Supergirl – Movie Reviews by Ry!

Supergirl – Of Powers and Purpose … Am I Truly, a Hero?

From the past to the present, life is but a journey of emotions and growth.  We move through the endless, trying to find what is possible in places where meaning can be much more.  For stories, seeing how things evolve becomes the nature of the grip.  This can lead to escapes so memorable … or so forgettable.  In this review, I look at the latest comic book film to hit the big screen.  Through threads of familiar things, we embark on a path that is interesting but disjointed.  For all the promise of the character, Supergirl just feels like the same origin rehash … but in space.

Far from Earth, Kara Zor-El (Milly Alcock) traverses the galaxy in hopes that a mission to save will show her, where she is supposed to be.  Comic book films capture that ingenious thought, pushing forward the impossible to feel … real.  From The Dark Knight to Iron Man, superhero films can be much more than standard splashes and push the raw nature of the tale.  Sometimes, that just doesn’t happen, and you get a film that is … passe.  This film begins with the drop-in method, as we find Kara traveling the far reaches of space, hitting up random planets as she deals with her own personal issues.  After some foley mishaps, her situation turns dire when Crypto is injured by an evil space pirate, Krem (Matthias Schoenaerts).  With only a few days to live, Kara teams up with a young girl named Ruthye (Eve Ridley) in hopes they can find Krem, steal the cure and save her companion (Main Plot).  As the quest like adventure begins, the journey moves through a generic ‘point A to B’ type of narrative, building up moments through sight gags, cheesy one-liners and CGI spectacle.  Everything is colorful, but the one-dimensional characters and convenient setups leave the audience with a feeling of wanting more.  This strikes any momentum in the crazed situations involving Kara and Ruthye, moving at a fast pace that becomes surface level comic book tropes and nostalgic references (from the DC Universe).  This takes away from all the potential of the main character and her origin.

As Kara and Ruthye continue on their quest, what keeps you focused is the rubberbanding of flashbacks.  When the journey focuses on her, you have a raw characterization of the idea of what makes a hero, creating an indifference to her cousin, Superman.  This elevates the character by showing the different ways she uses her powers, especially against a typical comic book villain like Krem.  Once everything reaches a boiling point, we head into a third act that is flooded with typical comic book action sequences and bombastic use of CGI.  As the dust settles, it ends on a reflective like climax that defines who is Kara.  Supergirl is a middle of the road comic book film.  If you are a fan of DC Comics, comic books or the character, you will likely enjoy this.  In the end, it can be a fun time at the theaters, if you go in with the right expectations.

Full Score – 3 out of 5 (Theater Discount)