But things take a turn when wannabe oil tycoon Maxwell Lord (an over-the-top and preening Pedro Pascal) strolls into the story with a rank ego and daddy issues. The easily frazzled and comically clumsy Barbara gets some fringe benefits, too - she wishes upon the rock to be like Diana, suddenly achieving a power and confidence beyond her wildest dreams. At first, it unknowingly grants Diana her great desire: to see Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) returned to life (sort of). As she begins to develop a friendship with a co-worker named Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig), DianaвЂ™s life as both a museum curator and undercover superhero is disrupted by the arrival of what is best described as a magic rock. In Patty JenkinsвЂ™s candy-colored rendition of the вЂ™80s, 1984вЂ™s Diana (Gal Gadot) finds herself lonely and isolated - both by choice and circumstance. The disappointing sequel highlights not only the dire state of the live-action superhero genre in film, but the dire state of Hollywood filmmaking as a whole. Sadly, all that glittered in the franchiseвЂ™s first outing is gone in Wonder Woman 1984. Perhaps its lopsided universe was not perfect there were lackluster villains and a noticeable absence of racial diversity and sensuality, and the sequel had to contend with a significant jump from WWI-era Europe into early 1980s Washington, D.C. Its time-skipping story offered a way to expand the superhero genreвЂ™s usual plot beats - which was desperately needed - and arrived buoyed by an excellent cast. Its empathetic predecessor is likely the most beloved and critically successful of the slate of beleaguered DC Comics films. This sequel had almost everything going for it. Wonder Woman, also known as Diana Prince, is one of the most dynamic of DCвЂ™s mainstay comic characters, but youвЂ™d never know it watching Wonder Woman 1984. We are republishing it on the occasion of Wonder Woman 1984вЂ™s Christmas Day premiere on HBO Max.

This review originally ran earlier this month. The disappointing sequel highlights not only the dire state of the live-action superhero genre, but the dire state of Hollywood filmmaking as a whole.

Wonder woman 1984 cheetah