The older I get (I said frailly, balancing on my cane), the less inclined I am to go see a movie with a bunch of other loud, noisy young’uns people. Because part of what ruined Wonder Woman for me (one of the only things, actually) was people talking through it and after it, about it. But I digress.

Wonder Woman is the second best movie to come out of the superhero halls of fame this year. I’m still not absolutely certain, because I may have to watch it again, but Logan beats it. It does. Sorry.

But what’s great about Wonder Woman is almost everything. Do I have to give the history here, like in case you’re actually not aware?

Wonder Woman is an Amazonian badass superhero, one of the strongest female superheroes in existence and the only female regularly mention in DC/Justice League, because no one really talks about, say, Black Canary, if you haven’t watched Young Justice (YES! IT’S COMING BACK!) or read the comics. That being said, she is worthy in that way – she grew up on Themyscira with other Amazonian women and was forged by Zeus as an ultimate weapon (am I the only one who thought that war and conflict thing was a bit much?). The movie details her growing up and her origin story very satisfactorily. They got good actors for the younger versions of her, and her mother and aunt, who teach her how to fight, are just BEASTS. I have not had respect for Robin Wright since the massacring of any female heroine ever in The Princess Bride, and I don’t watch House Of Cards, so this was a necessary and sound redemption of her for me. I loved watching women kick ass. But even more specifically, this woman. And there were black women! And barely any American accents! HERE FOR IT!

Gal Gadot is perfect for this role. She’s freaking gorgeous, she’s a fighter who actually served in the army, as is commanded by Israeli law. Though that has brought some controversy in some countries, the movie is still pretty much showing everywhere. And, she shot the whole thing while pregnant and they had to hide her belly with some fancy green-screening. If that is not the epitome of queening superheroship, I don’t know what is.

The villains were sufficiently scary though surprisingly misguided, and a bit convoluted in their agendas, but it was passable. The German general (Danny Huston) is like a younger Ray Wise, or a white Keith David. Very nicely sinister.

And Chris Pine…well. Slurp, but also, man, he played his role really well – that of an earnest, passionate spy trying to save his country. The rest of his team was a bit useless, methinks, and only there for occasional unnecessary comic relief. Let me know what you think about the ending, because I loved it, but people ruined it for me.

Those fight scenes were life. And yay to female superheroes and female directors who break records.