Wonder Woman 1984 is a Romance...So What?
Differentiating Super Hero Films
One common complaint of Wonder Woman 1984 is it is a stupid romance film. These gripes mainly come from men, who are not insinuating the romance is of poor depiction. Instead, the grievance is that romance itself is stupid. Again, the criticism invokes from your a-typical alpha male types who essentially wanted Wonder Woman 1984 to be a run-of-the-mill action blockbuster ala Fast and The Furious. Yet, this romance differs from typical superhero films. Furthermore, the best superhero films usually pull from other genres.
The original four Batman films beginning under Tim Burton involve a love interest. Christopher Nolan carries this on with The Dark Knight Trilogy. Meanwhile, every Superman film carries Lois Lane, save for Superman III, with Lana Lang in her place as the damsel in distress. In both of these franchises, the love interest is not central to the story. Our women are secondary, love-interests to always play the hapless woman needing rescue. Exceptions can exist for the likes of Catwoman and Talia.
Wonder Woman 1984 is a romance in the fact we follow Diana and her relationship with Steve Trevor. We begin the film with her still pining for her long, lost love. Patty Jenkins' sequel is not the second year of the hero's journey or just another day in the life. Wonder Woman has trouble moving on and accepting her loss and many viewers refuse to empathize with this. Notice she has no interest in being Wonder Woman, at least in the public eye. Most people think of Wonder Woman as Lynda Carter running openly in the public streets.
Other generations of fans think of the ambassador, such as in Greg Rucka's early run. Old-time fans think of the Golden Age comic book heroine doing USO shows for the public during World War II. No matter how fandom prefers their Wonder Woman, in every iteration, she is a public person. Diana, on the other hand, is the private one. Here, Wonder Woman exists more of an urban legend similar to Batman. Diana, no doubt, is a private person, in the basic sense, but Wonder Woman is also a private person. Part of this may even stem from not only Diana's relationship but Wonder Woman's relationship with Steve Trevor.
In most superhero films, the threat or villain is external, usually originating on their own. Scenarios can exist where the villain exists due to the circumstances of the hero's actions, like General Zod in Superman II, for example. In Wonder Woman 1984, it is her love for Steve Trevor that gets the ball rolling. With the return of her long-dead lover, she has even less interest or determination in being Wonder Woman, except if necessary. I dare compare her to Tim Burton's Batman, who exists more as a reactionary force. They wait for the commitment of a crime before taking action. Hence, they are not precautionary, proactive guardians. Yet, it is this desire for Steve Trevor that runs counter to the other franchise films. In both Batman and Superman, the stories can exist, for the most part, without the love interest. Again, one can make a few exceptions. Still, the relationship and or romance is playing the second fiddle to the plot. Was Vicki Vale or Julie Madison hardly central to the story?
No doubt, romance gets a bad rep most of the time among film buffs and general movie watchers. Once in a while, one cracks through the barrier. Still, people think of Hallmark movies, Lifetime specials, and stories more enticing to teenage girls or middle-aged wives. Whereas Wonder Woman 1984 captures a romance during the excess of the 80s, which spearheads a conflict where she must be willing to compromise this love of hers. We see them fly a plane through fireworks on the Fourth of July! Admit it - you are jealous of that date! They share a stroll among Washington D.C. during a peaceful night, and they work together to save the world.
Take heed that romance films do not always have to play it safe, with generic will they or won't they, second act break-ups to third act reconciliation with the boom box outside the bedroom window. Wonder Woman 1984 follows no rubric such as this. You have the romance in La La Land end with a break-up, but each character being happy for the other in fulfilling their dream. The Before Trilogy is a deconstruction of romance films, making their relationship feel more authentic. Wonder Woman 1984 if anything shows how romance can be deadly, and we see her willing to give it up in order to save the world. In more traditional stories, the genders are reversed. For example, the man leaves his love behind because he has to go to war.
With Patty Jenkins going in more of a romance direction, this helps keep the film, franchise, and genre fresh. It is when superhero films go against the grain and traditional, mainstream standards that they remain memorable. Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight is a post-9/11 noir film that resembles something of a gritty crime drama. Except in this crime drama, the protagonist has a cape. Zack Snyder's Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice is not fisticuffs to help sell Batman and Superman toys. No, it is the deconstruction of these characters in the setting of a modern revenge tragedy. Even the other side at Marvel has gone against the grain, with Captain America: The Winter Soldier playing like a spy thriller ala Tom Clancy. When you keep things safe, generic and in the constraint of the general audience, mainstream idea of a superhero film you end up with things like Batman Forever. Do we want this for our Amazon Princess?
We have to keep in mind superhero films are not one-size-fits-all. The same applies to the romance genre as well. Film is art, making it subjective, and open to interpretation. It is one thing to have opinions, but to say the film 'should have' or 'should not have' is increasingly narrow-minded and almost demanding a need to commodify said film. Is this what we want for our heroes, especially Wonder Woman? Do we not want to see her spread her wings and grow? Or do we prefer mundane and safeness in knowing it will be the same as before, just like every McDonald's burger you order?
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Other Wonder Woman pieces of mine include...
Making The Case for Steve Trevor's Return
About the Creator
Skyler
Full-time worker, history student and an avid comic book nerd.
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