Fan Elseworlds: What Would You Have Done Differently?

[KRYPTON INC.]

Simply put, had you been in charge of the film what would you have changed about any aspect of the film that we got on June 2nd? Anything from plot specifics to cutting whole scenes out. What big or little changes would make the film better for you?

 

[haephestus]

Hmmmmm. That's a big question.

In terms of the story (as opposed to changes like less CGI, etc), I would have spent a little more time on the origins of the Amazons and maybe introduce some animosity between Ares and the Amazons. I know we kind of got it with Hippolyta's ancient iPad storybook, but I think there could have been a little more.

I would have had Steve Trevor's plane crashland on Themyscira, not in the water. It would then be easier to introduce the invisible jet in a future film as the Amazons reverse engineering and improving the technology in / design of Steve's plane.

It would be controversial, but I'd probably ditch the band of merry men and just have Steve and Diana on a mission with the assistance of German double agent Paula von Gunther (or Faustia). I would have liked more time with Steve and Diana. Then, she would end up being a triple agent and betray them to the General which would move the story along a little quicker and skip the conveniently located and timed gala.

I'd consider having the General be Ares' demigod son, to help to explain his powers. But, I'm not sure that is absolutely necessary.

I'd consider having the General reveal to Diana that the reason Steve didn't just destroy Dr Poison's book is because Steve intended for the allies to use it to engineer chemical weapons against the German forces. Basically, something to show that each side was just as bad as the other in WW1. And have Steve be ashamed and guilty about those actions, but not knowing what else to do as they needed an even playing field.

I'd say the suggestion is strong enough, but maybe a little more obvious tie to the Angel of Mons mythology, especially with an armoured woman / angel guiding the soldiers to victory.

I'd change Ares quite dramatically. I don't know exactly how it would work, but essentially Ares would be driven mad with despair by his own powers. He would be a contributing factor to WW1, but unwillingly. So, he would submit to Diana capturing / imprisoning him. Maybe Diana sparing Dr Poison could even lead Dr Poison to somehow assisting Diana with controlling Ares?

In that scenario, then the General or Faustia would need to be the bigger villain who is seeking to use / abuse Ares to meet their own needs and desire for wanton death and destruction. Basically, I would have liked an ending a little closer to Diana's character and less of a video game "boss fight" between two CGI creations. The idea needs some more fleshing out, but ultimately I'd try to portray Ares somewhat sympathetically and have Diana show compassion for his suffering while also recognising that she needs to "stop" her brother if there is any chance of the war ending (keeping the idea that humans are really their own worst enemy).

If Ares remained the one dimensional big bad, then I'd still like to somehow tweak it and have Dr Poison help Diana to defeat him after Diana spares her life. I wanted to see a clearer example of the benefits of compassion. Maybe Ares messing with Dr Poison's mind accidentally revealed some weakness which she and Diana are able to exploit?

Other than that, maybe a little more tidying up and strengthening of elements, for example, making it clear that Diana's training outburst weakened the force field and allowed Steve and the Germans to find Themyscira.

 

[FeedOnATreeFrog]

-In the first act, I'd have Hippolyta telling Diana that they are not to interfere with the course of mankind by revealing the existence of the Amazons and the Gods, which Diana agrees with. She only decides to interfere because Ares might be involved, and it's something only the Amazons and the Godkiller can solve.

-Some of the scenes in the second act are brighter.

-The scene of Trevor and Dr. Poison is cut.

-The Howling Commandos all end up sacrificing their lives in the end, proving that despite their dark sides, they were good men deep down. Their darker sides are emphasized more up until that point.

-After Diana saves the day, she returns to the island, where we see another scene of her and Hippolyta together. Also, maybe don't kill Steve, and instead Steve comes back with her to live out the rest of his days. The first man to live amongst the Amazons.

-Have a post-credits scene showing a mother box on Themyscira.

 

[Wildcard]

I honestly wouldn't change a single thing about this movie. Not a one.

 

[Angel0fDeath]

My main issues are from technical point of view. During the action sequences there were some quick cuts and really odd close ups of Diana's face. I'd get rid of those.

The scene where Dr. Maru throws the poison gas at the generals and they have a little giggle with Ludendorff. It was adorable, but also very random and out of place. That's the only thing I'd change from the story. After they throw the gas, show the generals desperately fighting for the mask and after one of them finally gets it and feels safe, show the effect of the poison. How ineffective the mask really is and that they only tossed it in just to toy with them.

 

[Ultra Nolanite]

Hmm... mainly some stuff at the end.

I would have Sir Patrick just be a skin Ares uses to hide a more monstrous, shadowy form with the red eyes and stuff. Then in the fire instead of forming a metal armor he bursts out of the Sir Patrick skin to reveal his true form.

I would have some kind of extra scene on Themiscyra at the end where Diana is honoured for slaying Ares and becoming an Amazon Warrior.
Have Hippolyta come clean about her and what she is and have Diana pay her respects to a statue of Antiope and her fallen sisters. Have her return the headband to Antiope's grave only for Hipppolyta to say "You've earned it, Antiope would be so proud of you".

Maybe the incident that happens in Paris at the end where she jumps to the rescue could be a tease to the next villain (Like Batman Begins) But that might be a bit too much.

Other than that this movie was just glorious.

 

[Primal Slayer]

I would have added onto the Themyscira scenes, helped flesh out 2-3 more Amazons and show Dianas relationship with them beyond her blood family.

I also would've added a flashback scene when Hippolyta is telling Diana of their origins of the Amazons actually in battle.

 

[Patchwork Man]

I would only tweak one thing: I would have a different (taller/larger) actor play Ares post-reveal (the helmet would never come off). We'd still hear Thewlis' voice. And no 'stache.

(Nor would we see him sans helmet in the history lesson.)

 

[Patchwork Man]

-The scene of Trevor and Dr. Poison is cut.

That's a good scene, though. Deleting it renders Maru a one-note villain (except for the end of the film).

The Howling Commandos

I don't think Chief would want to be called a howler.

 

[kguillou]

Two things I would change/add and they are both borrowing from the 2009 animated movie:

1) Have a scene where Diana goes back to Themyscira to tell her mother she will be earth's protector and her mother giving her her love and blessing.

2) Instead of ending the movie with Diana metaphorically jumping into action, end it just like the 2009 movie where maybe Diana is walking through the streets of Paris or wherever and she hears gunshots, the camera cuts to show CHEETAH is running rampant and a bunch of people are running scared. Diana suits up, jumps into action, exchanges a few words with Cheetah and end just as she's about to lay a smack down on her. That would've had fans fist pumping.

 

[Patchwork Man]

Diana suits up, jumps into action, exchanges a few words with Cheetah and end just as she's about to lay a smack down on her.

^Too similar to the end of ASM2.

 

[ComicChick]

Other than that, maybe a little more tidying up and strengthening of elements, for example, making it clear that Diana's training outburst weakened the force field and allowed Steve and the Germans to find Themyscira.

i picked up on that right away, but talking to some people, they didn't and it probably wouldn't have hurt to see it a little more blatant, although i'm not sure how

 

[Micromind]

I would have added a bit more of Themyscria, like some temples of Goddesses.

That's all.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

i picked up on that right away, but talking to some people, they didn't and it probably wouldn't have hurt to see it a little more blatant, although i'm not sure how

Certain things were left too vague and the nature of the island itself and it's "magic" were among them. Some of that was understandable on multiple levels. You have budget and story constraints, and you have the need to leave elements to be fleshed out in other films later on. But they could have taken the time to give a bit more illumination on a host of things. Of course, films have lots to consider so I don't hold the surface explanations or lack of them even against the movie.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

I would have added a bit more of Themyscria, like some temples of Goddesses.

That's all.

There's something to be said about how the film essentially says from the start that the Amazons are aware that their gods are no more, killed by Ares.

That's something that could be explored in the future but it could have had some kind of reckoning with that in the movie on the island.

I mean... Essentially this is a group that literally worshiped the ancient Greek pantheon. This isn't simply words in a text to them. This was their religion and they knew it was all true. And then for thousands of years they lived with knowledge that their gods... are dead.

 

[MydnightPhoenix]

Would have Diana's epiphany about the duality of humans and sparing Dr. Poison be about more than just Steve.
A different actor for Ares. This casting seems like a Lex Luthor in BvS deal where they are going against type.

 

[FunkMiller]

Make the final battle far less Snydery. It's way too cgi heavy and dumb for a movie that had up until that point not been dumb at all. Make the battle a little more cerebral. Place more innocent people in danger. Make more of Ares's offer to bring Diana to 'dark side'. It could have been a far more impactful and simple climax. It's literally the only place where the movie falls down and it's obvious who influenced it.

Other than that, wouldn't change a damn thing.

 

[ComicChick]

i wouldn't have minded seeing more of Diana's experience with the war, and the perils of it.

some of my favorite scenes were experiencing Diana's first time with so many things; discovering London, seeing a baby, fashion/culture, ice cream, dancing and snow as a happier side and then more of the bad. i really liked the part of her seeing the soldiers going off to war, the optimism, happiness etc that was going on around them, and then as she's walking across the bridge, seeing the soldiers coming back from the war and how visibly distraught she was at seeing dismembered soldiers, young and old, blind, etc.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

i wouldn't have minded seeing more of Diana's experience with the war, and the perils of it.

some of my favorite scenes were experiencing Diana's first time with so many things; discovering London, seeing a baby, fashion/culture, ice cream, dancing and snow as a happier side and then more of the bad. i really liked the part of her seeing the soldiers going off to war, the optimism, happiness etc that was going on around them, and then as she's walking across the bridge, seeing the soldiers coming back from the war and how visibly distraught she was at seeing dismembered soldiers, young and old, blind, etc.

I think that just a little more of Diana's engagement and attempts to understand the outside world would have Enhanced the proceedings by quite a bit. On the other hand the film is very straight forward and focused. I can understand why what was covered was covered and why other things may have been left by the wayside.

 

[GreenKToo]

If I had to pick something, I guess I would have shown more Gods at the beginning.
It's pretty much the best WW film I could have hoped for tho.

 

[Boom]

I wouldn't have had Diana and Ares fight. It sort of undercuts the point Steve was trying to make, how there isn't just one person to blame for the world's problems and that mankind bears the responsibility.

Personally, I'd have made Ares a morally ambiguous bystander. There was a time when people waged war in his name, thus giving him power. But in the modern age, men fought wars for land, power, and religion. With no one fighting and killing in his name, his power greatly diminished and his duty on Earth became nothing more than to bear witness to mankind's atrocities. I also quite like the idea that Ares never really cared for war, and was forced into being the God of War by Zeus - hence his resentment.

Diana spends the entire movie believing these old fairy tales about the evil God of War and how he must be destroyed, only to find out that he's a being who has no choice but to watch people kill each other - forever. Not only do you put an interesting spin on the Ares character, but it also presents mankind as the true antagonist.

The big action piece of the third act would be an all-out battle between the British and the Germans, with Ares watching from afar. Dr. Poison and Ludendorff have armed a Zeppelin with their new mustard gas. Not only do Steve and Diana have to destroy the Zeppelin, but Diana has to get these two armies to stop fighting. She stops tanks, grounds planes, rips the gun from every man she can - British and German alike. Steve sacrifices himself to destroy the Zeppelin (killing Dr. Poison and Ludendorff), which throws Diana into a fit of rage. She's about to crush a soldier to death with a tank, but sees the fear in the young man's face. Couple that with the memory of her last moments with Steve, she throws the tank aside, and channeling her power she leaps into the air and crosses her gauntlets. Similar to the scene with Antiope, a powerful shockwave throws everybody to the ground and kicks up a cloud of dust. When the dust settles, there stands Diana between the two armies, her arms extendedas if to tell them to stop. Both sides, in literal wonder, drop their weapons in a mutual cease fire. Diana looks to the distance to where Ares was standing, and he's gone. Cue some voice overs about the Germans signing the armistice and cut to the victory celebrations.

Personally, I'd have Diana becoming more and more comfortable with her developing powers as the film progresses, and ai would have her be able to fly by the third act. That way you could have some "dog fight" sequences with her grounding some planes.

Just some random thoughts. Obviously very basic.

 

[Silly Cat]

I know they didn't want to spoil the surprise that David Thewlis's character was Ares, but by trying to keep the surprise they sort of sacrificed the opportunity for some character exploration.

I wish Ares had been fleshed out better, as we are really only given his motivation during his villain monologue at the end, I wanted more, I wanted to get to know him better and understand his character better, rather then being told in a monologue why he's doing what he's doing.

So while I didn't see the twist coming in the end, I feel it wasn't significant enough of a surprise to sacrifice some much needed character development, so I would have dropped the whole "who is Ares?" angle and instead focused on introducing us to him, and letting us get to know him a bit. I'll take a well rounded villain over a 'surprise I'm really the baddie!' shtick any day.

That's the only thing I felt could have been better done, everything else about the movie I thought was awesome.

 

[DieSmiling]

I think I would have opened with an epic battle sequence between the Amazons and minions of Ares, something akin to the opening of the animated film from 2009.

I also would have featured the contest among Amazons that Diana wins against her mothers wishes to decide who will return Steve Trevor to man's world.

I loved what we got, but I would have liked those tweaks.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

It is strange that they couldn't come up with a way to explain ntegrate the contest into things. I am not quite certain what the issue with it would be exactly outside of:

A. Purely time constraints.

B. Diana's powers an origins being such plot points that showcasing her abilities in the contest would step on the third act reveals?

C. Despite Jenkins' public statements... She or the Snyder's thought it was "cheesy"?

 

[NotNickFury]

Not necessarily 'different,' but I do wish there'd been a tad more or at least another scene with Doctor Poison. I really liked her based on what we got and could've done with a bit more.