Imagine a movie powered by Gal Gadot’s stardom, Pedro Pascal’s stagecraft, and Chris Pine’s popularity that fails to resonate with its audience. Seems absurd right? Yet, that is the case for the franchise movie Wonder Woman 1984. Despite the backing of the DC Cinematic Universe and an adored and talented all-star cast, Wonder Woman 1984 is actually a total mess.
Diana Prince’s origin story and her invincible combative skills in Wonder Woman fueled audience expectations of a riveting storyline for its follow-up, which Wonder Woman 1984 certainly lacked. The overall execution by writer and director Patty Jenkins was lackluster and full of plot holes, but there are tons of other movie mistakes that actually make Wonder Woman 1984 a total mess.
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Wonder Woman 1984 Plot and Main Characters
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Wonder Woman 1984 features a storyline where Diana Prince battles rivals who have submitted to the lure of the Dreamstone, heroically saving the world in the process. The film begins with a sad and lonely Diana working as a curator of ancient artifacts, albeit with occasional superheroine outings. The story progresses with the two primary antagonists, Maxwell Lord and Barbara Minerva.
Lord is played by Pedro Pascal as a wealth-hungry businessman who acquires the Dreamstone. Fan-favorite SNL alum Kristen Wiig plays Minerva, a character grappling with intense generalized insecurities with a strong desire to mirror Diana. The need for invincibility and success fuels both villains who abuse the Dreamstone and consequently put the world at risk. The ensuing battle forms the crux of Wonder Woman 1984.
Maxwell Lord Has Inconsistent Motivation in Wonder Woman 1984
Storyline errors, inconsistent character arcs, and plot holes are some of the issues that plague Wonder Woman 1984. Out of all DCU films, this one had the most confusing character motivations, leaving audiences wondering whether any of their actions were justified. Imagine an antagonist without a clear reasoning behind their motivation for pandemonium — that was Maxwell Lord, a capitalistic character who initially acquired the Dreamstone for wealth, and somehow transformed his entire motivation to acquiring power in a jarring change that was not addressed.
Lord’s passion and madness which took center stage and brought the world to the verge of collapse was not justifiable. Lord, who loved his child dearly and would not want to harm him, is suddenly fine with commencing a nuclear war between America and Russia? Also, why would he continue granting wishes despite the harm it does to his body? These questions contradict the motivations of Maxwell Lord and point to an incoherent execution of his storyline.
Sure, one could argue that Lord was simply a convoluted character who gave into the temptations of the Dreamstone and could not control his actions just like the rest of the world. But, leaning into that theory leaves ample room for speculation of unfair reliance on convenient storylines. These inconsistencies also stretch into Diana Prince’s character arc and storyline.
Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor Make No Sense in 1984
A conversation between Bruce Wayne and Prince in Batman vs Superman directly contradicts Wonder Woman’s actions in this movie. Prince said, “A hundred years ago I walked away from mankind, from a century of horrors.” Prince’s character in Batman vs Superman emphasized her decision to remain anonymous, yet 30 years prior in Wonder Woman 1984, her actions say otherwise. For instance, her (extremely pandering) crusades at the mall in full Wonder Woman gear fighting a few mall robbers in the movie will leave you scratching your head.
Jenkins’ insertion of convenient storylines also extends to Steve Trevor (played by Chris Pine). Trevor, a World War I pilot, sacrificed his life in Wonder Woman and left a lonely Prince, who apparently hasn’t been in a relationship in the 60 years since meeting Trevor and spending a week with him. Nonetheless, Prince unwittingly wishes for his return through the Dreamstone. Since the stone literally grants wishes, one would expect Trevor to be back in his own original form, right? No, Trevor’s consciousness simply downloads into another living human.
Where did that man go, and what happened to his consciousness? Why him? Did Diana have non-consensual relations with the man, if Trevor was occupying his body? You won’t find answers to any of these questions in Wonder Woman 1984. Jenkins expects us to accept this unexplored arc and believe in the storyline. In the same way, we are led to believe that Trevor, who is a WWI pilot, can just fly a modern fighter jet that is fully fueled and parked in a museum. These inconsistencies make Wonder Woman 1984’s submission to the Oscars a highly questionable move.
Wonder Woman 1984: Everything Wrong With the Dreamstone
For those of you who are still doubting if Wonder Woman 1984 is actually a total mess, one need only look at the DreamStone, a powerful entity that took center stage in the movie but was barely explored. Leaving the theater, countless fans took to Twitter and other social media to express a common confusion about the limitations and actual power of the Dreamstone, which is a strong part of why Wonder Woman 1984 tanked.
Was the Dreamstone evil, or did it embody the personality of its wielder? Were there any conflicting wishes, and if so how did it manage them? Jenkins also expects us to buy into the narrative that Lord can grant wishes to the entire planet by hijacking satellites and speaking in a language that isn’t universal. What if one person wished for world peace, and another wished to bomb a country? Concerns about the penalties or consequences of conflicting wishes and their management by the Dreamstone are also left unanswered. Numerous questions like these circled audiences thoughts.
Moreover, its contradictions with Minerva’s wishes further exacerbated this sense of confusion. Minerva initially wishes to become like Prince, which is granted, yet her second wish to become an apex predator is also granted. This violates the foundational rule of the Dreamstone, where each individual only receives one wish.
These gaping plot holes aren’t merely prevalent in the presentation of the Dreamstone but also extend into the entire movie. The amalgamation of convenient storylines, factual errors, unexplored entities, and bizarre character motivations all actually makes Wonder Woman 1984 a total mess, and probably the worst movie in the DCU. Fortunately, we always have Wonder Woman.
