When it comes to “great movie years,” 2017 is no exception: “Spiderman: Homecoming,” “Get Out,” “Logan” and “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” among others, have flooded cinema with fun, new content. However, even among these great hits and worthy mentions, there is one movie that for me clearly fits the role of best movie of 2017: “Wonder Woman.”
It probably isn’t on the top five of the lists for many people, but “Wonder Woman” is a much more in-depth return to the emotional turmoil and inspirational messages of the classics. With a perfect blend between the superhero journey and the recent female empowerment movement in cinema, “Wonder Woman” demonstrates a strong shift of recent interests as well as a return to older fans’ tastes.
“Wonder Woman” also conveys a powerful message of unity and compassion that is needed more in Hollywood, especially given the current cultural and political gap among Americans. The movie follows Wonder Woman’s journey as she learns that there is a balance of good and evil in each individual and that we should work together in friendship to solve common problems.
Almost as impactful as the Darth Vader scene from “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” from 2016, the No-Man’s Land scene in “Wonder Woman” is the most iconic scene of the movie, if not of the whole of this year’s cinema. The inspirational soundtrack and epic slow-motion captured the awe of the scene, and the theme of defending those who cannot defend themselves tied in nicely with the setting of World War I.
Just as Wonder Woman took a leap of faith to a tower in order to obtain her weaponry, so too did the movie itself take risks in defying the cliche of superhero invulnerability. It isn’t often that a superhero movie has one of the main characters die, much less sacrifice himself for the greater cause despite loving and wanting to be with the protagonist. “Wonder Woman” took that risk and it paid off handsomely as fans were enthralled by the drastic change “Wonder Woman” took from the recent movie trend of “plot armor,” in which main characters survive against all odds purely because of their importance to the plotline.
A good movie is defined by its soundtrack, plot or characters, but to be distinguished as the best movie requires balance of themes. “Wonder Woman” didn’t alienate some viewers by overplaying the feminist card, nor did it underplay the significance of a female protagonist in Hollywood. There was something for everyone.
Of course, “Wonder Woman” isn’t perfect; no movie is. The ending was cheesy and anticlimactic, but it still conveyed a powerful message on the necessity of empathy. In a divided community like ours, “Wonder Woman” teaches us in an inspirational way how important it is to be connected with one another. Its message and balance are what make it the best movie of 2017.