‘Wonder Woman’ is worthy entry into the comic character's enduring legacy

Like high-wire balancing on her “lasso of truth,” one must be cautious in how one approaches a review of “Wonder Woman,” the latest entry into the DC Extended Universe.

It’s easily the best of the four releases thus far, filled with optimism and a strong heroine who adheres closely to the original comics’ principles and altruism.

Now, that is decidedly faint praise, as the previous films in this universe - “Man of Steel,” “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” and “Suicide Squad” were all such mangled, monochromatic messes that any film offering the slightest ray of light and trace of heart should be cause for celebration.

There is much to celebrate with “Wonder Woman.” Despite the fact that we are told yet another superhero “origin story,” this is one that has ties in Ancient Greece and American history, which allows scriptwriter Allan Heinberg flexibility to open the doors to new worlds as well as pull up the shades and let some sun in - for a while, at least.

We open with a young Princess Diana, who is told by her guardians that she was created from clay by Zeus, and she resides in the all-female Isle of Themyscira, where Amazonian warriors are in perpetual battle training for the eventual arrival of Ares, the god of war.

The training scenes alone are worlds better than any battle sequence in Zack Snyder’s oeuvre (after directing “Man of Steel” and “Batman v Superman,” he steps aside here and serves only as producer). Director Patty Jenkins, whose only previous film credit was the character-driven “Monster,” has a keen eye for continuity and makes each sword strike and arrow release matter.

As Diana grows into an adult, she is portrayed by Gal Gadot, a role that was essentially sidelined in the muddled “Batman v Superman.” Gadot conveys strength and stoicism in the lead, but as the script turns serious, there is little else asked of her.

One idyllic afternoon, a World War I plane piloted by American spy Steve Trevor (played by a never-better Chris Pine) inexplicably splits the protective barrier of the island and jeopardizes the entire island to attack from the Germans. Diana rescues Trevor from his downed plane, and she soon learns of a chemical weapon that is being developed to be dropped on countless innocent civilians.

Diana is convinced this is the work of Ares and agrees to take Trevor back in return for getting to meet the god face to face to stop him. Trevor reluctantly agrees, partly because he’s from a world in which women are only seen as secretaries and second-class citizens, and partly because her outlandish ramblings about Greek gods are a little too wacky for him to handle.

By the time they reach the battlefield, things get darker, both literally and metaphorically. There are many lives lost as the bullets fly around, and we witness villages filled with hungry women and children clamoring for survival. It’s a bit intense for those hoping to bring their little ones with visions of the sun-splashed “DC Super Hero Girls” in their heads. Both Gadot and Pine create ample appeal, not only with their classic good looks, but their role-reversed portrayals (Gadot is the calm eye in the storm; Pine is the worrywart). This is a soothing blast to the boys-only bluster of the superhero film genre.

It’s not until the final stretch that the film begins to wear out its welcome. It’s almost like you can tell when Zack Snyder arrived on set and told Jenkins to kill the lights after producing a final battle with an oversized CGI villain. It’s yet another climactic duel that feels empty and without consequence.

That aside, Jenkins has crafted a stand-alone tale that lays the groundwork from which many subsequent adventures can be spun. It’s not the groundbreaking film many would have you believe, but it’s both refreshing and empowering, and a worthy entry into the comic character’s enduring legacy.