Why is DC forcing a CGI dog to anchor an entire cinematic universe?
Synopsis
The latest DCU instalment Supergirl, follows Kara Zor-El as she journeys across space to protect a young girl from ruthless cosmic threats. Instead of a standard origin story, we dive straight into a gritty galactic adventure. Unfortunately, the narrative leans heavily on Krypto to drive the core plot forward yet again.
Cast and Performances
Milly Alcock absolutely shines as Kara, delivering fluid dialogue and deeply authentic emotion. Furthermore, her action scenes are brilliantly executed, presenting Supergirl as a strong but delightfully unrefined fighter. She strikes with an aggressive, scatty style that clearly separates her from her famous cousin.
Speaking of cousins, Superman appears far too much, which heavily distracts from Kara’s own story. One or two quick cameos would suffice. Additionally, Jason Momoa plays Lobo by essentially playing himself, unlocking a total cheat code of quirky, witty banter that provides genuine giggles.
In contrast, the supporting dynamics falter. Kara’s relationship with Ruthye, played by Eve Ridley, feels entirely hollow and empty, completely missing the emotional punch the director targets. Meanwhile, Matthias Schoenaerts delivers a great performance as the villainous Krem, but a severe lack of screen time ensures he will be quickly forgotten.
Production
On the technical side, the film offers a mixed bag of creative choices. The action sequences look fantastic, showcasing excellent choreography that highlights Kara’s raw, unpolished power. Consequently, the CGI shines brightest during these high-stakes brawls, even if the visual effects look slightly iffy during quieter moments.
However, the editing and pacing severely hurt the film’s overall momentum. The active edits are glaringly visible, causing the movie to jump from scene to scene with no genuine fluidity. Fortunately, the energetic music soundtrack tries its best to mask these rough transitions, though the jarring visual cuts still distract.
Film Review
Storywise, the DCU takes an unexpectedly dark turn with a plot revolving around space pirates kidnapping young girls. While I admire the studio’s guts to tackle such heavy material, the execution fails to deliver. Balancing eighty villains against ten young victims feels incredibly clunky and poorly handled.
Ultimately, as the third entry into this new universe, the movie simply lacks a tangible story and a properly fleshed-out villain. I do not hate dogs, but we seriously need to let Krypto go after two consecutive films. Therefore, this uneven adventure is definitely one to save for streaming.
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