The irony cannot be more delicious. “Wonder Woman” is not only considered a shining example of feminist film making but is so far the most successful film of 2017. The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that none other than Charles and David Koch are silent investors in the Movie as well as a number of other projects at Warner Brothers. The motive does not seem to be out of an ideological agenda, but rather motivated out of traditional desire to make money from what has turned out to be a shrewd investment.
Revelation caused outrage
Christina Cauterucci, writing for Slate, was particularly annoyed at the idea that a feminist movie such as “Wonder Woman” was financed by a pair of “right-wing billionaires” who are now being rewarded handsomely for their investment.
The Koch Brothers are hated on the left for bankrolling a number of conservative and libertarian candidates and causes. So the spectacle of all of those millions flowing from ticket sales to feminist audiences into the pockets of the Kochs has proven to be particularly outrageous. Cauterucci hated the movie, just as an aside.
The film business can be a risky investment
One of the bitter truths of the movie business is that investing in particular projects can be risky. For every box office success such as “Wonder Woman”, a lot of expensive flops have occurred. Last year’s all-female “Ghostbusters” is a prime example. Even A-list actors and directors can preside over a dud if audiences stay away in droves.
Predicting what movie will be a hit and what will be a flop is very difficult indeed.
Why ‘Wonder Woman’ is a hit
The real reason that “Wonder Woman” is a hit is that the film is not, on the whole, a feminist screed. To be sure, some banter that punctures sex relations circa 1918 exists. However, on the whole, the story is one of heroism and trying to do the right thing, even under overwhelming odds.
“Wonder Woman” has proven to be equally appealing to both male and female audiences, partly because the male characters are as heroic as the title character, partly because actress Gal Gadot looks gorgeous smiting the Germans with her heroic age of Greece-style weapons and her god-like super powers.
The movie has even been compared to a Christian allegory, of a divine being brought to Earth to save a benighted humankind from the ravages of World War I. The idea of Wonder Woman as a redeemer with sword and shield may be lost on certain people, but it is there for all to see who look for it.
