Nishitha Dutta
Directed by Patty Jenkins, ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ showcases life in the 1980s, where Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) melts into the picture among self-centered humans constantly chasing after power and success. From the outside, she performs all her assigned duties as a mere mortal, while internally, she’s Wonder Woman, who fights crimes eluding the eyes of the common crowd. Her heroism is further reinforced when Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal) and the Cheetah (Kristen Wiig) enter the picture.
With beautifully orchestrated action sequences, the movie is fundamentally thrilling, and Chris Pine‘s re-entry as Diana’s love interest, Steve Trevor, adds more charm to the story. Diana’s vulnerability exudes a strength that is endearing and deeply soulful. Here is a list of other movies that exhibit similar storytelling. You can watch most of these movies like ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime.
7. Superman II (1980)
‘Superman II’ follows the events succeeding the terrorizing release of three superhuman villains, General Zod (Terence Stamp), Ursa (Sarah Douglas), and Non (Jack O’Halloran), from the planet of Krypton due to a nuclear explosion in space. Without Clark’s (Christopher Reeve) knowledge, they descend upon Earth and join forces with Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) to establish their dominance over the place.
Superman is in love with Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) and contemplates giving up his powers. She finally discovers his identity as well. The arresting vulnerability coupled with unparalleled strength that is a characteristic trait of Clark Kent is a distinct reminder of Diana, who, disguised as a mortal, faces similar situations.
6. Point Break (1991)
‘Point Break’ is a story about an unusual group of surfers who get tangled in a string of corporate heist cases. A young FBI agent (Keanu Reeves) goes undercover to bust this harmless-looking group of kids who might be responsible for these sophisticated crimes that are disrupting the world’s economy. The movie has insane action sequences that collectively glamorize the group, and the essential 80s vibe is comparable to ‘Wonder Woman 1984’.
5. Captain Marvel (2019)
Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) is introduced as a warrior of a militaristic race called Kree who accidentally involves herself in a battle between her people and the Skrulls. Her life on Earth in 1995 is frequently interrupted by fragments of her past life creeping up in her memory as U.S. Air Force Pilot Carol Danvers. The movie is held together by these two plots unfolding simultaneously.
Both Captain Marvel and Wonder Woman are products of super-strength, although the Amazonian warrior’s strength is almost impossible to match, being second only to Superman. However, both these female superheroes have a common ground: fighting intimidating super-villains that they are ruthlessly left to deal with.
4. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
During World War II, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is repeatedly rejected by army recruitment camps until he is selected for a special experiment that transforms him into the super-soldier later known as Captain America. He is assigned a mission to stop the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) from seizing the Tesseract and unleashing its energy for world dominion. Its association with the Second World War is reminiscent of ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ as both these movies are considered to be superhero period movies.
3. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Former scientist Galen Erso’s (Mads Mikkelsen) life falls apart when the evil Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn) takes him away from his family, his wife, and young daughter, Jyn (Felicity Jones). Galen starts working for Krennic, who appoints him as the lead engineer for the Death Star, a weapon whose power is unbridled.
Jyn gets involved in a plan with the Rebel Alliance to take down Orson Krennic and destroy the Death Star. The entire movie revolves around Jyn and the developments surrounding her character. This feminist edge is an underlying theme in all ‘Wonder Woman’ movies, including ‘Wonder Woman 1984’.
2. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
In 18th century Qing Dynasty China, a warrior named Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-fat) hands over his sword, Green Destiny, to his lover Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh) to carry it to its benefactor for safekeeping. But it is stolen, and an enormous search begins, which catalyzes the story with Jen Yu (Zhang Ziyi) entering the picture. The image of the Chinese woman warrior is a prominent theme in the movie. The plot of ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ revolves around its three female characters and makes it another feminist entry in the list.
1. Mulan: Rise of a Warrior (2009)
‘Mulan: Rise of a Warrior’ narrates the story of Hua Mulan (Zhao Wei), an intelligent woman with a penchant for martial arts. But she is exempted from enlisting as a warrior because of her gender, which is why she slips out of the house dressed like a man to participate against the enemy invasion. Mulan is a famous character amongst fictional warrior women, who on a lot of occasions, has been compared to Wonder Woman in terms of strength, agility, and a deep-rooted desire to save the world.
Read More: Best DC Shows/Movies on Netflix
