4 Reasons ‘Supergirl’ May Not Be Right for Every Family
Movies
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By Michael Foust, Movies
Supergirl Is No Role Model (At Least – Not Yet)
James Gunn, the co-CEO of DC Studios, has said in recent years that Supergirl was inspired by the comic book series Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, which portrays Kara not as the hopeful, optimistic hero in the mold of Superman but rather as a cynical, emotionally scarred young woman who is angry about her parents’ death. (Like Superman, she lost her mom and dad when Krypton was destroyed.) Because of that, she drinks … a lot.
The film opens with punk rock music blaring in the background as Kara (Milly Alcock) wakes up on a distant planet after an apparent binge, with food boxes and trash scattered across the floor and Krypto randomly urinating around the room. The next scene finds Kara in a bar, drinking heavily – apparently celebrating her birthday – as alien patrons around her drink, debate, and revel.
The plot takes a turn when a young girl named Ruthye (Eve Ridley) enters the bar and announces that her parents and brother were murdered by a ruthless band of outlaws known as the Brigands – and she is searching for revenge against their leader, Krem. At first, Kara shows no interest. “That's not our problem,” she tells Krypto as she takes another drink. She reluctantly steps in only after a large alien steals Ruthye's sword and quickly defeats him in a fight.
Kara’s priorities change again moments later, when Krem shoots Krypto with a poisoned dart and escapes – leaving Kara with only three days to track down Krem, recover the antidote, and save her dog, which is her last living connection to Krypton.
After several refusals, she allows Ruthye to join her on the mission. Their goal is the same: Find Krem.
Kara makes clear her view of the universe is very different from her more famous cousin, Superman. (“He’s a freaking nerd,” she tells Ruthye, adding that he “sees the good in everyone, and I see the truth.”) She also curses (a lot) more than Superman. (She flips off a villain, too.) Kara is cynical about people, distrustful of others, and pessimistic about life in general.
Of course, Kara and Ruthye share a common bond, each having lost their parents to tragedy.
Photo Credit: ©DC
It’s Mad Max meets DC
DC movies are often visually and thematically darker than their Marvel counterparts, and Supergirl fully embraces that approach. It presents a grim universe populated by grimy, battle-worn characters and desolate worlds that evoke Mad Max.
Krem (Matthias Schoenaerts) is a ruthless space pirate whose face is covered with metal studs and who kills simply because he enjoys it. (He murders Ruthye's parents even after they honor their agreement with him – and yes, the audience sees it.) Jason Momoa's Lobo is a leather-clad, axe-wielding bounty hunter with face paint, a heavy chain around his neck, and an intimidating presence, even though he eventually becomes a semi-ally to Supergirl.
The film's most likable character is Ruthye, who begins her journey consumed by revenge but gradually must decide whether vengeance will truly bring her peace or only deepen her pain.
Nearly everything in Supergirl is dark – the planets, the prison system, the villains, and, at least partially, even its title character. Most characters look as though they belong in the “before” photo of a soap commercial – and they're the last people you'd want to encounter in a dark alley.
Photo Credit: ©DC
It’s Super-Violent
Every superhero film includes some violence, but Supergirl pushes the boundaries with multiple scenes that are more graphic and intense than what audiences typically expect from the genre. We watch as Ruthye's family is murdered. Multiple characters are stabbed. Near the end, a villain is killed with a sword, including a fatal blow to the throat. Of course, the film includes the typical amount of punching and kicking.
That content is reflected in the film's PG-13 rating, which cites "sequences of strong violence." By comparison, 2025's Superman received a PG-13 rating for simply "violence."
Language in Supergirl is excessive, too (see details below).
Photo Credit: ©DC
A Redemptive Arc Emerges – But It Takes Too Long
Redemption is the hallmark of a great story. After all, it's the central theme of humanity's story in Scripture, fulfilled through Jesus Christ.
Supergirl does include a redemptive arc – but it takes nearly the entire film to get there. That's because the movie is essentially an origin story, showing how Kara became the hero audiences (hopefully) will see in future DC films. At the outset, she's cynical, careless, and emotionally scarred by unimaginable loss.
A lengthy flashback shows a younger Kara on Krypton, joyful and full of life before the planet's destruction. Unlike Superman, who escaped as an infant and was raised by adoptive parents on Earth, Kara witnessed Krypton's final days firsthand, watching her world and loved ones perish before escaping herself. We also learn that her mother urged her to be kind and to protect those too weak to defend themselves.
Ruthye eventually confronts Kara with a painful truth, telling her she stays drunk because “you never have to feel anything.” (“I do not want to be like you,” Ruthye says.) By the film’s final minutes, however, Kara says her drinking days are behind her as she dons her familiar red-and-blue cape – a visual reminder that she is finally embracing the hero she was meant to become.
That's not to say Supergirl won't win over DC fans and older moviegoers. But parents may find the road to redemption far longer – and far darker – than they expected.
Rated PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, action, language, and smoking. Language details: s–t (10), a– (2), b––rd (1), OMG (1), single misuse of “God” (1), “whore” (1).
Entertainment rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars. Family-friendly rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars.
Photo Credit: ©DC
