Wonder Woman 1984 had some high expectations on it in the run-up to release, being a sequel to one of the DC Extended Universe's best-received films. Between the uncertainty of the DC film canon and the ongoing pandemic leaving many in need of some solid entertainment, the film had a lot of people looking forward to a colorful, action-packed blockbuster.
Unfortunately for the film, the reception wasn't quite the warm welcome that was hoped for. Early reviews for Wonder Woman 1984 were positive, but as the movie started unlocking worldwide, later reviews and audience opinions plummeted. Harsh critiques came in thick and fast, calling the movie confusing, disorganized, and ultimately underwhelming, a far cry from the near-universal praise for the initial entry.
Among other things, one of the largest points of critique was for the story of Wonder Woman 1984, which had too many plot threads and not enough that tied them together. Characters had inconsistent powers, motivations were difficult to follow, and some plot threads, such as the resurrection of Wonder Woman's lover, raised far more questions than answers. All this combined led to the film getting savaged by audiences and critics who felt rather let down by the sequel.
That said, many people still enjoyed Wonder Woman 1984 as a colorful, campy alternative to the more serious and gritty phases of the DC universe. Among those who have spoken up in defense of the film is Connie Nielsen, who played Wonder Woman's mother in both DC films. According to Nielsen, part of the blame for the poor debut falls on the several delays Wonder Woman 1984 experienced during production. While initially scheduled to release in 2019, the film suffered several delays both for an internal reason and due to the lockdowns across the country: "it must have been incredibly painful to not be able to have a normal release and to have your release shuffled over and over," Nielsen remarked to Den of Geek.
Nielsen also pins some blame on audience expectations, which she says were raised beyond a reasonable state by the constant Wonder Woman 1984 delays. The actress says the film received an unexpected level of scrutiny both due to its status as a sequel and also because of the events surrounding its premiere: "The fact that it was moved so many times, put it under scrutiny that it did not deserve. It also, as a sophomore film, will always be compared to the one before."
While some may argue that Wonder Woman 1984's reception was not unfair, it's difficult to argue that the project was in a rather difficult position. Even ignoring the internal troubles that have been rumored over early cuts of the film and potential studio meddling, releasing during a pandemic hasn't been easy for anyone. Still, Wonder Woman 3 has been confirmed, so, hopefully, the next film really knocks it out of the park for fans who may have been disappointed by this particular entry.
Wonder Woman 1984 is currently available on HBO Max.
Source: Den of Geek