byChris Tilly
Warner Bros.
Supergirl is a decent adaptation of a brilliant comic, and while villain Krem is a huge disappointment, Milly Alcock delights in the title role.
So we reach the second movie in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Universe; following Gunn’s own Superman, and in advance of Clayface this October.
They’ve decided to put Supergirl front and center in their sophomore effort, a character who was poorly served by a terrible standalone movie in 1984, and barely registered during The Flash in 2023.
But here Milly Alcock plays the eponymous Kryptonian, while Craig Gillespie directs from a script by Ana Nogueira, which itself is based on ‘Woman of Tomorrow‘ by Tom King and Bilquis Evely, and largely does justice to that comic classic.
What is Supergirl about?
Warner Bros.
Supergirl quickly combines twin revenge stories, involving one character wanting to take a life, and the other trying to save one.
Ruthye Marye Knoll (Eve Ridley) is the former, a young girl who witnesses ‘Brigand’ Krem of the Seven Hills barging into her family home, demanding their hand-crafted weapons, then slaughtering mom, dad, and brother for the booty.
Ruthye escapes his wrath, buries her loved ones, grabs one of the all-powerful swords, and swears revenge.
Warner Bros.
While that tragedy is unfolding, Kara Zor-El is celebrating her 22nd birthday by doing an interplanetary pub crawl that involves drinking with super-powered pet Krypto, crowd-surfing with a variety of bizarre-looking aliens, and waking to a hangover.
She does this a bunch of times in a bunch of bars that resemble the Star Wars cantina, and Ruthye enters one such establishment, offering her father’s legendary blade in exchange for help finding Krem.
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Kara has little interest in taking some kid on a killing spree until Krem does the unthinkable and fires poison into her pooch, for which only he has the antidote.
Kara has 72 days to track down that cure, which gives the movie a ticking clock. While in Ruthye she finds a kindred spirit, hellbent on also finding Krem. So the ladies team up, and embark on an intergalactic road trip.
A great superhero movie needs a great villain
Locating Krem becomes the movie’s central mission, and that would be more exciting if the space pirate weren’t such a dull villain.
Played by Matthias Schoenaerts (so good in the likes of Bullhead and The Drop), he has studs all over his face that make him look like a wimpy Cenobite, and a costume that resembles a Mad Max extra, while Krem frequently behaves like he’s got several screws loose.
But while we’re told he has the strength of 10,000 men, the film doesn’t do much of note with that information. And though there’s a brief mention of the mission that’s driving him, we never get to know what makes him tick, making Krem a one-dimensional antagonist.
Much better is Jason Momoa as antihero Lobo, who’s clearly having a blast while riding a jet-propelled Chopper, chomping on a cigar, and grinning like a loon. How Krem could have done with some of that energy.
Superman says hi and Krypton gets destroyed
David Corenswet’s Superman also makes multiple appearances, via video call, and in a touching sequence towards the end of the movie. But Kal-El doesn’t lend much to proceedings, beyond being useful for marketing materials and providing a link to Kara’s home planet.
That story is explored via extended flashback during which we witness the destruction of Krypton, what happened to those who survived, and how that sparked Kara’s own sad story.
Those scenes explain her rage and anger early in the movie, coupled with that desire to get lost in booze. While the film that follows depicts her journey from selfish party animal to selfless superhero.
But Kara repeatedly putting her life on the line to save Krypto before that transformation somewhat undercuts the voyage of self-discovery, and somewhat undermines the eventual arrival of ‘Supergirl.’
Is Supergirl good?
Warner Bros.
Supergirl begins with Krypto pissing on a newspaper headline about Superman saving a town, indicating the film will differ from last summer’s movie in both approach and tone. And Supergirl succeeds on that front, being a slightly edgier DC entry, while still delivering superhero excitement, emotion, and thrills.
The story is decidedly straightforward, which proves to be both a blessing and a curse. Blessing because the run-time is mercifully short for a comic book movie. Curse, as there are times when it becomes repetitive, predictable, and severely lacking in some of the unexpected detours (where are my Barenton monsters at?), which made the comic so special.
There are also influences and homages everywhere you look, most notably that central storyline, which is pretty much True Grit smashed together with John Wick, though ultimately inferior to both.
I enjoyed the Star Wars similarities, especially in those entertaining barroom scenes. While the Mad Max comparisons extend beyond Krem, to a sub-plot about the trafficking of brides, as well vast action sequences that play out in barren wastelands hugely reminiscent of George Miller’s franchise.
But there’s fun to be had on this roaring rampage of revenge, and much of that is down to Milly Alcock’s Supergirl, whose powers fluctuate thanks to inspired plotting around three suns, and who proves to be a rebellious, resilient, and resourceful breed of hero, which provides a fascinating contrast to her cousin.
It’ll be interesting to see if the DCU decides to explore those differences down the line, as there’s clearly fertile territory to be mined. But for now, Kara is off to a strong start, through the simple story of a girl saving her dog.
Dexerto|VERDICT
Review of Supergirl
OK
There's fun to be had on this roaring rampage of revenge, and much of that is down to Milly Alcock's Supergirl, who proves to be a rebellious, resilient, and resourceful breed of hero.
3Review Scoring
Chris Tilly
