10 Things You Missed in Wonder Woman 1984
Reviews have been mixed for Wonder Woman 1984, and I'll admit I'm still confused about whether or not I liked it. But knowing the significance behind the lightning strikes and other Easter eggs does make it better.
How much detail you catch as a movie viewer probably depends on how determined you are to catch those details going in. When I saw Wonder Woman 1984 the day after Christmas, I wasn't overly determined to uncover hidden meaning and that's probably why a lot of it went right over my head. I left the movie thinking the villain -- conniving businessman Max Lord played by Pedro Pascal -- was too over-the-top and a laughable mess. But I felt a new connection with Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. She seemed sincere and I liked the movie because of her. And, since she could push two moving vehicles apart with her quads and it inspired me to do more squats.
Top 10 Things You Missed in Wonder Woman 1984
(Spoiler alerts!)
10. The Lynda Look. The button-down wide-collared white shirt and vest that Wonder Woman wore was a nod to Lynda Carter's look in the 70s.
9. Citrine's Significance. The dream stone that everyone is fighting over contains citrine, which in history has been a sign of prosperity and good fortune, but that comes with a hefty price. That theme is woven throughout the movie.
8. Lassoing Lightning. Diana's father is Zeus, and as she's working to save the world at the end of the movie, Zeus throws her several lightning bolts which she lassos to hoist herself further toward her goals. A little help from Pop.
7. The Nuclear Man Symbol. Nuclear Man first appeared in a Superman movie, and in the mall scene in Wonder Woman 1984, his gold star symbol appears on the floor.
6. To the Invisible Plane and Beyond. The invisible plane was Wonder Woman's preferred mode of transportation in the early comics, but it had been phased out until now.
5. Brother Eye and Big Brother Parallels. Maxwell Lord plans to use a satellite broadcast system to grant everyone's wish, and that pays homage to an AI system in past comics. "Brother Eye" gets its name from Big Brother, the totalitarian figure in George Orwell's novel, 1984.
4. Cheetah foreshadowing. Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig) becomes a cheetah at the end of the movie, and there are hints leading up to that, including the stuffed cheetah on the wall of her science lab, and hints dropped by other characters too. Barbara also took a liking to Diana's animal-print shoes early on.
3. Etta Candy Remembered. The previous Wonder Woman movie was set in 1918, and Etta Candy made her debut there as Steve's secretary. The new movie takes place 66 years later and Etta Candy has passed away, but a photo of Diana and Etta Candy pops up as a tribute.
2. Retro brands. Since the film was set in the 80s, it was a good opportunity to highlight some now-defunct stores, like Chess King and Waldenbooks. In the arcade, some kids are playing Operation Wolf, but that didn't come out until 1987. Oops.
1. Eagle Armor Origins. Diana wears golden eagle armor for the final battle scene and told us the armor was created for a famous warrior named Asteria who sacrificed herself in battle. In the credits, Lynda Carter (the original Wonder Woman) shows up and introduces herself as Asteria. She lives.
Savvy movie fans already know most of these things, but I missed half of them so I thought I'd share. And, despite the mixed reviews, now I want to see it again!