There were many, many rightful criticisms of Joss Whedon’s theatrical release of Justice League when it came out in 2017. Among these criticisms were many comments on the way that Wonder Woman was depicted in the film. Her dialogue was unlike her previous appearances, the way other characters treated her was ridiculous, and the way she was framed in every shot was insulting to the character and to women as a whole.
While Whedon’s Justice League tore Diana apart, Zack Snyder’s Justice League saved the character, and then some. While her characterization was one of the worst parts of the original film, she actually became the hero audiences know her to be in the Snyder Cut.
10 Wonder Woman Was Finally Treated Like A Human Being
Joss Whedon has had many issues over the years, not the least of which has been the way he depicts women in his media. The way that Wonder Woman was portrayed in Justice League felt shockingly unlike any portrayal of Diana in any medium.
Not only was she unlike herself, but she didn’t even resemble the way she was depicted in any other DCEU film. Instead, she was a flat character used to service Batman’s plot more than anything else. In the Snyder Cut, Wonder Woman was finally treated like a human being and a whole character.
9 Diana Prince Was No Longer Natasha Romanoff 2.0
While Justice League was initially being made and Joss Whedon was brought on to finish the film, there were reports that Whedon continuously referred to Diana not by her name, but as “Natasha.” This just shows how little Whedon thought of any of his female characters and the fact that they were essentially interchangeable and not distinct characters for him.
This was felt in the movie itself, where Diana seemed to mimic that cookie-cutter femme fatale that the Black Widow similarly ended up becoming in the MCU. The Snyder Cut fixed this and restored Diana’s rightful characterization from her previous installments in the DCEU.
8 Wonder Woman And Batman’s Weird Flirtatious Fighting Is Gone
There have been many different interpretations of the dynamics that the Justice League has with one another over the years. Sometimes, the main members of the League become romantically interested in one another. In Justice League, it was made painfully clear that Batman and Wonder Woman were supposed to have a thing for one another.
However, their “flirting” is more aggressive antagonizing of one another. Diana is constantly putting Bruce down, and Bruce even brings up Steve Trevor at one point just to hurt Diana. This is all gone, replaced instead with a gentler semi-romantic awareness of one another better suited to these characters.
7 Nobody Face-Plants Into Wonder Woman’s Cleavage Or Inappropriately Touches Her In Any Other Way
It is almost comical the way that other characters interacted with Wonder Woman in Justice League. Few could even believe it when the Flash literally tripped and face-planted directly into Wonder Woman’s cleavage at one point.
Diana’s body was frequently treated as a joke, but this was not the case in Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Moments like those were removed completely, and Diana is treated with the respect that the rest of the Justice League receive from one another. The movie is better for it, the team is better for it, and Diana is better for it, as well.
6 Wonder Woman Is Not A Nagging Mother Figure For The Justice League
Each of the Justice League members kind of filled in a standard plot device role in the initial Justice League, and Wonder Woman, by virtue of being a woman, was assigned the role of nagging mother.
She disagrees with everything the Justice League does and is constantly at odds with them. Not only that, but she and Bruce are always at each other’s throats for no apparent reason. Instead, Diana actually works with the team, as she wants to work with the team and wants to be there.
5 When Diana Fights, Her Skills Are Useful To The Team
Before, it seemed that every time Wonder Woman appeared in a fight, it was all just for show. Justice League never actually showed much fight choreography that meant anything, and Wonder Woman potentially got the least meaningful fight sequences of all.
However, Zack Snyder’s Justice League reminded audiences that Wonder Woman has been doing this longer than anybody else. She has been a warrior for many, many years, and has more experience than the rest of the team combined. When she fights in the Snyder Cut, she feels like she’s actually useful, where she did not previously.
4 Other Members Of The Justice League Listen When She Talks
In the original Justice League, Wonder Woman was an obstacle that the other members of the Justice League, especially Batman, had to overcome. Whenever anyone had an idea, they had to get through Wonder Woman in order to be able to execute it. If they were able to explain it to her and argue their way past her enough to gain her permission, they could do whatever they wanted.
Zack Snyder’s Justice League made Wonder Woman an actual equal member of the team. She talks with the other members, and listens to them; in return, they listen when she talks, and talk to her. It’s a simple thing, but very important.
3 She Has Moments To Just Let Her Character Grow And Breathe
Zack Snyder’s Justice League may be four hours, but the film uses that time pretty well. When there are slower or softer moments, the film allows characters to actually take a chance to breathe and be people that aren’t superheroes trying to save a collapsing world.
Wonder Woman got moments that let her character show more than the entirety of Justice League did. Sequences like the one where Diana makes tea while Alfred corrects her technique made the movie — and Diana’s character — infinitely better for existing in this film.
2 The Way Wonder Woman Is Framed On Camera Features Significantly Fewer Upskirt Shots
When viewers first watched Justice League in 2017, they saw Wonder Woman in skimpy armor, Amazons with a lot of exposed skin, and at least half a dozen upskirt shots of Diana at different points over the two-hour film.
Zack Snyder’s Justice League famously featured extensive reshoots, many of which obviously involved reshooting Wonder Woman so she is shown as the rest of the characters are shown. She is framed as a person in a shot would be instead of just an object to be sexualized.
1 Wonder Woman Felt Like Not Only A Hero, But The Seasoned Warrior Audiences Know Her To Be
Of the members of the Justice League in the DCEU, only four of them have been doing superhero activities for longer than a couple of years: Superman, Aquaman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. Clark and Arthur don’t really count, because they've had superpowers their whole lives - and haven't been superheroes that whole time.
That leaves just Batman and Wonder Woman and, of the two of them, Wonder Woman easily has centuries more experience than Batman has. However, Wonder Woman initially felt like she was the worst fighter of them all. Now, Wonder Woman is not only a functioning member of the League, she’s obviously their most seasoned fighter and a warrior from Themyscira.