FILM REVIEW
SUPERGIRL
Rated PG-13
107 Minutes
Released June 26th
This is not your grandmother’s Supergirl. Gone are the perfect sweet smiles and sparkling, neatly tight bodysuit, the shining example of charm, strength, and feminine heroism.
This contemporary version of Supergirl is messy, lazy, sullen, unambitious, kind of miserable, and unable to find her way. This movie takes a chance on portraying Supergirl more like a real young adult still growing into her powers than the image of perfection that has always been cast before. This Supergirl is questioning her life and fiercely refusing to be accountable to anyone else on the planet – or in the universe.
Her state at the beginning of the story is one of continuous inebriation, as she bounces from bar to bar, slinging back strong boozy concoctions, apparently softening the edges of some serious inner angst. I would like to have seen more comedy at this point and more about the angst.
Australian actress Milly Allcock shines at showing this troubled side to a character usually depicted as perfection incarnate. The story would have helped her more if it had delved into some of the relationships and incidents that caused her malaise. She seems to strongly prefer being alone – but why? She does love her dog “Krypto,” and that connection becomes a compelling emotion builder in the plot. But another thread takes over the narrative and is built on the revenge of a “Ruthye,” a teen whose family is killed, played with a genuine sense of tragedy by young Eve Ridley.
The story is as untidy as its main character. It’s more mood-built rather than a clear tale with emotional arcs. This sometimes works, sometimes loses its way. The film never develops a clear style, either classic or avant-garde. The battles and fight choreography rely on quick takes, cutaways, and confusion. Some of the scenes at the beginning of the movie are so similar in style to Star Wars sets and characters that it distracts from the story. The most effective power in the movie is Supergirl’s determination to pull herself together, to find some drive and a purpose.
The script was written by actress Ana Noguerra and directed by Australian director Craig Gillespie. Gillespie has directed a variety of highly regarded films and TV series, including The Finest Hours, Lars and the Real Girl, Cruella, and I, Tonya. He’s the showrunner (creator and director) of the edgy and complex Apple TV limited series Your Friends & Neighbors, starring Jon Hamm. On that project, Gillespie developed his characters with intricate story lines and relationships.
You may remember Alcock as “Rhaenyra Targaryen” from the first season of House of the Dragon. She’s been acting in commercials and on TV and film in her native Australia since she was 14 and won Best Comedy Performer at the 10th Annual AACTA Awards. She’s a unique talent whose international career will no doubt take off after her performance in this film. I wish her comedic ability had been more prominent here.
Belgian actor Matthias Schoenaerts is an extraordinary villain as “Krem.” I’ve enjoyed seeing him always in good-guy roles, where he is one of those performers who can communicate a whole encyclopedia of feelings with his eyes. A quintessential actor, Schoenaerts here converts his plentiful good guy charisma into terrifying bad guy vibes. Schoenaerts built his career in his home country. He’s been one of my favorite actors for years, even though he’s not been seen on screen as often as American leads.
In his youth, he was an aspiring architect and pro soccer player, but he was drawn to acting after appearing in a film with his actor father as a teen. He became a big name in Flemish films and rose to international prominence starring in Rust and Bone (2015) and The Danish Girl (2015). He has done movies in several languages. In this film, he embodies a completely different type of character in Krem, a power-hungry being whose aura is evil on steroids. I applaud his dedication to this role for the many hours he must have spent in the “Hair & Makeup” chair before each shoot.
Other standouts in the cast are Jason Momoa as wandering biker “Lobo,” and Ridley as “Ruthey,” a teen “damsel in distress.” I would like to have seen much more of the always colorful Momoa, and Ridley has star quality that I think is underused here. Both are worth watching.
There was a huge marketing campaign for Supergirl, and the film had very high expectations, which led to some reviewers giving it a negative review. A marketing poster for the movie reads “Truth. Justice. Whatever.” and is meant to mirror the main character’s personality. In the movie, that “Whatever” should have been turned on its head, but it wasn’t.
The weakness is in the storyline and not in the actors or the characters they’ve brought to life, or the costumes. It’s an exciting movie to watch, and Iceland’s landscape and the Scottish Highlands’ terrain are impressive stand-ins for extraterrestrial planets. The film needed more comedy – the filmmakers could have taken a hint from Ant-Man for that. See this movie for the great performances in a hit-or-miss story, creative spaceships and striking landscapes, the realistic personality of perennial tomboy Kara/Supergirl, and the wicked performance of Schoenaerts as Krem.
Kathryn Whitney Boole has spent most of her life in the entertainment industry, which has been the backdrop for remarkable adventures with extraordinary people. She is a Talent Manager with Studio Talent Group in Santa Monica. kboole@gmail.com.
