Supergirl - Review

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

CRAIG Gillespie’s Supergirl may have been given something of a rough ride by critics, while also falling foul of the manosphere en route to a relatively disappointing box office, but it flies much higher than many have given it credit for.

It’s also much darker than first glances suggest, while Supergirl herself is arguably a far more interesting protagonist than Superman.

As played by 26-year-old Australian actress Milly Alcock, Supergirl is an outsider struggling to find her place in the world. She’s also angry and hurt, scarred by the trauma of watching her home planet, Krypton, be destroyed long after Superman had been sent away, in a tragedy that also claimed the lives of her parents, Alura In-Ze and Zor-El (played with wisdom and sensitivity by Emily Beecham and David Krumholtz).

In that regard, Supergirl is very much a heroine for now. A girl forced to grow up in the shadow of a burning world (sound familiar?) and tasked with being good in a universe she didn’t ask to save.

And yet, this is also a universe (or galaxy) marked by viciousness and greed; where her enemies abduct young girls to become breeders and bounty hunters pursue their prey with only self interest in mind.

It’s a male dominated arena just waiting to be put (or kicked, punched and lasered) into its place.

Gillespie’s film doesn’t shy away from the harsher elements of the screenplay and gives Alcock ample opportunity to create a memorably complex superhero. In many ways, her ascent from hungover loner and down beaten loser to rousing cheerleader for women’s rights and a heightened sense of belonging echo that of the MCU’s Captain Marvel.

Certainly, the key moments of overcoming big obstacles have the same inspirational feel (and headrush sensation) as those in the Brie Larson crowd pleaser.

And Alcock is a terrific lead - by turns hungover (as much from the burdens of life as her early party hard lifestyle), angry, reluctant and eventually heroic. She’s a product of her trauma - and the moments where she gets to revisit that are among the film’s strongest.

Indeed, there are several scenes to genuinely savour, most notable of which is perhaps a silent scream that is beautifully shot (in space) complete with a zero gravity tear being shed in slow motion.

Similarly, Alcock’s final battle, as she lays waste to a whole plethora of bad guys, while Lobo (Jason Momoa) looks on approvingly, is supremely well choreographed.

A final act of retribution directed towards Matthias Schoenaerts’ villain is also suitably cold and striking - a defining moment, perhaps, that demonstrates a more ruthless and lethal streak in this particular heroine than that of her far more optimistic family member.

It’s for many of the above reasons that Alcock succeeds in bringing more layers to Supergirl than David Corenswet is perhaps allowed to as Superman - but it adds more colour and complexity to James Gunn’s DC universe thus far.

That’s not to say there aren’t problems with Gillespie’s film. There are. The story is largely predictable, for instance, while the plot point of having Schoenaerts’ villain abduct girls for sexual exploitation (never put on camera, thankfully) left me feeling a little uneasy given the real life prevalence of grooming gangs, etc.

To be fair, Gillespie doesn’t do anything exploitative. But the ramifications of such trade are also glossed over somewhat, particularly from a trauma point of view.

As things stand, the use of the plot device - and its eventual resolution in a desert-based climactic battle - feels like a direct lift from Mad Max: Fury Road, albeit with less striking stunt work from the assembled bikers.

Rising British newcomer Eve Ridley’s gutsy alien teen Ruthye Marye Knoll, who teams up with Supergirl to avenge the early on-screen death of her family, also takes a little too long to properly warm up and - much like Schoenaerts’ villain, feels a little too predictable and one dimensional despite a decent performance.

The secondary plot device involving the race against time to save SG’s dog, Krypto, also feels directly lifted from Gunn’s own Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3. But then so do a couple more set pieces, especially those that keep the main action and fisticuffs just out of view of the main audience while the camera dwells on an awe-struck watching character (again, borrowed heavily from Gunn’s Superman).

But if you’re willing to go with the flow, then Supergirl offers a slick ride that’s equal parts stylish, heartfelt and not afraid to embrace its darker side. It also feature some fantastic needle drops (another Gunn tactic) as well as a memorable extended cameo from Momoa’s long-time fan favourite Lobo.

Former Aquaman Momoa has been chomping at the bit to bring this particular badass character to the screen and he relishes every moment, making the prospect of his presence in more DC movies (including, possibly, his own) one to savour.

But Gillespie also deserves praise here too. For while Momoa is a larger than life presence whenever on-screen, the director doesn’t allow him to overshadow or steal the spotlight from the film’s main star.

This is Alcock’s moment and she grabs it with both hands. Hence, while Supergirl may be as flawed and rough around the edges as its central character, it somehow feels appropriate and perhaps all the more striking for being so.

The aforementioned criticisms and unfair trolling from the manosphere only serve to underline why cinema needs and deserves a heroine like Supergirl right now.

Certificate: 12A

Running time: 108 minutes