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Wonder Woman 1984 First Reactions: The Perfect Beacon of Hope for 2020

Early reactions on social media say Patty Jenkins, Gal Gadot, and the rest of the cast knock it out of the park in a movie whose hopeful optimism and uptlifting positivity is exactly what we need right now.

by Christopher Campbell | December 6, 2020 | Comments

TAGGED AS: Comic Book, comic books, DC Comics, dceu, Superheroes

This has been a year with very few big superhero blockbusters, but Wonder Woman 1984 is finally coming to save the day. Ahead of its Christmas release in theaters and on the streaming service HBO Max, a select group of movie critics were invited to see the DC comic book sequel at home or on the big screen and offer their thoughts. Good news: the reactions are overwhelmingly positive, and not just for the usual action movie delights, but also for why this one in particular is the best possible movie of its kind for right now.

Here’s what critics are saying about Wonder Woman 1984:

Is it worth the wait?

I adored it.
– Terri Schwartz, IGN Movies

It’s absolutely delightful.
– Mike Rougeau, GameSpot

Absolutely incredible.
– John Nguyen, Nerd Reactor

Wonder Woman 1984 is — forgive the term — wonderful.
– Hoai-Tran Bui, Slashfilm

Wonderful!… I absolutely loved it! Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot knock it out of the park!
– Jenna Busch, VitalThrills.com

It was AWESOME, I loved it!
– Mark Hughes, Forbes

A resounding success… a marvelous achievement!… even better than I’d hoped it would be!! I love this movie!!
– Jimmy O, JoBlo’s Movie Network

Worth the wait. Between the stunning visuals and resonant emotional beats, it’s a piece brimming with charm and confidence.
– Meagan Damore, CBR

Wonder Woman 1984 is fantastic!… Get hyped, because it’s the real deal.
– Eric Eisenberg, Cinema Blend

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How does it compare to the first movie?

I enjoyed the first film, but I loved Wonder Woman 1984 even more.
– Meagan Damore, CBR

I loved the first film and I can confidently say the sequel takes everything to another level!
– Dorian Parks, Geeks of Color

A joyful, thrilling and engaging sequel, one that manages to connect to what worked the first time around, yet it’s still uniquely its own thing. Emotional, hilarious and exciting, perhaps even better than the first.
– Jimmy O, JoBlo’s Movie Network

It doubles down on the compassion and cheese that made the first so great, as well as its tenacious belief in the best of humanity.
– Hoai-Tran Bui, Slashfilm

The sequel is superior!
– Eric Eisenberg, Cinema Blend

It feels both bigger than the first Wonder Woman while simultaneously more contained.
– Brandon Davis, ComicBook.com

The first Wonder Woman is my favorite of the modern DC films, and Wonder Woman 1984 makes all the smart next steps, telling a very human and very beautiful story for Diana Prince.
– Terri Schwartz, IGN Movies

I think I like the first film more but this is a worthy and bigger sequel for sure.
– Germain Lussier, io9.com

I prefer Wonder Woman to Wonder Woman 1984. But I also much prefer seeing filmmakers take new, big swings with sequels and that’s definitely what Patty Jenkins and co. do here.
– Perri Nemiroff, Perri Nemiroff

How does it rank against the other DC movies?

Definitely top three… with the first Wonder Woman and Birds of Prey.
– Meagan Damore, CBR

Wonder Woman 1984 doesn’t look or feel like any other modern superhero movie. I can’t wait for us all to talk about it!
– Amy Ratcliffe, Nerdist

Let Patty Jenkins take charge of the entire DCEU!
– Dorian Parks, Geeks of Color

Is Gal Gadot still wonderful?

Gadot perfectly captures the essence of Wonder Woman once again!
– Jimmy O, JoBlo’s Movie Network

Gal is of course a goddess.
– Mike Rougeau, GameSpot

Lots of Diana Prince and some epic Wonder Woman moments as Gal Godot literally soars!
– Brandon Davis, ComicBook.com

How is the surprising return of Chris Pine?

Chris Pine’s return is done well and makes sense.
– Mike Rougeau, GameSpot

Chris Pine’s unusual and inspired return is a huge bonus, both with humor and heart!
– Jimmy O, JoBlo’s Movie Network

Gal Gadot and Chris Pine give us the kind of windswept classic Hollywood romance that I could watch forever.
– Hoai-Tran Bui, Slashfilm

What about the film’s villains?

Pedro Pascal and Kristen Wiig absolutely kill it as Maxwell Lord and Cheetah.
– Dorian Parks, Geeks of Color

Amazing work is done with both Cheetah and Max Lord. Wiig and Pascal are both stellar.
– Eric Eisenberg, Cinema Blend

Pedro Pascal and Kristen Wiig are brilliantly cast…[as] villains with purpose!
– Jimmy O, JoBlo’s Movie Network

Pedro Pascal is serving a ham feast, Kristen Wiig is magnetic as hell.
– Hoai-Tran Bui, Slashfilm

Pedro Pascal and Kristen Wiig are the highlights of Wonder Woman 1984 for me. Pascal goes ALL IN on a wild portrayal of Max Lord, a conflicted but vile villain. Wiig’s Cheetah evolution throughout the movie is heartbreaking yet epic. We need more!
– Brandon Davis, ComicBook.com

All of the villains are so wonderfully layered. Kristin Wiig excels in the role of Barbara Minerva/Cheetah. The chemistry between her and Gal Gadot’s Diana is unreal. Pedro Pascal adds a lot of fun as Maxwell Lord, but even he is more than he appears.
– Meagan Damore, CBR

Kristen Wiig is phenomenal as Barbara.
– Jenna Busch, VitalThrills.com

Kristen is great, but Pedro almost steals the show. Dude goes HARD.
– Mike Rougeau, GameSpot

Is this the right time to release this movie?

A wonderful movie for this moment in time.
– Mike Rougeau, GameSpot

The story is excellent and has a great, timely message.
– Eric Eisenberg, Cinema Blend

A magical, sorely needed beacon of hope in this year.
– Hoai-Tran Bui, Slashfilm

Honestly, it’s just what I needed. What we all need. It’s uplifting, hopeful, and so utterly Wonder Woman. Just a beautiful film with themes that hit you right in the heart.
– Amy Ratcliffe, Nerdist

Although I wish we’d gotten the chance to see it earlier, the movie came out at possibly the perfect time for its hope, optimism and message.
– Meagan Damore, CBR

It was a lot of fun and has a very heartwarming and hopeful message that, frankly, we really need this year.
– Jim Vejvoda, IGN Movies

Wonder Woman 1984 tells us that our world deserves the kindness and empathy of a superhero like Wonder Woman, and in 2020, that feels like the most radical and necessary message of all. Wonder Woman is the superhero we need AND the one we deserve.
– Kayti Burt, Den of Geek

It was everything I needed and more. The movie is hugely ambitious, incredibly exciting, and full of much needed hope.
– Germain Lussier, io9.com

It shows that superheroes can be flawed, vulnerable, fierce, and loving. Gal and Patty have crafted a beautiful film with intrigue and hope.
– John Nguyen, Nerd Reactor

I think what surprised me most was that the message Wonder Woman 1984 leaves you with feels even more important to hear at the end of this year in a way Patty Jenkins couldn’t have predicted when she made it.
– Terri Schwartz, IGN Movies

Is it going to give us all the feels?

The opening 10 minutes will bring tears to your eyes.
– Jenna Busch, VitalThrills.com

Joyful, thrilling, and tear inducing!
– Jimmy O, JoBlo’s Movie Network

Wonder Woman 1984 made me cry several times—sometimes, in the most unexpected of places. It’s the only kind of (superhero) movie I have time for right now: one that can still see beauty in our broken world, and fundamentally believes it deserves saving.
– Kayti Burt, Den of Geek

It made me feel things — a rare feat these days.
– Mike Rougeau, GameSpot

It reminded me how wonderful a big blockbuster can make you feel.
– Germain Lussier, io9.com

Are there any criticisms?

Not everything adds up, but the value of selflessness, love and compassion do shine through.
– Perri Nemiroff, Perri Nemiroff

It’s also very long, to a fault at times.
– Germain Lussier, io9.com

It’s definitely on the long side, and sometimes slathers on so much cheese that it might be a health hazard, but it’s the kind of aspirational superhero blockbuster that we need more of.
– Hoai-Tran Bui, Slashfilm

Is it best seen on the big screen?

A theater is always preferred of course, but I don’t think it hurt the experience for me in anyway. A theater only would have enhanced it.
– Germain Lussier, io9.com

This is a big movie that was made to be seen in theaters. If they are open near you and you feel safe, I’d highly advise seeing this on the big screen before streaming it on HBO Max.
– Dorian Parks, Geeks of Color

Yesterday I saw Wonder Woman 1984 in an IMAX theater… No matter what system you have at home, nothing will ever replace the magic of seeing a movie on a huge IMAX screen.
– Steve Weintraub, Collider

I wasn’t sure how I’d feel experiencing a blockbuster at home for the first viewing but I was so caught up in the emotion of it all… but it will be a bummer not to see this one with a group of friends.
– Amy Ratcliffe, Nerdist