When you think of Friday the 13th, you might think of a certain villain named Jason wearing a hockey mask or going to see Stephen King’s “It”. You might consider this Friday the 13th as “Happy Death Day”, which is ironically the name of the horror comedy about a young woman who gets killed over and over on the same day as she tries to find out who killed her and why.
As for me, though, this Friday the 13th is the day of wonder in the name of Wonder Woman, who was finally revealed to the world on the big screen last year with “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice” and this summer’s titular blockbuster with Gal Gadot, who will save the world once more as a founding member of the “Justice League” next month. Now, her true super-secret origins are revealed in “Professor Marston & The Wonder Women”, which follows the relationship between creator William Moulton Marston, his wife Elizabeth, and his student turned mistress Olive Byrne. It is this sexy and romantic relationship that gives Wonder Woman her strength, courage, and power, where Marston’s lie detector became the basis for Wonder Woman’s lasso of truth.
Both Elizabeth and Olive are Wonder Woman, with Olive having her compassion, goodness and pure heart as Elizabeth soon took on Wonder Woman’s alter-ego as secretary Diana Prince. Most of all, Marston believes in Wonder Woman … because he believes in love. But the love between these three people? It somewhat became part of Wonder Woman’s secret identity the world wasn’t ready to know – much less understand – yet.
Having “Professor Marston & The Wonder Women” released on this Friday the 13th is a wonder, as two episodes of the “Wonder Woman”television series starring Lynda Carter aired on October 13. The first was season one’s ‘Beauty on Parade’, where Wonder Woman went undercover to investigate possible sabotage of a beauty pageant when she was fighting for the red-white-blue against the Nazis during World War II. The second was season three’s ‘The Fine Art of Crime’, where Wonder Woman continues to fight on the side of right and might as a government agent on a case involving lifelike statues committing crimes. William Marston and Wonder Woman believe that women are wave of the future, and that sisterhood is stronger than ever.
“Professor Marston & The Wonder Women” may border on pornography and lesbianism, which is what many said of Wonder Woman decades ago. Though very surprisingly eye-opening and revealing in terms of its content like Wonder Woman, the film is brave and bold indeed … just like Wonder Woman.
“Professor Marston & The Wonder Women” continues to prove that the world that needs and deserves Wonder Woman as an ambassador for peace, love, female empowerment, and justice.
Overall Rating: **** (4 stars)