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When Wonder Woman 1984 finally arrived in late 2020, it had the impossible task of following
one of the most beloved superhero movies of the last decade and launching in the middle
of a global pandemic. Expectations were sky-high, streaming strategies were changing by the week, and
fans were hungry for a hopeful blockbuster. Instead of a universally adored sequel, we got one of the
most divisive entries in the entire DC Extended Universe (DCEU).
Some viewers fell hard for the bright 1980s aesthetic, Gal Gadot’s grounded performance, and the
emotional core of Diana’s story. Others bounced straight off the wish-granting plot, the messy pacing,
and a couple of story choices that sparked very real ethical debates online. Today, if you ask ten fans
where WW84 ranks among DC movies, you’ll probably get ten wildly different lists.
This article dives into how Wonder Woman 1984 ranks with critics and fans, what people
genuinely love about it, where it stumbles, and why it has become such a lightning rod for opinions in
superhero fandom.
Where Wonder Woman 1984 Sits In the DC Movie Universe
From huge hype to mixed reactions
On paper, Wonder Woman 1984 looks like a sure thing. It’s a big-budget sequel to a critically
acclaimed hit, directed again by Patty Jenkins and led by Gal Gadot, with an 80s setting, a stacked
cast, and an emotional hook centered on Diana’s grief. The first wave of reviews was surprisingly
positive, with early critic scores sitting in “fresh” territory and many outlets praising its hopeful,
earnest tone.
Over time, though, the critical score slid down into the “mixed” range, while audience scores settled
somewhat higher. In broad strokes, critics tend to see WW84 as a colorful, ambitious but
deeply uneven sequel, while a significant slice of fans view it as a flawed comfort movie that still
delivers enough heart to justify its existence.
How it ranks on critic scoreboards
When you look across major rankings of superhero and DC movies, Wonder Woman 1984 usually
lands in the middle-to-lower half:
-
In lists that rank all DCEU films by critic score, the original Wonder Woman sits near the top,
while WW84 often drops toward the lower third of the pack. -
On broader “best superhero movies” lists, it tends to show up near the lower end of the top 100 or
disappear entirely, depending on how strict the cutoff is and how many Marvel and animated films are
included. -
In rankings that cover all DC-based movies (from 1960s Batman to modern releases), WW84 generally
lands somewhere in the muddled middle: clearly above infamous flops, but well behind the heavy-hitters
like The Dark Knight, Shazam!, Joker, and the first Wonder Woman.
In other words, the consensus “rank” is something like this: not the worst thing DC has ever released,
not close to the best, and uniquely contentious in how differently people respond to it.
What Fans And Critics Actually Liked
Gal Gadot still owns the role
Even the harshest reviews usually carve out praise for Gal Gadot. She continues to be the emotional
anchor of the franchise, playing Diana as powerful and compassionate but still deeply human. Her grief
over Steve, her quiet moments in the museum, and her ultimate choice to let go all add weight to a film
that could have floated away on pure neon fluff.
The chemistry between Gadot and Chris Pine remains one of the sequel’s biggest strengths. Their dynamic
flips from the first film: this time Steve is the wide-eyed newcomer, baffled by escalators, breakdancing,
and fanny packs, while Diana is the world-weary guide. Those fish-out-of-water gags may be simple, but
they give the movie warmth and humor that feel organic rather than forced.
1980s nostalgia, bright visuals, and that mall sequence
Love it or not, WW84 commits fully to the 80s. The film opens with a big, slightly goofy mall
rescue that plays like a live-action Saturday morning cartoon: bright colors, over-the-top criminals, and
a hero swooping in with a wink. Some viewers see this as a charming throwback to the lighter tone of
older superhero shows; others think it feels disconnected from the more serious moments that follow.
What’s not really up for debate is that the movie looks great. The desert convoy chase is
staged like a modern update of 80s action movies, with wide shots and practical-feeling stunts. The
golden armor sequence doubles down on the comic-book epic vibe, and the nighttime scenes with Barbara
as Cheetah at least visually sell the idea of a mythic showdown, even if the CGI doesn’t always land for
everyone.
Add in a soaring score from Hans Zimmer, and you get a film that often feels more like a grand, romantic
superhero fable than a gritty action movie. For some fans, that difference is exactly what makes them
revisit WW84 when they want something emotionally big and visually lush.
Maxwell Lord and Cheetah: big swings with mixed results
Pedro Pascal’s take on Maxwell Lord is another highlight for many viewers. He plays Max as a desperate,
charmingly sleazy infomercial mogul whose “life is good, but it can be better” pitch is both hilarious and
deeply sad. The idea of a villain literally becoming a wish-granting stone is a huge, comic-booky swing.
Whether it works for you probably determines how you feel about the whole movie.
Kristen Wiig’s Barbara Minerva/Cheetah is more divisive, but her early scenes as an awkward, overlooked
colleague of Diana are some of the film’s strongest character beats. Watching her gradually morph from
admirer to rival gives the story an emotional conflict beyond just world-ending stakes.
The Big Complaints: Why WW84 Slipped Down The Rankings
The wish stone and a very busy plot
Let’s be honest: the plot gets wild. A magical artifact grants wishes but exacts a cost, then merges with
Maxwell Lord, who starts granting wishes at scale while stealing power and stability from the world. On
top of that, Barbara is transforming into Cheetah, Steve Trevor has somehow returned, and everything
escalates all the way to a global meltdown.
That’s a lot of story threads, and the movie struggles to balance them. The second act in particular feels
overstuffed and meandering, with long sections where the emotional core (Diana’s choice) duels the
geopolitical chaos (missiles! satellites! worldwide wishes!) for screen time. Many reviews point to this
structural sprawl as the main reason the film doesn’t live up to its predecessor.
The Steve Trevor body-swap controversy
One of the most heavily debated pieces of Wonder Woman 1984 is Steve Trevor’s return. Instead of
simply reappearing, Steve’s consciousness takes over another man’s body. Diana and Steve then continue
their relationship using this body, which kicked off serious conversations about consent and autonomy.
The film itself barely acknowledges the ethical mess of this choice. We never see the “real” man’s
perspective, and the story treats the situation as a romantic miracle rather than a moral problem. For a
movie built around the theme of truth and facing hard realities, many viewers found this blind spot
distracting at best and outright disturbing at worst.
Cheetah deserved more
Cheetah is a classic Wonder Woman villain, and a lot of fans were excited to see her finally brought to
the big screen. That excitement turned into disappointment for some when they realized how little time
the fully transformed Cheetah actually gets and how quickly she’s shuffled offstage after the big
showdown.
Barbara’s arc starts strong as a lonely, underestimated woman who wishes to be “like Diana,” only to
discover that power without empathy can turn you into something monstrous. But the climax gives her
relatively little resolution, and the film doesn’t really explore the emotional fallout of her choices. In a
movie already packed with ideas, one of its potentially most interesting character journeys feels
undercooked.
Fan Rankings: From Comfort Movie To “Bottom Of The DCEU”
If you scroll through fan rankings, you’ll see Wonder Woman 1984 opinions that fall into a few
clear camps:
-
The optimists: These viewers rank WW84 squarely in the middle of the DCEU or even
slightly above average. They value its hopeful tone, its romantic core, and the way it leans into big,
earnest superhero morality. -
The disappointed: Many fans place it near the bottom, especially compared to the first
Wonder Woman. For them, the messy plot, the body-swap storyline, and the underused villains
outweigh the strong acting and stylish visuals. -
The “so-bad-it’s-interesting” crowd: A smaller but vocal group sees the film as kind of a
fascinating misfire. They’ll admit it’s not “good” in a conventional sense, but they find its strange
choices, big emotions, and unapologetic sincerity more memorable than some technically better but
more generic superhero movies.
That spread of rankings explains why any attempt to define where WW84 “really” sits ends in an
argument. It’s not universally loved, not universally hated, and loaded with big creative choices that
invite strong reactions either way.
My Take: How I’d Rank Wonder Woman 1984
Story and pacing
From a pure storytelling standpoint, WW84 sits in the “ambitious but flawed” tier. The central idea
that wishing for what you want most can destroy you (and the world) is actually compelling. Diana’s
choice to renounce her wish and fully accept Steve’s loss is powerful and consistent with her character.
The problem is that the movie keeps stacking extra concepts on top of that already strong core: global
political chaos, magical fine print, multiple antagonists, and a broadcast climax that feels more abstract
than immediate. With tighter focus, the same theme could have hit harder and pushed the film much
higher in the rankings.
Characters and emotional beats
On the character side, the movie fares better. Diana’s emotional journey is clear and affecting. Steve’s
presence, even with the controversial mechanism, gives the story warmth and vulnerability. Max Lord’s
desperation to prove himself to his son adds more texture than your average “take over the world”
villain motive.
Barbara’s arc is the biggest missed opportunity. She starts as a sympathetic mirror of Diana’s loneliness,
gradually corrupted by the intoxicating rush of power. If the movie had given her more space and a more
satisfying resolution, Cheetah could have been a standout villain rather than a footnote.
Visuals, themes, and rewatch value
Visually and thematically, I’d rank Wonder Woman 1984 in the upper half of the DCEU. It looks distinct,
it feels different from the usual gray-and-blue superhero color palette, and it swings for emotional
sincerity instead of snark. That alone gives it a unique flavor in a crowded genre.
Rewatch value, though, will depend heavily on what you want from a superhero film. If you prefer tight
plotting and consistent logic, this may sink toward the bottom of your list. If you’re more invested in
character moments, big speeches about truth, and the comfort of watching Diana try to do the right
thing even when it hurts, you may find yourself defending this movie more than you expected.
Overall, Wonder Woman 1984 rankings probably won’t ever stabilize. It is destined to remain a
fandom Rorschach test: colorful, messy, heartfelt, and guaranteed to spark opinions.
Experiences And Anecdotes Around Wonder Woman 1984
Part of what makes WW84 so interesting is when and how people first saw it. For many fans, it was
the first brand-new superhero blockbuster they watched at home on release day, instead of at a crowded
theater. That alone changes how you experience a film.
Picture this: it’s December, you’ve been doomscrolling for months, and suddenly there’s a bright,
hopeful superhero movie waiting on your TV. You’re watching in sweatpants with leftover cookies, not
juggling reserved seats and parking. In that setting, the film’s flaws can feel less urgent. The 80s
throwback style and earnest speeches about truth become part of a larger vibe: “please, just give me
something optimistic.”
A lot of viewers describe their first watch as pleasantly escapist. They enjoyed the mall sequence, laughed
at Steve trying to understand modern art and parachute pants, and felt genuinely moved by Diana’s
final speech. For them, the movie became associated with a specific emotional moment: a brief break in
an otherwise heavy year. That emotional context tends to push the film higher in their personal
rankings, even if they later acknowledge the storytelling issues on rewatch.
Others had the exact opposite experience. Watching at home made it easier to pull out a phone and
start live-commenting on Twitter, Reddit, or group chats. Instead of being immersed, they were pausing,
rewinding, and trading jokes about the wish stone, the body swap, and the “worldwide wish undo”
ending. Seen through that lens, WW84 turned into a kind of shared “bad movie night” event, the kind
of thing you roast with friends even as you keep watching.
The movie has also become a surprisingly common “test case” in DC fan communities. Newcomers will
post rank lists and wait to see who jumps in to defend or drag WW84. Some fans say, “It’s not as bad
as people claim; at least it has a heart.” Others insist that it wastes the goodwill earned by the first
film. Either way, talking about this movie is a social activity now. Your opinion on WW84 quietly signals
what you value most: tight scripts, emotional sincerity, visual style, or moral clarity.
You also see a lot of “second chance” stories. Viewers who were disappointed in theaters or on their
first streaming watch sometimes revisit the movie later with different expectations. Knowing the plot is
chaotic and the wish mechanics are fuzzy, they go in looking specifically for character beats, 80s fun,
or Hans Zimmer’s score. Often, they come out saying, “Okay, it’s still messy, but I enjoyed it more this
time.” It doesn’t magically jump into the top tier of their rankings, but it leaves the “worst ever” bucket
and slides into “flawed but watchable.”
That range of experiences is exactly why Wonder Woman 1984 opinions stay so animated years after
release. The movie is inextricably tied to the moment it came out, the way people watched it, and the
conversations it sparked. It’s not a safe, forgettable sequel. It’s a big, strange swing that some people
cherish, some people mock, and almost nobody feels neutral about.
In the long run, that might be its most interesting legacy. Whether you rank it near the top of the DCEU
for its heart or near the bottom for its storytelling decisions, WW84 is a reminder that superhero
movies can still surprise us—even when the surprise is, “Wow, they really did that.”
