Out this week in cinemas is Supergirl, starring Milly Alcock as the titular Kryptonian. Set some time after the events of 2025’s Superman, Supergirl follows Kara (Alcock) on her Birthday week. She’s drowning her sorrows with Krypto in tow when she is met with a damsel in distress. Ruthye (Eve Ridley) has seen her family killed in front of her eyes and demands vengeance. She’s looking for a rough and tumble warrior to help her on this perilous quest. When Kara saves her from a bunch of bullies, Ruthye believes she has found her weapon. Kara doesn’t want any part of this, stating that vengeance will not make Ruthye feel any better.
Unfortunately, fate would have other plans. Krem (Matthias Schoenaerts), the leader of the Brigands, a group of slave traders, who is also the man Ruthye is seeking out, steals Kara’s ship and poisons Krypto. With Krypto dying, Kara has 72 hours to find Krem and get the cure off of him. With Ruthye in tow, Kara is poised to enact her own brand of justice.
He sees the good in people; I see the truth
Supergirl is a fascinating film, as a fan of Superman and, to a lesser extent, his cousin, I wondered how this film would treat Kara. After all, many interpretations treat her as simply a female clone of him. Thankfully for Supergirl, Kara is very much her own woman. She is defined by the tragedy of her life, of not having a home or a people, even if Clark does try to connect with her.
It’s not that she can’t fit in; it’s that she chooses not to. Anyone looking for another story about a sweet Kryptonian superhero saving the day is going to be surprised here, and that’s one of the reasons I enjoyed Supergirl. Unlike Clark, who had to learn about his powers growing up, and building on the supposed legacy of his Kryptonian heritage, Kara is taught that with the enormous power she will wield, she needs to be good.
As the duo travels from planet to planet, hunting down Krem, Kara is reminded of what she lost and how it defined her, and she hopes that what Ruthye has lost will not define her. The back-and-forth between Alcock and Ridley is charming, akin to Hailee Steinfeld and Jeff Bridges in True Grit. Speaking of True Grit, it is a clear inspiration to the narrative of Supergirl, and it works, for the most part.
There are a lot of emotions flying around. The grief that Kara is wrapped in is prevalent. She is the best part of the film, delivering a performance that sets her apart from her more naive cousin, but she easily stands tall beside him.
You don’t have to be nice, you don’t have to be kind, but you do have to be good
Where Supergirl doesn’t quite take flight is sadly something that I love, the action. When I watch or read a story featuring a Kryptonian, I am expecting a certain level of flair. Unfortunately, Supergirl does not reach the heights of action I’d have liked it to. The fight choreography is gritty and shows that Kara has a clear brutality and precision that not even Clark has, but it is often lost sadly, with a lacking cinematic flair.
Also, Krem is not a particularly interesting figure; he’s simply a destination. Now, he does have a fascinatingly sadistic side to him, which is interesting to watch, but the film doesn’t try to expand on it by giving him a true sense of character, which is a shame because his background is one that was interesting.
Even with these issues that I had, Supergirl is an interesting blockbuster, one that is angry and has a story about how to deal with it. Kara is a hero who is young in age but old in spirit.
Stay tuned to Scannain for more news, reviews and interviews.