This review contains spoilers.
As much as it pains me to say, it will not be a “Supergirl” summer.
Serving as the second installation in the newly rebooted DCU, “Supergirl” follows, well, Supergirl (Milly Alcock) as she embarks on a mission across the galaxy in hopes of getting an antidote for her dog, Krypto, who has been poisoned.
The perpetrator of this unforgivable act is the brigand Krem (Matthias Schoenaerts), a violent and ruthless pirate who happens to also have murdered the parents of Ruthye (Eve Ridley), a young girl seeking Supergirl’s help in her journey for revenge.
Right away, the cast of supporting characters introduces a multitude of problems. For one, Ruthye’s character is not only a shameless plot device to get Supergirl on Krem’s trail, but she also genuinely does nothing of note once her purpose is served. Besides reiterating over and over how much she wants retribution for her parents’ death, she is in constant need of saving and is, quite frankly, really annoying.
Krem is probably the most forgettable villain in superhero movie history, at least out of the ones I have seen. He is not so much a villain as he is a run-of-the-mill space pirate. Sure, he kills people, but there is truly nothing special or unique about him. He has no powers and is easily defeated by Supergirl in the third act.
This consequently makes what is an already lackluster plot worth nothing in the end. There is no satisfying payout or explosive final showdown; in fact, the fighting is choreographed poorly throughout and is paired with mind-boggling needle drops that transform the scene into cringey, slow-motion action slop.
On top of this, the various planets Supergirl winds up on in her pursuit of Krem all look the same, with a drab, uninspired color palette. Despite having the opportunity to show off a visually exciting universe, the film opts for a backdrop that is bleak and gray for most of its runtime.
Supergirl herself is unquestionably the highlight of the film. Alcock does a fine job of portraying Supergirl as her own character, separate from Superman (David Corenswet) — who makes multiple appearances throughout — and worthy of the spotlight she is given in the film. Her snarky, witty humor and hesitation to see the good in everyone certainly paint her in a completely different light than her cousin, while still following the same core tenets of heroism.
However, this raises the question of why the DCU decided to go with such a parallel character as the second film in the cinematic universe. With last year’s “Superman” still on the minds of many, “Supergirl” is noticeably not given much to work with in terms of a compelling or deep storyline, especially in comparison to the message woven throughout “Superman.” While there is some discussion of grief in “Supergirl,” it feels isolated and not as central to the film’s theme compared to “Superman’s” commentary on hope and humanity.
As a whole, “Supergirl” is a bit of a mess in nearly every department. Sure, there are some fun moments — like when Jason Momoa plays a motorcycle-riding demon bounty hunter — but the film felt too tied to its straightforward and surface-level plot, dragging along with a lack of momentum. The film is a swing and a miss for the DCU, though I look forward to Supergirl’s next appearance, hopefully in a better movie.
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