Critics Are in Love With 'Wonder Woman'—Why That's So Important

It's official: Wonder Woman is a hit.

The upcoming DC film about the famed female superhero lassoed in an impressive 97 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes—so, in other words, essentially every critic who reviewed the movie loved it. That's a huge deal for many reasons: A) We're finally getting a splashy summer blockbuster that isn't terrible, and B) It proves, once and for all, that female-helmed films are big business.

The latter reason is the most important. Wonder Woman is female in its DNA: It's directed by a woman (Patty Jenkins) and has a strong female character at the center (Wonder Woman, obvi, played to perfection by Gal Gadot). Even though female-centric movies have performed commercially and critically in the past—cough, Bridesmaids, cough—a misconception still exists that women's entertainment is niche. Wonder Woman's unanimous love will do wonders (pun intended) toward untangling that—especially if it's a smash at the box office (which it undoubtedly will be).

This high praise also opens the door for more women to spearhead big-budget projects. Blockbuster filmmaking, like all of Hollywood, is still pretty much a man's game. Indiewire reported in 2016 that Jenkins is only the third woman to direct a film with a budget of more than $100 million. (Ava DuVernay became the first woman of color to achieve this with her upcoming film A Wrinkle in Time.) Wonder Woman's success proves female directors can certainly play on the same field—as if that needed proving.

And now, here's a long list of gushy Wonder Woman tweets and reviews, presented uninterrupted for your viewing pleasure:

The Hollywood Reporter: "As the world’s most well-adjusted superhero, Wonder Woman breaks the genre mold. She’s openhearted, not angsty—an anomaly within the DC Universe, 'extended' or otherwise. So too is her long-awaited foray into the live-action big-screen spotlight: That openheartedness makes the movie something of an outlier."

Entertainment Weekly: "Wonder Woman is smart, slick, and satisfying in all of the ways superhero films ought to be. How deliciously ironic that in a genre where the boys seem to have all the fun, a female hero and a female director are the ones to show the fellas how it’s done."

Moviepilot: "And what a warrior she is. Gal Gadot is a revelation; she fully owns the role as much as Robert Downey, Jr. owns Iron Man or Chris Evans owns Captain America. She is Wonder Woman, and it's impressive to watch her walk the fine line between naiveté without stupidity, a warrior bred for battle who still retains a compassionate heart."

Business Insider: Not only does 'Wonder Woman' (opening in theaters Friday) power through the potential pitfalls of the modern-day superhero movie—weak plot, boring villain, lackluster third act—but it also shows once and for all that a female-focused superhero movie can be as strong, heroic, thrilling, and funny as the guys’ (and, I predict, as profitable).

Forbes: "Wonder Woman is an electrifying, breathtaking cinematic achievement sure to win the hearts and minds of audiences around the world."

USA Today: “[I]t’s Gadot’s film and she is electric as Wonder Woman, a role she debuted in last year’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice to wide acclaim. Unshackled from that film’s dreary baggage, the Israeli actress is able to shine as brightly in Wonder Woman’s smaller moments as she does when she lifts a tank with her bare hands.

Variety: "Wonder Woman is the first major studio superhero film directed by a woman, and it shows in a number of subtle, yet important ways. As skimpy as Gadot’s outfits may get, for example, Jenkins’ camera never leers or lingers gratuitously—Diana is always framed as an agent of power, rather than its object. When she finally unleashes her full fighting potential in an extended battle sequence on the front lines, the movie comes alive in a genuinely exhilarating whirl of slow-motion mayhem, and Diana’s personality is never lost amid all the choreography."

The Associated Press: “[Gal Gadot] the perfect Wonder Woman—a true blue hero who’s as believable in her bafflement of women’s fashions and social mores as she is dead-lifting a tank and swatting away machine gun fire with only her arm cuff. I never cared about Wonder Woman before. Now I do.”

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