While I may not have enjoyed it as much as most people, there’s no denying that the superhero movie Wonder Woman struck a chord with fans of both the comics and the character, as well as people who just like to see a literally kick-ass movie.
Good thing for them that the home version of Wonder Woman — which is available on Blu-ray, DVD, digital combo pack; 3D Blu-ray, digital combo pack; 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, digital combo pack; and DVD — mostly has what they’d want from a home edition. Mostly.
For the handful of people who missed it in theaters,
Wonder Woman is an origin story in which we see her evolve from her life as Prince Diana on the Amazon island of Themyscira to her role as the titular superhero. After Steve Trevor (Star Trek‘s Chris Pine) lands on the island, and tells Diana about World War I, she accompanies him to Europe in the hopes of stopping the “war to end all wars” by killing Ares, the God Of War.
As I mentioned, Wonder Woman was somewhat undermined, for me anyway, by director Patty Jenkins’ overuse of cheesy and unnecessary slo-mo. Which is especially frustrating given that the film’s action scenes are otherwise really well done, as good as when Diana took up arms in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice or the earlier scene in that film when Batman rescued Superman’s mama. Though I could’ve also used less of the equally cheesy “love conquers all” stuff at the end as well.
But Wonder Woman is somewhat redeemed by Gal Gadot (Criminal), who is as strong and compassionate and just damn likeable as she was in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice, and such comic collections as Brian Azzarello’s Absolute Wonder Woman: Volume 1 and 2 and Wonder Woman By Greg Rucka Volume 1 and 2. Though it helps that Gadot is supported here by an equally strong cast that includes Connie Neilson (Gladiator) as her mother, Queen Hippolyta; Robin Wright (The Princess Bride) as her trainer Antiope; and Lucy Davis (Shaun Of The Dead) as her buddy Etta Candy.
Which why, even though it’s not the Wonder Woman movie I was hoping for, it’s still pretty good, and the best movie in the current DC Comics saga. Sure, it’s still not as good as the best movies in the Marvel series — the Iron Man movies, the Captain America series, or The Avengers flicks — but it beats the hell out Man Of Steel, Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice, and especially the dreadful Suicide Squad.
For those who enjoyed Wonder Woman more than I did, the Blu-rays and DVD have tons of great extras, starting with a bunch of informative making-of featurettes. “Crafting The Wonder” pairs cast and crew interviews with behind-the-scenes footage for something fairly typical but still enlightening; “Warriors Of Wonder Woman” details what went into bringing the residents of Themyscira to life; while the five-part “A Director’s Vision” has director Patty Jenkins discussing some of the movie’s more interesting moments, such as the culture shock Diana experiences when she arrives in England (“Diana In The Modern World”).
These are followed…
by “The Trinity,” a look at the relationship between Wonder Woman and her pals Batman and Superman, though it’s decidedly more about her than them. This featurette is also notable for not only going into the character’s real-world history, as well as for including interviews with such comic writers and artists as Liam Sharp (Wonder Woman: Rebirth: Volume 3: The Truth), Jill Thompson (Wonder Woman: The True Amazon), and the aforementioned Greg Rucka, as well as writer Paul Dini, who scripted multiple episodes of the animated shows Justice League and Justice League Action.
The Wonder Woman Blu-rays and DVD presents “Finding The Wonder Woman” in which a diverse group of women — including NASA’s Suzanne Dodd, TV director Millicent Shelton (Empire, 30 Rock), race car driver Danica Patrick, Interstellar producer Lynda Obst, and actor, director, producer Zoe Bell (The Hateful Eight) — talk about Wonder Woman’s most important qualities, and what they mean for our modern world. Which is interesting, but a bit too long.
Next, the Wonder Woman Blu-rays and DVD include “The Wonder Behind The Camera,” which talks about the women who made the movie, and the implications of having so many women work on this film.
The Wonder Woman Blu-rays and DVD also have five extended scenes — including a slightly longer version of the funny shopping scene — as well as a deleted scene of her and the boys walking to the front. Some of which are interesting, though it would’ve been more interesting if they came with some indication of why they were not included in the movie.
There’s also a blooper reel that, as with all blooper reels, is just five minutes of the cast screwing up and cracking up.
The Blu-ray editions also include “Epilogue: Etta’s Mission,” a fun but short bit with Diana’s pals that would’ve been the post-credit scene if this had been a Marvel movie. Especially since it has implications for the future of the DC Universe movies. Though why it’s not included in the DVD edition is odd, and also a little annoying, since it seems like something fans would want more than “Finding Wonder Woman,” which, as I mentioned, was a little long, and could’ve been shortened to make room for “Etta’s Mission.”
While the extras…
on the Wonder Woman Blu-rays are good, and the DVD slightly less so, as someone who feels a movie’s Blu-ray and DVD should present the complete story of the movie, there are some notable absences. For starters, it doesn’t have the movie’s original trailers, nor the ones for the animated Wonder Woman movie, which was recently rereleased (though it does have one for the upcoming Justice League movie that comes on when you first pop in the disc).
This could also use a commentary, but only if it included Jenkins, Gadot, and Pine, and they’re in the same room at the same time. Though as long as we’re making a wish-list, why not a second commentary with Jenkins, Gadot, Susan Eisenberg (who’s voiced Wonder Woman multiple times, including on Justice League, in the animated movie Batman/Superman: Apocalypse, and the video game Injustice 2), and Lynda Carter, who played Wonder Woman in the ’70s TV show, and who also made an appearance at this movie’s premiere.
It also would’ve been cool if the Wonder Woman Blu-rays and DVD had included footage from when Gadot and Carter went to the U.N. when Wonder Woman was named a “Honorary Ambassador For The Empowerment Of Woman And Girls.” Though you then have to include something about this was rescinded two months later because of a petition that said it was, “alarming that the United Nations would consider using a character with an overtly sexualized image.” Which would’ve been awkward, admittedly, but it is still a part of the Wonder Woman story.
In the end,
the Wonder Woman Blu-rays and DVD don’t present as complete a picture of the movie as they should’ve. Or could’ve. But it comes close enough make fans of the movie very happy. At least as happy as the movie makes them feel.
SCORE: 8.0/10
