Wonder Woman 1984 review round-up: Gal Gadot is 'charismatic' in a 'joyous, wacky, and deeply enjoyable' sequel

The first reviews for Gal Gadot’s _Wonder Woman 1984_ are in — while some say it lacks the charm of its blockbuster predecessor , others are heralding the film as a welcome distraction in a depressing year. Directed and co-written by Patty Jenkins, the film also stars Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal and Natasha Rothwell. The sequel follows Wonder Woman facing two all-new foes: Max Lord (Pascal) and The Cheetah (Wiig). The film will debut in the international movie theatres on 16 December. Besides releasing on the big screen, Wonder Woman 1984 will also be made available to HBO Max subscribers in the US free of cost for the first month. The film  arrives in Indian cinemas on 24 December in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. Check out some of the early reviews here Kate Erbland in IndieWire says the film is “brimming with the same wonder and joy” as the first film. She adds, “Leave it to Jenkins to find a suitable and satisfying workaround in the form of Wonder Woman 1984, the rare superhero sequel that, for better (and sometimes, but rarely) worse, carves its own path and finds something joyous, wacky, and deeply enjoyable as a result. All that neon and all those parachute pants? Just a bonus, as Jenkins and Gadot take their heartfelt heroine back to 1984, finding bombastic new territory for Diana Prince to explore, blessedly outside the confines of her contemporary compatriots.” David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter says_, “_Gadot remains a charismatic presence who wields the lasso with authority, even tethering lightning bolts in some arresting moments. However, I missed the more hand-to-hand gladiatorial aspect of so many fight scenes in the first movie. There’s a disarming romantic touch in Diana acquiring the ability of flight through Steve’s explanation of its rudimentary principles. But watching her soar through the air — while consistent with later editions of the comic — also detracts from the athletic leaps that make the character distinctive, turning her into an ersatz Superman with a cuter outfit.” Scott Mendelson in Forbes says Wonder Woman 1984 offers “candy-coloured imagery and relentless optimism.” He adds “It’s a visually dazzling melodrama that has to hide its relative disinterest in superpowered showdowns, again showing that DC Films is a brand where “anything can happen.” Wonder Woman showed that a female superhero could be as much of a bad-ass action heroine as a male superhero.” Entertainment Weekly‘s Mary Sollosi was skeptical about returning Steve Trevor from the grave but is ultimately glad they chose to bring him back. She says of Steve’s return that “his and Diana’s relationship is the beating heart of WW84, not at all tacked on but completely essential." Peter DeBruge in Variety writes, “I suppose Wonder Woman 1984 can achieve some of those things, but mostly it reminds us how badly we could use a superhero right now — a fantasy turn-back-time and fix-the-situation saviour — and in that sense, it’s at once a fizzy pop-art distraction and a major downer.” Hannah Woodhead in Little White Lies writes, “There’s plenty of pizzazz in Patty Jenkins’ DC sequel, but it lacks the charm and personality of its predecessor.” Watch the trailer of Wonder Woman 1984  here —