Wonder Woman 1984 Review Round-Up: What Do the Critics Think?

It feels like we’ve been waiting on the arrival of Wonder Woman 1984 for years now. That’s because we have. Warner Bros. got to work on the Wonder Woman sequel not long after the first one became a mega-hit in 2017, with director Patty Jenkins and star Gal Gadot teaming up once again. The film was made, delayed, and then delayed again several more times. But that’s been the story of 2020, the pandemic-caused theater closures have resulted in the biggest films getting pushed back or released online. Wonder Woman 1984 checks both of those boxes.

After all of the delays, Wonder Woman 1984 is finally hitting theaters on Christmas Day. In addition to whatever theaters are open, the Wonder Woman sequel will also be available on the HBO Max streaming service at the same time, allowing everyone to see it at once.

Fans have been endlessly excited for the arrival of Wonder Woman 1984, and even more so now that they know they won’t have to head out to a theater if it’s not safe to do so. All that’s left is finding out what the reviews are saying.

On Tuesday, the review embargo for Wonder Woman 1984 was lifted, and the thoughts of critics began flooding the Internet. Here’s what they had to say:

ComicBook.com – Brandon Davis

“Wonder Woman 1984 learns from the critiques of its excellent predecessor, delivering a much more contained finale by comparison to its extravagant and over-sized blow-out third act in the first movie, but it would have benefited from some more character work, sharper pacing and conclusions, and, well, a little bit more Wonder Woman. The team delivers an exciting and inspirational new tale, with a surprising level of worldly commentary considering when it was shot, along with a much-needed message of hope — all complemented strongly by the always empathic musical score from Hans Zimmer.”

You can read our full review here.

EW – Mary Sollosi

“WW84 is enormous. It’s huge from the start, opening with a flashback to a sort of Amazonian Olympics on Themyscira, where child Diana competes with women twice her age in an obstacle course that feels like a workout just to watch — but that’s only the prologue. From there, the film travels to a place that’s even bigger, even louder, even more, more, more than a fictional magical far-off land filled with gorgeous, superhuman warrior women. That’s right! It’s the U.S. of A. in the year 1984!”

You can read EW‘s full review here.

The Hollywood Reporter – David Rooney

“Gadot remains a charismatic presence who wields the lasso with authority, even tethering lightning bolts in some arresting moments. However, I missed the more hand-to-hand gladiatorial aspect of so many fight scenes in the first movie. There’s a disarming romantic touch in Diana acquiring the ability of flight through Steve’s explanation of its rudimentary principles. But watching her soar through the air — while consistent with later editions of the comic — also detracts from the athletic leaps that make the character distinctive, turning her into an ersatz Superman with a cuter outfit.”

You can read THR’s full review here.

IndieWire – Kate Erbland

“Leave it to Jenkins to find a suitable and satisfying workaround in the form of Wonder Woman 1984, the rare superhero sequel that, for better (and sometimes, but rarely) worse, carves its own path and finds something joyous, wacky, and deeply enjoyable as a result. All that neon and all those parachute pants? Just a bonus, as Jenkins and Gadot take their heartfelt heroine back to 1984, finding bombastic new territory for Diana Prince to explore, blessedly outside the confines of her contemporary compatriots.”

You can read IndieWire‘s full review here.

Polygon – Seanan McGuire

“Director Patty Jenkins and her co-writers, Dave Callaham and Geoff Johns, don’t slow down long enough for viewers to really consider the implications of Diana performing her duties as Wonder Woman for more than six decades without being believably documented. Apparently, they hope no one will notice the plot hole this creates.”

You can read Polygon‘s full review here.

Empire – Ben Travis

“What’s most clear in Wonder Woman 1984 is that Patty Jenkins truly recognises the power of the imagery she’s committing to the screen: what it means to see a young girl be an action hero; the resonance of a power-hungry businessman broadcasting on White House comms; the majesty of Diana ascending skyward in the pursuit of changing the world for the better. These moments are so potent that it already feels like they have a life beyond the screen. Wonder Woman 1984 not only delivers the blockbuster thrills that 2020 has been missing — even more thrilling is the feeling it leaves you with: the hope that we too can propel ourselves into a brighter future.”

You can read Empire‘s full review here.

Mashable – Angie Han

“Diana (Gal Gadot) may be blessed with super-strength and armed with magical artifacts, but her greatest gift as a hero remains her ability to love and inspire. Such is the power of her compassion that you might be moved to forgiveness while watching it — of yourself, of other people, of the movie’s own flaws. If WW84 can’t quite reach the heights of the first film, it still soars beautifully when it matters most.”

You can read Mashable‘s full review here.

Variety – Peter Debruge

“The superhero genre has always been about wish fulfillment, but when the climax comes and the entire human population gets the chance to realize their fantasies, nothing seems special anymore. As the wishes stack up and the world falls into chaos, Wonder Woman 1984 loses its way, and while it’s not bad enough to renounce the satisfaction of what came before, it’s enough to shift our focus back to our own real-world predicament. What we need right now this movie can’t solve, but just maybe, it will inspire someone who can.”

You can read Variety‘s review here.