Wonder Woman

If you believe the hype, the DC Comics superhero Wonder Woman has a much tougher task than simply saving the world in her first solo big-screen adventure — she has to boldly blaze a trail for every other female hero short-changed by a system that has relegated them to the sidelines.

Don't worry. She's up to the task. 

Directed by Patty Jenkins and starring Gal Gadot in the title role, Wonder Woman doesn't buckle under the burden of high expectations. It may not be a game-changer in an artistic or dramatic sense (like, say, the Dark Knight trilogy) but it delivers big, broad-stroke entertainment that's thrilling, touching and thoughtful, and does so with a moral and mature attitude that sets it apart from its contemporaries.

The title character — better known as Diana (no one utters the words 'Wonder Woman' in the film) — is a powerful warrior with a mysterious and possibly magical lineage, and her mission is motivated by peace and fuelled by love.

It's a pleasingly optimistic approach for a 21st-century superhero movie to take, especially considering that the recent exploits of Wonder Woman's counterparts, such as Batman and Superman, have been more grim and glum.

Gadot's supporting appearance alongside those characters in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice hinted at something a little less dour, and Wonder Woman, which acts as an origin story and introductory adventure, enjoyably expands on that.

The story begins 100 years ago on the hidden island paradise of Themyscira, where a community of women live in harmony but diligently prepare for a battle they are destined to fight. In their mythology, Ares, the god of war, is always waiting for his chance to pit mankind against itself in eternal battle, and only one woman can defeat him.

Could it be Diana, taught by her regal mother (Connie Nielsen) to be wise and just, but also trained by her warrior aunt (the fierce Robin Wright, who deserves her own spinoff) to kick a whole lot of butt? She'll soon find out because when American fighter pilot Steve Trevor (Chris Pine, terrific) crash-lands in the sea surrounding the island, he brings word of "a war to end all wars", better known as WWI.

Convinced this global conflict is the work of Ares, Diana travels for the first time to the outside world to restore peace by destroying the god of war. As she discovers by accompanying Steve through the boardrooms and battlegrounds of Europe, though, the whole thing is messier and more complex than she first imagined. But she also discovers that there's nobility and goodness in humanity and that it's worth fighting for.

It's a truly engaging trajectory for a character, and even though it's been seen before in numerous superhero stories, Wonder Woman presents it with a winning degree of heart and soul (not to mention a cheeky sense of humour and a charming romantic flair).

Thank Gadot in large part for that — her physicality, both lithe and strong, makes her convincing as a defender and protector but the passion and compassion she conveys are superpowers all their own.