Supergirl has always been an interesting character in the DC Comics and the universe that followed. Though she has the same powers as Clark Kent a.k.a. Superman, Kara does not have the same backstory or upbringing. Clark doesn’t remember his biological parents or his world. Kara did. She was nearly a young adult when she became the last survivor of Argo City, a part of Krypton that survived the explosion for a few years, before it succumbed to radiation poisoning, killing everyone. Kara has trauma, remembering losing everyone she’s ever known, and arriving on a planet she knows nothing about, let alone speaking the same language.
It’s why it made sense when Kara/Supergirl (Milly Alcock) was introduced as a party girl drunk at the end of James Gunn’s Superman. Now, she’s been given her own film to highlight the broken superhero as she navigates her psychological anguish and seeks to understand her purpose.
Directed by Craig Gillespie, Supergirl focuses on Kara, who has been enjoying her escapism through partying and alcohol on a red sun planet. The red sun allows her to feel human, which means no superpowers and the ability to get wasted. With her dog, Krypto, as her companion, she is just taking things day by day, bottle by bottle. That is, until a ruthless villain, Krem (Matthias Schoenaerts), wreaks havoc everywhere, including murdering a young warrior’s family, causing her (Eve Ridley) to seek revenge. Kara wants nothing to do with it, but somehow gets involved when Krem shoots Krypto with a slow-releasing poison, and only he has the antidote. Just like John Wick, Kara is determined to do whatever it takes to get revenge and save her dog.
Under DC Studios’ new direction with Gunn and Peter Safran as co-chairs and CEOs of the company, Supergirl has all the makings of being successful. The fight scenes were great and exciting to watch (especially knowing that no A.I. was used). The make-up, set design, and production were absolutely beautiful – as expected, as he’s created universes with the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. There is also nothing wrong with having that Guardians feeling in the film – why fix what isn’t broken? Even the choice of Gillespie was a good one, as he’s proven himself a good director, excelling at highlighting his leading women in Disney’s Cruella and I, Tonya.
When the story focused on Kara’s life on Krypton and Argo City, her relationships with her family and Krypto, and her (forced) decision to leave it all behind to go to Earth, it was remarkable and moving. It created a beautiful connection between the audience and Kara/Supergirl, giving her so many layers, and those who are part of the Superman lore.
Alcock is superb as Kara, bringing depth to her story while also giving the character levity and humor. She was a joy to watch onscreen, creating this likeable character that audiences want to root for. There is something about Alcock, who draws you in without saying a word. Whether it be when Kara is sent away from her home planet and family or when she’s adjusting to Earth, you just know the pain and sorrow behind those eyes. She is truly one of the best versions of this character, and I need to see more of her.
It’s a shame that such a talented actress, character, and storyline were overshadowed by a lackluster script and dialogue, and poorly written supporting characters. The script, written by Ana Nogueira, felt rushed and overstuffed with details and characters that didn’t feel necessary. It also feels like one would need to know the comic book series well to fully understand what was going on. Even if you did know (as I did), the pacing was so fast that it was difficult to follow exactly what was happening. It was completely overstuffed with useless characters and pointless plots.
As much as I adore seeing a woman of color take the lead in a film or series, Ruthye as a character was dull and unappealing. Other than wanting revenge for the death of her parents, she had no other personality or trait that revealed who she was before the pain/suffering that led to these events. She was also really useless, only really getting her moments near the end of the film. While the idea of “women empowerment” and “girls saving girls” is important, it felt very superficial rather than meaningful or thought-provoking (think: Avengers: Endgame, when the women heroes said Captain Marvel was “not alone” and that she did not have anything to do with her saving the day). I wanted more from the character, and maybe if she were given more development, she could have become an established hero herself.
Even Lobo (Jason Mamoa) felt like a glorified cameo. Mamoa is the ideal Lobo, and it’s surprising that it took this long to have him play this character, but what did he really add to this story? It would have been rather satisfying to have Lobo fighting Superman than to just show up when it’s most convenient for Kara.
Krem was DC Studios’ typical one-dimensional villain whose sole intent was to kill and conquer, but it was much appreciated that he had no hesitation when it came to killing women and children. If you’re going to make an awful character, might as well make him irredemable. Though he was rather boring after a while. It’s actually annoying to see how he seemed to one-up Kara despite not knowing much about her, or showcasing how he found out so much about her (like knowing that Kryptonite could kill her and that she’s even Kryptonian).
The film’s saving graces were Kara’s storyline and the recurring theme of Kara’s family and what Supergirl represents. In the film, Clark Kent/Superman (David Corenswett) discovers that his biological family sent him to become the ruler of death, but instead sides with humanity to be its savior. He defies that birthright, embracing the ideals of the parents who raised him. From Kara’s parents, we learn that her father (David Krumholtz), Jor-el’s brother, was a good man who wanted Kara to be the good in the world and to protect those who cannot protect themselves. She was also taught to be good in the world, rather than to be told to conquer the Earth alongside her cousin. Those scenes, alongside her parents’ sacrifices, just hit hard.
Though the film’s script and side characters were lacking, Supergirl/Kara, especially as portrayed by Alcock, in Gunn’s DC Universe, is utterly fantastic and deserves to be showcased more in the future. It deserves a better script and a stronger supporting cast that fits Kara’s journey. There have been so many bad male superhero films that were given multiple opportunities before they got it right; Alcock’s Supergirl definitely deserves it, too. She is absolutely perfect.
Supergirl premieres on Friday, June 26, in theaters everywhere.