Double Feature

August 2017 - Wonder Woman has succeeded where Elektra did not – at the box office. Here are my thoughts about these silver screen superheroes.

Elektra is a PG-13 2005 action flick based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Jennifer Garner, who was the hot star of ABC's Alias at the time, reprised her role as Elektra Natchios, which she first played in the 2003 movie Daredevil. Elektra died in that movie, but a martial arts master named Stick worked some mystical magic to bring her back to life.

Elektra finds work as an assassin. While waiting for an assignment, she meets Goran Visnjic, the hot star of NBC's ER at the time, and his teenage daughter. She has Christmas dinner with them only to then find out that the dude and his daughter are her targets. Instead of killing them, she ends up saving them from henchmen sent by a group of evil-doers known as The Hand. It seems the teenage daughter is "the treasure" spoken of in legend, and if The Hand gets hold of her, well, it won't be good.

Overall review: Liked it. The plot is kinda lame, but the action is pretty good, the special effects are good, and Jennifer Garner flat-out rocks. The film runs about 90 minutes and it held my interest.

More than a decade later, DC Comics is doing record-breaking box office with Wonder Woman. Gal Gadot stars as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman. Chris Pine is the spy who loved her.

Early on, we see Diana as a child, yearning to be trained as a great Amazon warrior. Her mother, Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen), is none too happy when she catches her sister, General Antiope (Robin Wright), giving Diana some secret lessons. But, Hippolyta knows that Diana must learn to fight if she is to fulfill her destiny, so training commences in earnest. Diana is also schooled in the legend of the epic battle between Zeus and Ares (David Thewlis), the god of War, though Hippolyta leaves out some important information.

The island's tranquility is spoiled when a plane piloted by Steve Trevor (Pine) crashes into the ocean. Diana jumps in to save him, but in doing so, she brings World War I to the island's shore. Antiope and Diana defeat the German troops, but the victory is costly. After talking with Trevor, Diana decides to leave the island and join him in the war to end all wars.

Overall review: Liked it. The action is great. I was also impressed - and a little surprised - to see the ugliness of war on full display in this PG-13 movie. There's humor to balance out the drama, and happiness tinged with sadness. Diana and her fellow Amazons are great role models for girls.

But, even with all that, and a length of almost 2:30, I still felt like the film was missing something. I wanted more Amazon lore. I wanted to know why Diana could never go back to the island if she left. As far as I recall, that was never explained. I also thought the noble death of Antiope was given short shrift. But, those are small complaints for what is, overall, a very entertaining movie.