My Favourite Film Scene of 2017.

Film People have talked about crying during Wonder Woman's no man's land scene and I can understand why.  Metaphorically it symbolises just how strong all women have to be in society when faced with the patriarchal barrage.  In my life I've seen too many weak men manage brilliant women who don't get the credit for the work they do but keep fighting nonetheless.  Steve's look of awe is how we should all react to them.

What makes the scene for me is the certainty with which Diana steps into the firing line.  There's no fear, no doubt.  She knows what she's capable of and implements her strategy, and the film doesn't seek some facile reason for false jeopardy like being distracted by her emotional attachment to Steve.  Like so many non-fiction women, she compartmentalises and gets the job done.

The director Patty Jenkins had to put her foot down during production in order for it to actually happen in the face of a crew who didn't understand why it was being filmed because she wasn't specifically fighting anyone.  Which is pretty ironic considering what the scene potentially represents.  If you want to know why some films turn out rubbish, it's because the people making them often don't understand what they're about.  Thank god Patty and Gal did.