Many people look forward to the big superhero movie release of the year. With theaters closed this year, “Wonder Woman 1984” was a glisten of hope to finally bring some excitement and entertainment into many lives. “Wonder Woman 1984” was expected by critics to empower women and provide an escape from the current world; sadly, the movie failed miserably.

“Wonder Woman 1984” follows Diana Prince, or Wonder Woman, portrayed by Gal Gadot, as she navigates the real world after losing her partner Steve Trevor, portrayed by Chris Pine, in World War II. Diana spends most of her nights alone and takes a job at the Smithsonian to keep her busy when she is not fighting crime. At her job, she stumbles upon the Dream Stone, a stone that grants all wishes, and wishes for Steve to be back with her. But when the Dream Stone falls into the wrong hands, Diana fights to stop it along with the monsters it has created. 

However, there was not much development in the movie. Personally, I am on my third time watching it and am still failing to understand any part of the plot. Had the directors chosen a focus, this could have been one of DC’s best movies. The multiple angles of the story lead to confusion and plot holes that made the movie feel like it was written by ten different people with little collaboration. 

Steve Trevor, Diana’s partner, originally died in the first movie. The weight behind his death was heavy, as Diana had to live forever without him. The act of bringing him back was done poorly as his death held no meaning anymore. What could have been fuel for Diana, led to a weakness in both herself and the general execution of the movie. 

Maxwell Lord and Cheetah, the villains of the movie, had little to no growth on screen. Cheetah goes from a kind woman who finally can use her power to an evil killer in a matter of two minutes. Her collaboration with Lord came as a confusing surprise after her many attempts to stop him. This was not the type of movie you could catch up on after missing a minute.

The single most disappointing part of this movie is how it failed to bring the elevated feeling of empowerment at the end as the first “Wonder Woman” film did. Diana is shown as a caring person through the movie, but the focus on her relationship with Steve weakens the purpose of the film. Diana becomes almost too comfortable in her trust for Steve, leaving her to be seen more as a damsel in distress than a superhero. 

Personally, I would give this movie a five out of ten. I love all superhero movies, and I really wanted to enjoy this one. Between the plot holes and the lack of well done special effects, I was unable to escape from reality into Diana’s world like I wished to. Regardless, I know that young girls will see this movie, and see women like themselves in it. They will be able to use this movie as representation and look up to the strong women portrayed on screen.