’s cliché character arc, I enjoyed her ferocity during the big fight scene near the end. Still, none of the good could salvage my impression of the film.
In conclusion... go watch WandaVision for your next dose of lady power, because Wonder Woman 1984 is not it.