“Wonder Woman: Bloodlines” Blu-ray Review: Crowded Plot but Delivers on Action!

With Wonder Woman 1984 being released next year, I was looking forward to watching Wonder Woman: Bloodlines. Now that I’ve seen it, I do think it could have been a lot better. The plot became too crowded. However, the action sequences are well-choreographed! We get some clear queer representation, too!

I was provided a free review copy of Wonder Woman: Bloodlines. The opinions I have shared are my own.

I’m going to begin by saying that Wonder Woman: Bloodlines isn’t my favorite offering from DC Animation. Considering how everyone knows about Diana’s past, I think this film should have done more than retread ground many are quite familiar with. Not every solo movie about Wonder Woman has to begin with her meeting Steve and deciding to visit Man’s World. A quick montage would have been enough. But I guess the writers wanted Steve and Diana’s first meeting to be set in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies timeline? This movie is supposed to serve as a prequel as well as a sequel to 2014’s Justice League: War. Anyway, sitting through those initial scenes was a drag for me.

The main plot deals with Steve, Diana, and Etta Candy working together to take down Villany Inc. and Doctor Poison. Diana has a personal stake in the battle because her friend’s daughter has been attracted over to the bad side.

DC Comic’s Golden Trio have personalities and skills that set them apart. I feel Diana balances out Superman’s constant optimism and Batman’s more pessimistic approach to life. I like seeing Diana using her wisdom. She’s a diplomat. I was hoping to see that side of her in the latest solo outing, but it turns out, WW: Bloodlines is more interested in showing an action-heavy Diana.

The good news is that the action sequences were well constructed enough to make me forget about wanting a more diplomatic Diana (for a while). Seeing Wonder Woman go up against Giganta and Cheetah is amazing. And (without giving away spoilers) even though the final fight does feature plot conveniences, it still made for some enjoyable viewing. Diana doesn’t give up!

As for the overall narrative, in my opinion, it lacked in substance and quality. You will be able to figure out who’s pulling the strings the moment that particular character appears on the screen. Also, the closing moments didn’t make any sense. There’s just too much happening in WW: Bloodlines. It’s supposed to be a film about familial bonds. But it just isn’t executed properly and comes across as a crowded mess.

We do get some clear queer representation through Etta Candy. Even though we all know Diana isn’t straight, I appreciated the writers offering animated queer rep through another character, too. And yes, the scenes with Etta are every clear. There are no doubts about the fact she likes women.

I just wish we could have had such a representative moment in a far better DC Comics animated installment. Sigh!

As for the Wonder Woman: Bloodlines Blu-ray release, it’s your standard Warner Bros. Home Entertainment offering. The audio and visual presentation is as expected from a WBHE animated title. I experienced no issues.

The extra content includes:

• DC Showcase: Death (Animated Short) – Inspired by Neil Gaiman’s “The Sandman,” Death is produced & directed by Sam Liu (Justice League vs. The Fatal Five) and written by J.M. DeMatteis (Batman: Bad Blood). In the story, Vincent, an artist with unresolved inner demons, meets a mysterious girl who helps him come to terms with his creative legacy … and eventual death. Y’all, I loved this short. It’s so good!
• The Cheetah: Ferocious Archenemy (New Featurette) – Ferocious. Clever. Deadly. It’s the thrill of the hunt and the prey is Wonder Woman. This is the story of The Cheetah, Diana’s greatest enemy. Watching this feature made me more interested in seeing how Cheetah will be handled in WW: 1984.
• A Sneak Peek at the next DC Universe Movie, Superman: Red Son – An advanced look at the next animated film in the popular DC Universe Movies collection. Superman: Red Son is a great comic book story. I recommend you read it while we wait for the animated adaptation to be released.

All in all, I can see Wonder Woman: Bloodlines offering something enjoyable to fans of Diana. This is our magical princess’s second solo film after 2009’s animated Wonder Woman. Considering how many Batman and Superman focused movies we’ve received during the 10-year gap, it’s unfortunate to see Diana not getting a similar level of attention.

Wonder Woman: Bloodlines is currently available in a 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, as well as on Digital.

Feel free to share your thoughts with us.

Author: Farid-ul-Haq

Farid has a Double Masters in Psychology and Biotechnology as well as an M.Phil in Molecular Genetics. He is the author of numerous books including Missing in Somerville, and The Game Master of Somerville. He gives us insight into comics, books, TV shows, anime/manga, video games, and movies.

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