Patty Jenkins makes a fierce comeback with the blockbuster Wonder Woman, which has spent a consecutive three weeks within the top five of the box office. Grossing nearly 320 million already, the film not only marks the peak of Jenkins’ career but also a calling for more female-directed action films. This amazing rendition of the origin story of an often overlooked superhero is a testament to that.

Well-known as the director and writer of Monster (2003), which garnered Charlize Theron an Oscar, Jenkins showed interest in making Wonder Woman over a decade ago. Inspired by origin stories such as that of Superman, she expressed the need to give Wonder Woman just as interesting of a starting point as her male counterparts. She executes this brilliantly through the use of an action-packed but endearing film about war, human nature, and love.

Israeli actress Gal Gadot should also be credited as the reason this film works so well. A former combat trainer, she has stated that her first acting gigs were heavily related to her knowledge of weapons which came in handy for films like Fast & Furious 6. Combat skills, along with her obvious beauty, poise, and sensitivity are what make her the perfect Wonder Woman.

Jenkins echoes these sentiments in almost every interview, reiterating how lucky she got with the casting of the film. Chris Pine also brings a strong performance as an American spy working for the British during the first World War. Jenkins made it a point to show that this is Wonder Woman’s story, keeping Pine as a love interest and not the hero, something Gadot reminds him of constantly throughout the film. A very philosophical and political film at times, I was surprised to still be thinking of it after it ended. I felt it to be so relevant and the writing great at subtly weaving in the themes of Native American oppression, matriarch cultures, and the impacts of war.

Another important aspect of the film according to Jenkins, is that of Wonder Woman being a superhero that does not like violence but is forced to use it for the greater good. She does not fight crime in the streets like Spiderman and she doesn’t join a league of other superheroes (yet), like the X-Men. She simply wants a peaceful world and uses her bravery, strength, and super powers to achieve this. I won’t give the entire plot away because it takes away from the joy of seeing it for yourself, but I will say that this is one of the only films within the superhero genre that I would gladly see again. I hope to see a sequel soon, which I’ve read recently will also be directed by Jenkins.