If you looked up the director and writer for Supergirl and expected to see James Gunn credited – you’d be surprised. Despite having all the hallmarks, set pieces, and action sequences of a James Gunn film, it’s actually written by Ana Nogueira and directed by Craig Gillespie. James Gunn is credited as a producer on a film, even though it feels like it was written and directed by him. Does that mean that James Gunn’s style will be synonymous with that of the DCU’s style?

Synopsis of Supergirl

Supergirl (2026) is a superhero film that is the second instalment in the DCU (DC Universe) film franchise. It follows the titular character, who is the super-powered cousin of Superman, as she journeys through the universe to save her loved one. In the process she learns more about herself and what drives her, even as she encounters threats that are dangerous enough to kill her.

Director: Craig Gillespie

Writer: Ana Nogueira

Cast:

• Milly Alcock (Supergirl/Kara Zor-El)
• Matthias Schoenaerts (Krem of the Yellow Hills)
• Eve Ridley (Ruthye Marye Knoll)
• David Krumholtz (Zor-El)
• Emily Beecham (Alura In-Ze)
• David Corenswet (Superman/Kal-El/Clark Kent)
• Jason Momoa (Lobo)
• Ferdinand Kingsley (Elias Knoll)
• Emily Piggford (Delilah Knoll)

Feels very James Gunn

If you’ve watched James Gunn’s intergalactic superhero films, then you’ll know what I’m talking about. It’s the depiction of alien races and locations in a grungy, gritty fashion. It’s the presence of alien gangsters and louts. It’s the incredibly warm colour grading in the shots. It’s the slo-mo action sequence played to an intentionally dissonant music track. And it works for the most part. But this made me wonder what director Craig Gillespie’s style would have been like if there was less oversight, and how the story would have played out in the hands of writer Ana Nogueira.

Good action

Supergirl, by virtue of her superpowers (flight, super strength, invulnerability, heat vision, and so on), mandates an action film. She’s Kryptonian, and to us they are effectively gods. Watching a movie about her is, in a way, watching a film about what a god would do in the mortal realm. Supergirl delivers on this part, giving us action scenes galore regardless of Supergirl’s power level. The scenes shine whether she’s using all her Kryptonian powers, or when her strength fluctuates.

Explores the alien cultures of the DCU

Admittedly, I’ve never heard of many of the alien races mentioned in the film, so it was a treat to see the DCU being expanded in this way. It shows us that beyond Earth, there are many other vantages of the DCU to explore, worlds that have alien beings that could rival Kryptonians in power. That potentially means that the DCU could defy predictability in future films and bring less well-known characters to the silver screen.

The film’s budget constraints are obvious

Supergirl is a movie about a character who is effectively a goddess, yet she’s constantly depowered. There’s the usual suspects, like a red sun and Kryptonite, and there are in-story reasons for why Supergirl intentionally seeks out ways to dampen her powers. And while it’s creative to see other ways which Supergirl can be weakened, it also strains the suspension of disbelief to see her succumb to toxins or other types of solar energy. Presumably it’s so that she doesn’t wrap up the plot in 5 minutes, but it also feels like it’s a function of the movie’s budget.

Supergirl’s character arc feels unearned

Supergirl is mainly on an escapist trip for much of the film, for her own personal reasons. She’s depicted as kind-hearted but a bit aloof, wanting to keep her distance from others. Supergirl is also shown as getting inebriated, which I personally am on the fence about. Yet after a prolonged near death experience, Supergirl changes her tune and becomes a more straightforward and openly good character. There are flashbacks and narrative elements to show how she comes to this conclusion, but it doesn’t seem to be due to Supergirl’s actions. Rather, it feels like the plot happens to her, rather than she moving the plot along. It’s great that we eventually get a more likeable Supergirl by the end, but how we get there doesn’t resonate.

Should you watch Supergirl?

Yes you should watch the film, if you like to see more of the DCU or you like James Gunn’s style of movies. The film entertains and is a different treatment of Supergirl than we’ve seen in other forms of media, and it does its job of giving a reason to put Supergirl on Earth by the end (so that she can battle the forces of evil alongside Superman). It does feel like a product of James Gunn more than that of the director and writer, and there are some parts of the narrative which needed more motivation. Nevertheless, the action satisfies as we see a strong female character on screen. There are no post-credit scenes (surprise!)

Score: 7/10

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Off-Screen Productivity: All your emotions are valid

Supergirl is, as the main character puts it, fundamentally a film about the unprocessed grief that a character bears. She spends much of her time trying to avoid feeling the emotions that have been bottled up inside of her, thanks to the trauma that she has faced. Of course, she processes it in a rather physical and action-packed way, as is fitting of a superhero movie. But if she had realised all her emotions are valid – even her difficult ones – then the movie might have had a very different conclusion (or even inception).

After watching Supergirl, think about what emotions that you have been avoiding. Remember that all emotions are valid and all emotions are ultimately for our survival – negative emotions help us with short-term survival, while positive emotions are about our long-term survival. What emotions have you been avoiding – and more importantly, what actions have you been taking that subconsciously reveal that you are avoiding those emotions?

Then think about how you can process those emotions – taking time to feel it, understand it, and accept it – so that you can spend less time and energy on those unprocessed emotions, and regain control of your own actions.