Supergirl film review: Passable heroic fun
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Or is it another unremarkable DC Comics feature? Emma Simmonds finds out
Introduced at the end of last year’s Superman reboot in scene-stealing fashion, Milly Alcock’s Supergirl is a messy party gal who, with her middle-finger-raising shtick, is an invigorating antidote to her squeaky clean cousin Clark. So hopes for her solo effort were flying pretty high, but the result is less fun and ambitious than expected.
When we re-meet Supergirl, aka Kara Zor-El, she’s celebrating her 23rd birthday with a cocktail of booze and self-pity. Against her better judgement, she becomes embroiled in the plight of Eve Ridley’s Ruthye, a young girl seeking to avenge the murder of her family by Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts), a space pirate who personally provokes Supergirl by poisoning her dog. Later, the pair team up with mercenary Lobo (confusingly played by Jason Momoa, aka DC’s Aquaman, this time rocking KISS attire), and we learn of the tragic backstory that has set Supergirl on self-destruct.
Director Craig Gillespie has shown character helming the likes of Lars And The Real Girl, Cruella, and I, Tonya but, with their samey set-pieces and predictable beats, superhero movies can suck the idiosyncrasy right out of a filmmaker (just ask Chloé Zhao). Scripted by Ana Nogueira, Supergirl follows the female superhero playbook in fairly uninspired fashion; the punky soundtrack isn’t matched by particularly punchy action, unlike the significantly superior Birds Of Prey, or the slicker and more narratively interesting Captain Marvel.
It’s gloomily shot and, despite the attitude-heavy marketing, lacks a bit of swagger. Schoenaerts makes a nasty baddie and Momoa is good value, though his character feels like an afterthought. If the charismatic Alcock is the perfect fit at the fore, she could do with the dialogue to make her performance pop, but her and the righteous Ridley make a nicely contrasting double act. Supergirl doesn’t remotely outstay its welcome and is never less than likeable, though calling it super is a stretch.
Supergirl is in cinemas now.