Supergirl (2026) is a fun and entertaining enough superheroine blockbuster movie that, unfortunately, falls victim to the many setbacks in the modern era of filmmaking that prevent it from being a truly great, breathtaking and memorable monument to the art of cinema and theater-going; to the artful mainstream, public pop culture sphere. Like, "
It could have been so much better, and at some point during development, it most likely was."
Of course I blame late-stage capitalism, greed, cutting financial corners at every level, and the cowardice of modern corporations and their aversion to taking any risks. This is despite the fact that taking risks is part of what filmmaking - what creating art and entertainment in general - is supposed to be about.
I miss eighties and nineties movies - remember when mainstream cinema made an effort, took risks, went big, and could actually shock you, and create moments in film that stay with you for a lifetime? It's not originality that's dead - it's creators' passion and care that are dead or dying. Remember when filmmakers cared about what they were doing? When they took the effort - went the extra mile - to please themselves and audiences, in giving them not only what they wanted but what they needed? Giving them what they didn't even know they wanted and needed? When writers, directors, producers - storytellers - had something they wanted to say, that needed to be said, and they said it, no holding back, no compromises, no censorship?
Remember when going to see a movie was an experience, an event, that you would never forget? When awes were earned? When movies were not only fun and charming, but challenging and life-changing? These were no mere escapist fiction, but an important message told through entertainment. Messages that were big and important, and thus you were made to feel big and important yourself, in being gifted the knowledge and experience.
When films mattered, and could challenge you brain, and touch your heart and soul, it made it easier to believe you mattered, too, because the films put the effort into telling you so, in their own way, as you were worth the time and effort. You were worth it. You were respected.
Change and challenge in film is good, is what I'm driving home at. Change and challenge and creativity and care. It's what makes art.
Now that's an aspect of nostalgia I can get behind.
(Superman (2025) is all the above to an extent, which Supergirl, like the edgy little sister that tries hard but not hard enough to be like her big brother, doesn't quite land in achieving; even knowing it was never meant to be as colourful and hopeful, though both superhero films are mature in vastly different ways.)
Still,
Supergirl does take some risks - even though they're not always for the better, the progressive - and the acting is absolutely superb. Your mileage may vary on whether it is "safe", but it is definitely not "soft". A few changes from the Supergirl comic book lore - including its main inspiration,
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow - left me baffled, however. And I'm
not cool with the recent movie trend/tactic of female-lead-is-given-no-romantic-interest-not-for-asexual-representation-or-female-independence-but-as-a-way-to-avoid-any-queer-representation-whatsoever-to-pander-to-moronic-and-whiny-queerphobic-"fan"babies-and-conservatives-and-the-Chinese-box-office-market.
But Supergirl is by no means mediocre or worthless. I like its action sequences, its space and different planet settings, its female camaraderie, friendship, support and presence themes, and the unconventional "unlikeable" heroine. Based on the evidence onscreen, I hope it wasn't in fact made by soulless ghouls calling themselves storytellers and entertainers, with soulless intentions in mind.
We need more mainstream superheroine media, dammit. So despite how Supergirl could have been more (though I might be completely satisfied with it in hindsight and on further examination and analysis, who knows), I'm supporting and defending it to the ends of the bloody cosmos.
And at least, unlike the most overhyped, overblown and bloated MCU properties, Supergirl is short and contains no end-credit sequences. There is no baiting, pandering or piss-taking in that area.
No, I'm not burnt out yet; not suffering from superheroine fatigue. Not ever.
Order of favourite DC superheroine films, starting from the top:
Wonder Woman (2017)
Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020)
Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
Also, just because I can, here are my favourite Marvel superheroine films, from the top:
Captain Marvel (2019)
Black Widow (2021)
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) (it counts!)
The Marvels (2023)
