Supergirl Directed By Craig Gillespie Breaks Comic Book Expectations Through Stunning Cinematography

Credit: Warner Bros

As many of DC fans will be buzzing about (much like myself) Supergirl, directed by Craig Gillespie starring powerhouse Milly Alcock, upcoming star Eve Ridley and comedic relief Jason Mamoa, this DC story translates the decades old comic into a timeless film perfectly. For casting Kara Zor-El, I really believe Milly Alcock couldn’t have been a better Supergirl.

It is the second film in the DC universe (DCU) and has broken the stereotypes we’ve seen for female characters in a way that feels natural. When you see her on screen, it feels like you’ve pulled Alcock straight from Tom King's comic ‘Woman of Tomorrow’. While the aesthetics and scenery are very different from the comics' colourful scenes, the desert-like metallic space atmosphere Kara spends most of her time trying to fight  off villain Krem of the yellow hills. After watching, the film proved to me the message that strength is not measured solely by physical power but by the courage to continue despite grief, uncertainty and failure.

Credit: Warner Bros

Plot summary

The journey Kara embarks on in this film felt like one of the most adventurous DC has done yet. Not only does it explore Kara’s extravagant birthday celebrations spent with her chaotic dog Krypto (which, in classic Supergirl style, lasted over a week) that her cousin Clark shows interest and some endearing concern in, but what stood out most to me is her emotional backstory. After her home planet Krypton becomes destroyed, a pinnacle moment in the entire Superman and DC universe for both comic and movie adaptations alike, Kara has no choice but to leave her father and late mother to establish a new life on earth. 

Through montages,  the director perfectly translated the devastation and confusion Kara and her best friend (and dog), Krypto were experiencing, slowly morphing into hope and a wholesomely messy life together on earth, in Metropolis. However, we as the audience discover why Kara leaves earth so often and returns to red sun planets: to leave her incredible powers behind and feel like a regular human.

David Corenswent ‘Superman’s brief appearance cleverly highlights the philosophical and difference in mindset that the two cousins have. While Superman displays his powers as a tool to him, using them to save others before tragedy strikes in Metropolis, Kara opposes Clark in a much more ‘relatable’ way. A 23 year old girl who simply wants peace and to live her life to the fullest…mostly spent on nights out which lead to us seeing her waking up the next morning in her van, hungover. While yes, DC acknowledges she is the one and only Supergirl by showing off her powers effortlessly, what I love most about Milly Alcock's representation of Kara Zor-El is she’s also just a girl figuring out her superpowers gained from her home planet Krypton. 

For me, when I see a young female character that is polished and perfected to the very last touch, a part of me sighs with relief. While its great to see diversity in personalities across movies and TV, women have spent so long being made to believe they must be perfect, both physically and emotionally. 

As opposed to Lex Luthor Superman’s conniving and cunning nemesis, who plans to never move before taking action, while immersed in the film's first 30 minutes, I very swiftly discovered Kara’s newfound enemy Krem, portrayed by Matthias Schoenaerts to have absolutely no filter. It’s refreshing to see, after so long villainous characters with an intense back story and mind control, a villain that simply kills because of their evil antics. I felt it was incredibly important to have this kind of character for Kara to fight off, and aim to destroy right back, because it proves her strength and how much she takes advantage of her powers for good-simply to save others, but also herself. 

Credit: Warner Bros

Krem of the Yellow Hills

Let’s talk about all things DC villains. This is the second villain we’ve seen produced by James Gunn in the DCU and couldn’t be any more different to the last-of course, the one and only Lex Luthor. An intriguing take on Krem that writer Ana Nogueira and producer James Gunn created within Krem is his complete and utter manic personality. Matthias Schoenaerts plays Krem in a way far more complex than a typical comic-book villain. He is a ruthless mercenary and war criminal whose actions drive the entire story. Early in the film, he murders Ruthye Marye Knoll's father, setting Ruthye on a relentless quest for revenge. While Kara crosses paths with Ruthye, she reluctantly agrees to help her track Krem across the galaxy. This journey becomes both a hunt for justice and a test of Kara's own beliefs about vengeance, mercy and heroism.

The screenplay also simplifies some of the moral ambiguity present in the original comic. While the film remains emotionally engaging, fans of Tom King's source material may find that certain philosophical complexities have been streamlined in favour of a broader cinematic audience.

Female empowerment 

Now since this is Supergirl we’re discussing, I researched what others find most empowering when it comes to female representation on the big screen. 

Women are the forefront of this story, particularly young women. 

Young star Eva and Jason Momoa's banter on screen shines through this film. Ruthies character particularly stood out and throughout tgis film showed a stellar performance of a young girl dealing with grief. The emotion in her eyes, her desperation turned determination to get Kara’s help and fight alongside her, with simply her family heirloom sword proves not all DC characters need superpowers, they just need strength.

The emotional chemistry between the two by the end of the film feels like a sisterly bond formed throughout-it seemed their connection translated beautifully from the comics to live in action. Many have reported they loved seeing Alcock's portrayal as Kara ‘flawed’.  Certain supporting characters receive limited development despite intriguing introductions, leaving audiences wanting more time with them. Likewise, some tonal shifts between heartfelt drama and comedic banter feel abrupt, creating occasional inconsistency. A highlight I particularly want to note first and foremost is this is the first Eve SOLO Supergirl film I’ve ever seen directed. It’s not Superman with Supergirl appearances, it’s not the Justice League mentioning Kara’s character. It is all about her!     

                                                                                                                                                              In comparison with previous representations of Supergirl on screen, such as most well known CBS’s ‘Supergirl’, audiences may receive a slower-paced action movie. Nonetheless, lot of scenes spread across confidently portray Kara’s strength and speed, as well as her reaction to Green Sun/ Kryptonite-dominated planets, which felt cool to see a similarity between the previous depictions of Supergirl on TV shows ‘Smallville’ and ‘Supergirl’ Whether Supergirl ultimately reshapes the future of the DC Universe remains to be seen, but it undeniably establishes Kara Zor-El as one of its most emotionally compelling protagonists.

Credit: Warner Bros

A film not to be missed, Supergirl is currently showing at cinemas all across the UK right now.

Article by Thea McGarahan