DC Comics got a much-needed cinematic reboot with last year’s “Superman,” which fully embraced a goofier, more lighthearted era of comic books that featured oddball side characters like Hawkgirl, Mr. Terrific and, most famously, Krypto the Superdog.
Also introduced in a cameo was Krypto’s owner and Superman’s rowdy cousin Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl (played by Milly Alcock).
Now headlining her own movie, “Supergirl,” Kara gest to be seen as a more fully formed character.
Kara’s outlook isn’t quite as rosy as Superman’s, as the only other survivor of Krypton, she has memories of her former planet and mourns its destruction.
Adrift, Kara spends most of her time on alien planets, preferably ones with red suns that leave her without powers and able to feel the effects of partying and heavy drinking.
She then stumbles across a young girl, Ruthye (Eve Ridley) who is seeking revenge on a ruthless warlord Krem (Matthias Schoenaerts) who murdered her entire family. Kara is reluctant to join Ruthye’s cause but starts to embrace her heroic side until Krem makes it personal.
Also, Jason Momoa shows up for some unclear reason as an intergalactic bounty hunter named Lobo. He doesn’t have much to add here other than looking badass while smoking a cigar. Maybe that’s enough.
“Supergirl” is an entertaining but entirely disposable film. The first half of the movie is where it is at its best, as Kara bounces around space meeting weird, grubby aliens in a way that feels like having your own personal booth in Star Wars’ Mos Eisley Cantina.
But then the proceedings get very conventional and the movie plays out the well-worn superhero chase-punch-explode formula that you have seen a million times before.
So while the movie itself doesn’t have much to offer beyond mindless popcorn fare, we do end up with one major positive to hang our hat on and that is Alcock’s performance as Supergirl.
She brings a fun, punk-rock edge to the character while also giving her a lot of heart and charisma. “Supergirl” the movie may be forgettable, but Supergirl the character has a bright future and is a good counterpoint to Superman’s boy-scout positivity. Supergirl is in good hands.
“Supergirl” is rated PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, action, language and smoking.
