One of the most memorable movie scenes that I’ve ever seen is “No Man’s Land” from the 2017 smash hit Wonder Woman. I remember sitting stunned in the theatre after seeing it, in absolute awe of the feat of cinematography and storytelling that I had just witnessed.

 

The scene is a turning point in the story. It takes place in a trench during WWll, where Allied soldiers are struggling to make any ground on the Germans. Diana, AKA Wonder Woman, portrayed by Gal Gadot, speaks to a woman holding a small child who tells her of the atrocities they’ve faced in the war because the Allies haven’t been able to make ground. This interaction shows Diana’s character, as her clear shock and disgust about the treatment demonstrates her compassion. She begs lead and love interest, Steve Trevor portrayed by Chris Pine, to do something. He tells her that they are in No Man’s Land and have tried everything, but both sides are locked in a stalemate. All of these scene are close up, dark, and show the squalor conditions. As Steve and Diana talk, the background is chaotic and dirty, giving a distressed mood to the audience.

 

The explosions in the background fade away, and the music intensifies as the video goes to slow motion. The shots become extreme close ups on Diana’s shield, legs, and lasso as she climbs up out of the trench. The music and slow speed of this part indicates a transition and shows that this is a pivotal moment in the story. Next comes one of the most iconic scenes in the movie: Wonder Woman emerges slowly up into the shot, the cloudy background highlighting her steely look of determination. The shot changes from medium to a full body shot as she walks in slow motion forward, explosions behind her. The shot changes to a CGI shot of a bullet flying forward, and as it approaches Wonder Woman, it bounces harmlessly off her arm armor, with sparks flying through the air.

 

At this point, the scene changes back into regular speed. The soldiers, who had been frozen in shock as Diana climbed out of the trench, finally caught on and began to climb out and press forward. She breaks into a run and bullets fly off her armor as the pace of the music surges. Next, a moment of tension and suspense occurs as the fire seemingly gets too intense and Wonder Woman crouches down behind her shield and pauses. My favorite shot of the scene happens next: It’s an aerial shot that shows Diana crouched behind her shield and the bullets ricocheting off her shield creates a dazzling display of sparks and light trails all around her. But finally, she leaps up and beckons to the rest of soldiers to follow her. The music hits its peak, and the Allies have made it across the no-man’s land.

 

This incredible piece of visual storytelling and masterful filming and editing made this scene extremely crucial and memorable.