Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, joins forces with an unlikely companion on an interstellar journey of vengeance and justice when an unexpected adversary strikes too close to home.
Chuck says:
An oddly inert movie, Craig Gillespie’s “Supergirl” is a major misfire for James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Studios, their reboot of the stable of superheroes already off to a less than stellar start with last year’s “Superman.” While that feature contained just enough to allow it to pass muster, “Supergirl” misses by a long shot. A movie brimming with incidents but lacking in narrative thrust, it’s a film that just sits there, one in which you keep waiting for it to kick into high gear, only to realize the script by Ana Nogueira contains nothing in the way of inspiration. Then again, what’s one to expect while watching a pastiche of well-worn moments and situations, none of them palatable in their reheated state.
If the film has a bright spot, it’s Miley Alcock in the title role. The actress brings the necessary spunk and fire to Kara Zor-El, capturing the character’s cynicism and pain so well it has an impact even amidst the clutter of the film’s bland action scenes and rote plot. Celebrating her birthday – or is it drowning her sorrows – when we first see her, this is a young woman looking for a cause, though she’d never admit to needing one. She finds it in Ruthye (Eve Ridley) a teenager seeking vengeance. Seems Klem (Matthias Schoenaerts), a vicious space marauder, slew her family, the same guy who just happened to shoot Kara’s dog Krypto with a poison dart. Small universe, isn’t it?
The two women forge a tenuous alliance to hunt down Klem, Ruthye to get her revenge, Kara to get the antidote that will save her dog. And thus is the premise of Ana Nogueira’s script, her first big screen effort.
While there is no proof AI wrote the script, I wouldn’t be surprised. Having written only one short in 2018, I can’t help but wonder how Nogueira got this plum assignment. While it may be unfair to state there’s nothing original here – how many films can say that anymore? – the fact that nearly every cribbed plot point is rendered in such a bland manner is disconcerting. While watching, “Mad Max,” “Star Wars” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” will likely come to mind. Should Nogueira be blamed for being late to the party and having nothing left but overused genre tropes to choose from?
Perhaps not but she does shoulder the blame for not focusing more on character and heart. “True Grit” is an obvious source as well, as Ruthye is blind to the consequences exacting revenge will take on her. Kara’s attempts to dissuade her are infrequent and this potentially poignant avenue is woefully underdeveloped. Gillespie and Nogueira instead opt to pummel the audience with bland action sequences instead.
Producers have shied away from presenting standard origin stories in recent years, yet that option would have been welcomed here. The film only comes alive during flashback sequences in which Kara recounts her life in the only remaining Kryptonian city, Argos, and during the brief moments we she her on Earth. She states she’s had a hard time fitting in and accepting her new home, something her cousin Superman (David Corenswat) and we see in an all too brief scene. Kara’s struggle to acclimate to the societal norms of her new home, coming to terms with her powers and dealing with survivor’s guilt would have been far more fascinating. That we do not get to see a full-length feature devoted to her and her cousin clashing over their conflicting ideals concerning their responsibilities and heroism is a woefully wasted opportunity.
It might not have been so bad had the numerous action sequences been well-staged. Gillespie, who has never directed an action film before, is in over his head here, every fight scene lacking continuity, all of them a blur of camera pans, tight movements and rapid editing. Gone are the days when a well-choreographed sequence is played out before a stationary camera, with minimal editing. To be able to discern who is where and just who is pummeling who would be welcome.
As for those wondering about Jason Mamoa’s Lobo, the cult favorite has only a couple scenes which the actor growls through, his ashen colored abs and garish clown makeup making more of an impact than he’s allowed to.
James Gunn and Peter Safran seemed inspired choices when chosen to revamp the DC Comics film universe. However, with “Superman” being only barely palatable and now “Supergirl,” save for Alcock’s inspired performance, being a total wash, one can’t help but wonder if they too aren’t up to the task of bringing these pop culture icons to life in a way that does them justice. Next year’s “Man of Tomorrow,” has the unenviable task of wiping away the bad taste left by “Supergirl” and being successful enough to justify Gunn and Safran’s future.
1 1/2 Stars
