Don Shanahan
Supergirl, DC Studios’ newest feature superhero universe film, arrived on the big screen this summer to a mild audience response and weak box office results. The summer tentpole spinoff now has its second life to win over viewers and find new fans on streaming services and physical media. After a digital debut in July, the 4K-UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD editions of Supergirl arrived on store shelves and online shopping sites on September 8th. Film Obsessive received an advance copy from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment to review for another edition of our “Off the Shelf” physical media series.
THE FILM
After a cameo in last summer’s hit Superman, Milly Alcock was granted this full film to star in the dual role of Kryptonian survivor Kara Zor-El and soon-to-be Earthbound heroine Supergirl. Directed by I, Tonya and Cruella filmmaker Craig Gillespie and penned by playwright/actress/screenwriter Ana Nogueira, Supergirl loosely adapts the celebrated Tom King and Bilquis Evely comic miniseries, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. Jay Rohr wrote Film Obsessive’s formal full review of the film in June for its theatrical release.
Last summer’s Superman, under the stewardship of James Gunn, took enormous effort to mold the temperament of David Corenswet’s Man of Steel to be more positive and prudent than the previous DCEU incarnation played by Henry Cavill. After Alcock’s buzzed debut arguing over Krypto at the end of the movie, this new Supergirl was shown to be cut from a different cloth than Corenswet or the do-gooder seasons of television given to Melissa Benoist to embody the character. Unlike Clark Kent, who cherishes the ideals of home and sees the good in people, Kara-El chooses to see the truth. Seen in key flashbacks throughout the film, she was old enough to witness the destruction of Krypton and her parents’ (David Krumholtz and Emily Beecham) desperate evacuation on the force field-protected city of Argos, and her own exile to Earth. As said in the film, Kara has a “heavy heart to know sorrow,” and that trait tints the character’s optimism.
In its inaugural flight into the new DC Cinematic Universe, Supergirl reveals the origin of Kara Zor-El as an interplanetary nomad. Headstrong, worldly-wise, and often reckless, Supergirl exudes a brand of heroism all her own—relatable and always on her own terms. When an unexpected and ruthless adversary named Krem of the Yellow Hills (played by the overqualified Belgian actor Matthias Schoenaerts) strikes too close to home and destroys the family life of a fellow wayward female, Ruthye Marye Knoll (voice actress Eve Ridley), Kara reluctantly joins forces with her and attracts the bounty-hunting attention of the notorious space-faring heavy, Lobo (Jason Momoa). Together they undertake an epic, interstellar journey, struggling to balance their need for vengeance with the pursuit of justice—and to save the life of an incapacitated Krypto. Ultimately, Supergirl will prove that doing good can be tough…and it doesn’t always have to be nice.
Altogether, with its character-building personal quest, Supergirl is better than a formulaic origin story. Milly Alcock, thanks to all that posing work in her favor and the patience to hold putting the cape and big red “S” on her until the finale, builds to the kind of awe and presence the character needs. When we see her next, likely alongside Superman in 2027’s Man of Tomorrow, she’ll be in a different place and mindset from this adventure, and that promise counts as positive mojo—attitude and all.
THE DISC
Presented by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, the 4K-UHD disc of Supergirl is tuned to the usual top-of-the-line Dolby Atmos TrueHD sound quality and high dynamic range picture quality. Stepping down to Blu-ray, a traditional Dolby Digital track is the main option. To no one’s surprise, the movie looks and sounds fantastic even with its busy sound mix of effects and soundtrack and the intentionally dirty palette. It’s becoming rare for a film made at this level to ever look worse on the small screen, and that successful transfer is appreciated versus the possible buffering blurs when watching this film on a streaming platform.
Each disc edition of Supergirl boasts 90 minutes of bonus features, including a selection of deleted scenes. Sadly, as is too often the case behind WB’s plain menu design, there are no filmmaker or cast commentary tracks. Considering director Craig Gillespie’s positive track record with dynamic female characters, producer James Gunn’s hands-on involvement in the DC universe, and star Milly Alcock’s defiant stances against her casting, there are missing voices that could have defended and solidified this movie’s intentions through the sharing of positive on-set and behind-the-scenes experiences. The remaining short featurette inclusions are as follows:
The Making of Supergirl. True to tropes, consider Supergirl a “hero’s journey” for Milly Alcock. The now 26-year-old Australian actress transformed throughout the process of leading her first feature film. During this piece, we watch as a fly-on-the-wall during key moments of production.
Flying Off the Page. The aforementioned source material, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, is shown as the jumping-off point for DC to adapt Supergirl into a film. This series of interviews follows the comic authors, screenwriter Ana Nogueira, and filmmakers as they make the arduous leap from page to screen.
Space is a Bad Neighborhood, Babe. Production designer Neil Lamont is the point of focus, leading an exploration through art direction and film sets. He takes viewers through the many worlds that Kara Zor-El steps into on her journey to hunt down Krem of the Yellow Hills.
A Practical Legacy. Favoring more arts and crafts than the usual VFX, Supergirl did an excellent job with tangible makeup and costume work. The film boasts so many aliens and unique looks. To show how they pulled it off, the team at Legacy Effects and Peter Swords King explain the creative process behind this diverse group of creatures.
Showdown at Evely Square. Production spent a month filming a set-piece featuring Supergirl and Lobo battling Krem’s soldiers in the air and on the ground in an urban slum environment. From stunt training and crashing tanks to classic superhero flying moments, this production diary breaks down the making of that expansive action scene.
The DC Dream: Lobo. Though he made big splashes playing Aquaman, Jason Momoa has been outspoken for years about wanting to play Lobo. The open space landscape of Supergirl made the time to bring his cult favorite character into a film for the first time. This featurette is a typically giddy behind-the-scenes piece of the actor transforming into this chaotic character.
Mixtape for a Hero. One of the more unique traits of Supergirl is its soundtrack as it sought to blaze a different trail than going back to John Williams-esque themes. Director Craig Gillespie and composer Claudia Sarne answer this question as they discuss the score for the film.
You Are Here: A Supergirl Map of the Galaxy. For the world-building and Easter egg-hunting crowd, this feature tells viewers more about all the planets visited in the movie. Narrated by Eve Ridley, the diverse alien aesthetics and deeper details are on full display.
Girl’s Best Friend. The super-pup Krypto stole the show last year with Superman. While the plot has him ailing on the sidelines in Supergirl, the beloved canine is still Kara’s best friend and last connection to her home planet of Krypton. This production piece delves into that cute relationship.
Krypto Saves the Day: Coastal Catastrophe. Lastly, in the special features section is this animated short film, a continuation of one sampled last year on the Superman disc packages. Krypto Saves the Day: Coastal Catastrophe tells the story of a fun day at the beach, which goes sideways when some sneaky adversaries get between Krypto and his hot dog.
