Rating 4/10
James Gunn and Peter Safran are now two films into their new DC Universe. I admired parts of Superman, but couldn’t embrace its awkward mix of sunny optimism and casual cruelty. Supergirl continues that same sensibility. It’s filled with goofy aliens, offbeat humor, and comic-book wackiness. You’d think all of that would give this a charge, but this is just a collection of random encounters arranged into an episodic chase.
During the opening, Kara Zor-El (Milly Alcock), better known as Supergirl, meets Ruthye Marye Knoll (Eve Ridley). This young girl is determined to avenge the murder of her family at the hands of the ruthless space pirate Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts). Kara initially refuses to help. Revenge will only deepen Ruthye’s pain, she contends. However, after Krem steals Supergirl’s ship and poisons her dog Krypto, Kara is forced to pursue him. Don’t worry, Krypto isn’t dead, but he sadly remains out of commission for most of the action. Joined by the persistent Ruthye, the two embark on a journey across alien worlds, where they hunt for Krem.
To flesh out Kara’s character, we get origin-story detours that try to spice up the narrative. In flashbacks, we learn that Kara is one of the last survivors of Krypton. She grew up in the floating refuge of Argo City. It looks like a snow globe. Then, kryptonite radiation made the city uninhabitable. Kara’s father (David Krumholtz) sends the young Kryptonian to Earth, where cousin Superman (David Corenswet) takes the new arrival in. Years later, Kara still has not embraced Earth as home, choosing instead to wander the galaxy with loyal dog Krypto in search of adventure.
Kara is haunted by the destruction of her planet. Milly Alcock, who looks vaguely like Will Poulter’s angrier sister, gives the role some edge, but the screenplay keeps reducing Kara to attitude. She would rather hang out on a planet with a red sun, where she has no powers and can actually get drunk. On Earth, under a yellow sun, her powers prevent that. That’s certainly a different outlook from her cousin Superman, but it isn’t exactly fresh. We’ve seen versions of this damaged superhero with Thor in Endgame, Jessica Jones, Hancock, and even Peacemaker. Twenty years ago, this was a fresh take. Today it’s a common archetype. Milly Alcock isn’t bad in the role, but the screenplay thinks a petulant attitude is a complete personality. Supergirl becomes someone to watch, but not someone to champion.
Our tale starts with a clear emotional hook, but by the middle, it loses all momentum. The plot meanders from one incident to the next. Supergirl and Ruthye chase Krem, catch up with him, he escapes, and the cycle repeats. The plot keeps moving, but it doesn’t advance. Each distinct planet gives the appearance of variety, but the adventure remains locked in the same pursuit. Krem is a bland villain, and Ruthye’s revenge arc doesn’t evolve. The saga arrives at its inevitable conclusion, but the journey never makes that destination interesting.
That generic quality extends to everything. The soundtrack is filled with needle drops, some so distracting they undermine the moments they’re supposed to elevate. A weak cover of Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle” accompanies the climax, and it completely undercuts the seriousness of the moment. Toss in a few cameos. Jason Momoa pops up as an alien mercenary after playing Aquaman in the previous generation of DC films. Seth Rogen voices a squat, gremlin-like space bus attendant on Supergirl’s intergalactic road trip. These moments reduce scenes to a series of sketches punctuating a dreary quest.
There have been well over 200 theatrical superhero pictures since Superman: The Movie reinvented the genre in 1978. Supergirl lands well below the middle of that pack. For all its comic-book weirdness, it still settles for dull storytelling. The scenery shifts, the creatures rotate in and out, the fights keep coming, but the stakes stay flat. By the end, we aren’t moved or surprised. We’ve simply arrived at the payoff telegraphed from the opening act. Ho-hum.
06-25-26