Justice League: We need to talk about Wonder Woman

Justice League does fine by its male characters, but do not trust it with Wonder Woman. Diana Prince is not the Amazon princess we know and love.

Warning: There are some Justice League spoilers below.

The male gaze has no place in a film that includes Wonder Woman, simple as that. However, in Justice League, there are continual shots where it is just Diana’s butt or the Flash crashes into her chest. Somehow this strong, amazing woman comes off as the “nagging woman” to the group of guys, and it is insane.

Let me first start by saying that I actually enjoyed most of the Justice League film. I think all the male characters were fun and they had a great time saving the world. What I didn’t like was their treatment of Diana Prince.

Suddenly, she’s so upset about Steve Trevor dying 100 years ago that she gives up? I’m sorry, does the ending of Wonder Woman not exist in this universe? Or how about the fact that she is somehow not as strong as the other members? If memory serves me right, she’s a demi-god. One that can most definitely take out each and every member of the Justice League. Including, in my opinion, Clark.

But while the script lacked for her, it was the way that she was shot that truly gave me pause. There are scenes where both Clark Kent and Arthur Curry are shirtless (and one where Bruce is battered and a bit shirtless as well). None of those scenes are sexualized.

They’re just dudes existing without shirts on. It’s great. You know what isn’t great? Wonder Woman wearing a shirt that is literally meant to show off her chest.

Or a shot that is just of her butt and then her chest. It almost seems like they actively tried to make this as far from the world Patty Jenkins created as they could, which is a mistake. And this isn’t even getting into how the Amazons were treated, because that was horrendous, too.

Next: 25 things you didn't know about Wonder Woman

So should you see Justice League? Yes, for the male characters. But be prepared for your heart to break for how they treated Diana. We were given so much from Patty Jenkins and it is almost as if Justice League wanted to try and tear that apart.