Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Wonder Woman Deserves a Better First Solo Movie in the DCAMU Than 'Wonder Woman: Bloodlines', Which Is the Worst in the Series

Wonder Woman: Bloodlines is the just the second Wonder Woman direct-to-video animated film in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies franchise – coming 10 years after 2009’s Wonder Woman – and the very first solo Wonder Woman film set in the DC Animated Movie Universe (DCAMU).  It explores the origins of Wonder Woman a.k.a. Princess Diana of Themyscira in the DCAMU, and then tells an adventure presumably set in the present time of DCAMU continuity that pits her against Villainy Inc, paving the way for her to go back to Themyscira for the first time since she left it.

Let me immediately get to my main opinion about this movie: it replaces Justice League vs. Teen Titans as the worst DCAMU movie so far.  It’s not necessarily terrible.  It reasonably entertains.  But it’s unremarkable, mediocre, and forgettable as a whole.  Wonder Woman – one of my most favorite female characters in fiction – deserves better.
The narrative is sloppy, and the pacing drags in parts.  And the offered solutions to a couple of problems that the plot presents for the heroes to solve come off as exasperatingly dumb.  Its obvious attempts to mimic some of the beats and style of the DCEU’s excellent Wonder Woman film also don’t work convincingly.

As for the positives, the fights are adequately fun; it’s worth mentioning that Wonder Woman has some nice throwdowns with Silver Swan, Giganta, Cheetah, and Medusa in this movie.  The humor – particularly those coming from Steve Trevor (he’s pretty funny in this movie) – is also refreshing enough.
In the end, anybody who desires to take pleasure in a satisfying Wonder Woman animated entertainment will not find it from Wonder Woman: Bloodlines.  He or she will be much better served watching the 2009 Wonder Woman movie – which is pretty good, by the way.

Hopefully, the DCAMU’s next Wonder Woman solo movie would be able to more than make up for Bloodlines.  And, hopefully, it won’t take another decade before one is made.

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