Movie Review: Supergirl - Turbulence in Paradise

 

So far, James Gunn has spearheaded every project in the DCU, whether it be as writer or director. This year will be the true test of this burgeoning interconnected universe with three projects where Gunn is strictly in the producer seat. "Supergirl" is the first and unfortunately shows why Gunn may need to be a little more hands on.

We got our first look at Milly Alcock as Supergirl in a cameo at the end of "Superman" last year and it was pretty clear the direction they were going for the character, i.e. Rick Sanchez "Wubba lubba dub dub!" vibes. To be clearer though, we're seeing a Kara who has some unresolved trauma she buries in liquor and partying. Couple that with the trailers showcasing the film to be a gritty "John Wick in space" (with a touch of "True Grit"), Supergirl was definitely going to differentiate from her cousin in terms of both character and tone.

While I understand they were going for a darker story, they may have taken it too literally. One of the main problems with the movie is the lighting, specifically that they need to turn on a light! I'm not asking for Schumacher style neon, but it's hard to enjoy some of the action when I'm straining to make out what's happening half the time. Even with the climax of the film where it's set outside with natural sunlight, the shadows still seem to be overpowering, save for the final slow motion action scene set to a song in true Gunn fashion. Going off that though, while there's plenty of music in the film, it doesn't have the same impact as an actual Gunn film; even the action scene I mentioned left a little to be desired in my opinion.

So those are the technical issues. Story wise, it's kind of cliche with a hypocritical resolution. It also feels like there were some moments left on the cutting room floor, which makes character development moments feel unearned. This hurts the emotional moments as well since certain choices characters make leading up to it are, for lack of a better word, stupid.
And then there's our main villain, Krem of the Yellow Hills. Just mix the scene chewing of Ronan or Dar-Benn, give him a composite design of Yellow Bastard from "Sin City" (with a hint toward some of that character's certain proclivities) and Xerxes from "300" and you have Krem.

Now there are some silver linings to the film. Milly Alcock sells this version of Kara very well, showcasing a good person dealing with the bad hand she's been given in life. The flashbacks of her growing up are a real highlight as well and works to show the differences between her and Clark in terms of nature vs. nurture. We also have the return of our favorite chaotic good boy Krypto, but our main show stealer this time around is Jason Momoa as the DC character many say he was meant to play, Lobo. While I enjoyed his time as Aquaman, Momoa IS Lobo; the downside to that though is that you'll be wishing he was in more of the film than he is.

Overall, "Supergirl" is a surprise misstep that shows the film side of DC still has some work to do in finding steady ground.