Going by reviews, I did not plan to see this, at least in a theater. But a friend had already bought tickets, and after his disappointment that I didn't join him for Joker: Folie à Deux, I opted to grin and bear it. Besides, I'd watched two seasons of the Supergirl TV series, and that's not supposed to be much better.
Very little of this movie takes place on Earth. Supergirl (Milly Alcock), 23-year-old cousin of Superman (David Corenswet), has been vacationing on planets near a red sun, which suspends Kryptonian powers and thus lets her get drunk more easily. The first halfway heroic thing we see her do is defend 13-year-old Ruthye (Eve Ridley) from thieves. Ruthye asks for help avenging her family, murdered by Brigand leader Krem (Matthias Schoenaerts). Supergirl doesn't really care until after Krem poisons her dog, Krypto, while holding the only known antitoxin sample. Even then, she wants Ruthye to step aside. Yeah, right.
Those who found Krypto annoying before can rest assured that he isn't active for long. Now we know where he got his poor discipline. Since Supergirl didn't grow up on Earth, she feels little kinship even with Superman, and her depression foments irresponsibility. No wonder she gets a relatively low-stakes conflict.
My friend, among others, noted a similarity in plot to True Grit. There is something of a western feel, complete with desert scenes, a bar brawl, The Missing-style sex traffickers, and an antihero calling into question the right thing to do. I consider this a plus, if only for distinguishing SG from other superhero flicks.
Some viewers previously complained about the Justice Gang stealing Superman's thunder. Well, Supergirl rather hogs the glory this time. Ruthye may be competent for her age, but this isn't that kind of "girl power" story. The only other superpowered character is strong, reputedly immortal Lobo (Jason Momoa, much more fun than as Aquaman), and he merely assists when he wants.
That points to a weakness in world building. We're all accustomed to aliens who look perfectly human in this mythos, but most herein might as well be human, given ability and behavior. Even Krypton in flashbacks to its glory days is pretty dull, and the punks in the oft-compared Mad Max franchise are less relatable.
Despite feeling little investment in the plot or characters, I could still appreciate some of the spectacle. Supergirl isn't as careful as Superman not to kill, after all. The humor may not be up to snuff for a James Gunn production, but the salty dialogue and peculiar music choices remind me of The Suicide Squad.
Is SG great? Nah. Does it deserve the opprobrium I've seen online? Also nah. It was worth a fair chunk of my afternoon.
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