Wonder Woman’s Blu-ray release contains an impressive collection of bonus features that are sure to please comic book fans and film aficionados.
After setting records with its very successful theatrical run, Wonder Woman is now finally available for purchase. The Wonder Woman Blu-ray contains, of course, the film and a range of special features—de facto goodies for any modern home video release.
Since there’s already a number of reviews for the movie already, we’ll keep the review of the film itself to a minimum—constrained only to the video and audio quality of the film’s translation. The real meat of this article will concentrate on the aforementioned special features, which will make any fan appreciate the film that much more.
I’ve seen the film three times in theaters, so I have a pretty good baseline with respect to the original presentation of the film. Wonder Woman on Blu-ray is no less extraordinary. The colors are nicely saturated and Themyscira looks just as bright and beautiful as it did when I sat in my reserved seat. And, in turn, World War I Europe looked just as harrowing and dirty. Even on the small screen, the Blu-ray has captured everything.
Since this is also an action movie, there are various reference points for sound. The effects and music were well-balanced without either one overpowering the other at inappropriate times. If you’re just watching the film for the first time, rest assured that you’re getting the same quality as someone who saw it during its time in theaters.
Special Features
The special features can sometimes be a gamble—some films contain some great deleted scenes and compelling behind-the-scenes material, but some films can be pretty paltry in those arenas. Wonder Woman falls in the category of the former. The Blu-ray release contains a variety of goodies for film buffs like me:
- “Epilogue: Etta’s Mission”
- “Crafting the Wonder”
- “A Director’s Vision”
- “Warriors of Wonder Woman”
- “The Trinity”
- “The Wonder Behind the Camera”
- “Finding the Wonder Woman Within”
- “Extended Scenes”
“Epilogue: Etta’s Mission” is one of those scenes that should’ve been left in the final cut. It acts like a glue holding together the DC Extended Universe. Set right after the events of Diana’s defeating Ares, we see Etta Candy joining the ragtag group of motley crew heroes—sans our goddess of course. I won’t go into spoilers, but as they go through the details for their next mission, we get a very good look at a specific object—something that leads right into Justice League. It’s definitely a treat.
“Crafting the Wonder”
“Crafting the Wonder” gives an in-depth look at the design of Wonder Woman. Through various interviews and behind-the-scenes looks, we get a sense of the grand scale of the overall movie. Director Patty Jenkins also shares her thoughts on bringing a classic icon to life in a very modern world. It’s a fascinating look at all the effort and planning of this amazing blockbuster.
“A Director’s Vision”
Director Patty Jenkins takes us through her vision for the world of Themyscira and a variety of key scenes. No detail was left to the imagination, as Jenkins wanted the history of the Amazons to be on full display in the film’s large-scale sets. For the group that always complains about superhero films not using practical visual effects, the director takes us on a tour of how the crew authentically reproduced Wonder Woman‘s World War I era setting.
“Warriors of Wonder Woman”
A Wonder Woman film wouldn’t be complete without a detailed look at the heroine’s sisters—the Amazons. “Warriors of Wonder Woman” gives us a small sampling of the grueling workout the cast had to go through to prepare themselves for their roles. Extras were chosen based on their physical and athletic prowesses (a number of them are professional athletes and the best in their sport).
“The Trinity”
The character of Wonder Woman is discussed in the context of the famous DC Trinity—the grand trio that also includes Superman and Batman. Patty Jenkins, comic book writers, artists, and filmmakers juxtapose Diana to other heroes. Viewers learn that the heroine’s idealized origin—being a goddess and coming from a utopia—gives her a unique perspective on humanity.
“The Wonder Behind the Camera”
A group of aspiring filmmakers visit the set of Wonder Woman and hear directly from Patty Jenkins and the rest of the talented cast and crew about working in the trenches. The documentary is very inspiring as they motivate these future creatives, telling them there are no limits to their dreams.
“Finding the Wonder Woman Within”
This is probably the only item in the Blu-ray’s special features area that had a weak presentation. The slam poetry in between interviews was a bit cringeworthy (granted, this is a very personal opinion because I abhor the pretentiousness of slam poetry). However, the interviews with various people in the industry were interesting.
“Extended Scenes”
It’s always fascinating to see what didn’t make it to the final cut. The various clips aren’t just extended scenes, but variations on character interactions. For example, the “man/woman dynamic” discussion on the boat was played a bit differently in the film. You can see why the director and editor chose to go with certain decisions, as the ones that made it to the final cut were more effective emotionally.
Wonder Woman on the small screen is just as impressive as its theater release. Above all, the special features make is a must-have for any comic book fan or film buff. The extensive interviews and behind-the-scenes looks reveal the complexities and intricacies of modern filmmaking—making the viewer appreciate this film that much more.
Own Wonder Woman on Ultra HD Blu-ray, 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD on September 19 or Own It Now on Digital HD!
Production Details
Wonder Woman—Official Synopsis
Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, when an American pilot crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside man in a war to end all wars, Diana will discover her full powers…and her true destiny.
Wonder Woman was released on June 2, 2017
It is produced by Zack Snyder and Deborah Snyder with Charles Roven and Richard Suckle of Atlas Entertainment, executive produced by Rebecca Roven, Stephen Jones, Wesley Coller, and Geoff Johns, directed by Patty Jenkins, written by Allan Heinberg and Geoff Johns from a story by Zack Snyder & Allan Heinberg, and stars Gal Gadot as Diana Prince / Wonder Woman, Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, Connie Nielsen as Hippolyta, Robin Wright as General Antiope, Lisa Loven Kongsli as Lieutenant Menalippe, Lucy Davis as Etta Candy, Mayling Ng as Orana, Florence Kasumba as Acantha, Doutzen Kroes as an Amazon / Ann Wolfe, Madeleine Vall as Egeria, Samantha Jo as Euboea, Danny Huston as General Erich Ludendorff, David Thewlis as Sir Patrick / Ares, Ewen Bremner as Charlie, Saïd Taghmaoui as Sameer, and Elena Anaya as Doctor Maru / Doctor Poison.
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