ATTITUDE WITHOUT ALTITUDE

 

MOVIE
Supergirl
Director Craig Gillespie
Review Ray Chan

The film begins with a super-powered dog relieving itself in spectacular fashion, setting the anarchic tone for the second film in James Gunn’s rebooted DC Universe.
   Supergirl makes its intentions abundantly clear. This isn't the wholesome, wide-eyed cousin of Superman that comic readers grew up with. Instead, this is Kara Zor-El as an intergalactic teenager with an attitude problem, a short fuse and an eye-roll permanently set to maximum. It's a bold reinvention, even if it seems to replace irreverence for personality.
   Two Aussies are at the helm of this movie. Director Craig Gillespie embraces chaos from the outset, sending Kara hurtling across worlds teeming with bizarre alien life forms. Every corner of the cosmos seems populated by strange species or peculiar creatures, giving the film an almost Guardians of the Galaxy-style sense of visual excess.
   Sydneysider Milly Alcock throws herself into lead the role with conviction, playing Supergirl less as an earnest symbol of hope than as a reluctant cosmic delinquent. This version drinks, swears, picks fights and generally behaves like someone who's only reluctantly accepted the burden of saving the universe.
    Whether that makes her more relatable or simply less recognisable will depend on how attached you are to the source material.
   Interestingly, Kryptonian biology apparently now accommodates intoxication. Watching someone who can survive explosions, lasers and interstellar travel become gloriously drunk raises questions the script never bothers answering. If alcohol can affect an otherwise invulnerable alien, perhaps the real superpower is an exceptionally potent space cocktail.
   That carefree disregard for logic largely defines the movie. The plot exists mainly as connective tissue between action sequences, jokes and colourful encounters with the galaxy's many oddball inhabitants. The pacing rarely slows long enough to let emotional moments breathe, and several characters drift in and out before they've made much of an impression.
   Case in point: bounty hunter Lobo, whose arrival promises glorious mayhem. Jason Momoa bridges two eras of DC filmmaking by depicting the spacefaring mercenary, after defining the heroic Arthur Curry (Aquaman) in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU).
   Unfortunately, after all the anticipation, he contributes almost nothing to the plot. He's essentially an expensive cameo with muscles: a character who appears, looks imposing and then politely steps aside while everyone else finishes the movie.
   The rest of the supporting cast is a mixed bag. The young girl Ruthye, intent on avenging her family’s death, is intended to provide the emotional heart of the story, but instead at times proves more irritating than endearing. Much of her dialogue is difficult to decipher, making it surprisingly hard to connect with a character who occupies so much screen time.
   Meanwhile, villain Krem makes the baffling decision to drift into what sounds like a Russian accent. Whether this was a deliberate acting choice, or simply a mannerism that wandered off during production, remains anyone's guess.
   David Corenswet’s short cameos as an avuncular Superman in the form of a mentor and guiding light for Kara are, however, a delight. It reaffirm’s Gunn’s selection of him as the perfect actor for the new man of steel.
   Supergirl has enough charm to avoid becoming a complete misfire. It’s entertaining without ever becoming particularly memorable. It's eager to prove that its protagonist isn't the polite, naive Kryptonian of old, but spends so much energy rebelling against expectations that it forgets to establish who she actually is.
   Is this heroine flying high? It’s more grounded by its own inability to decide what kind of adventure it wants to be. It's energetic, colourful and packed with spectacle, yet somehow never quite escapes orbit.

 #supergirl2026 #universal

HE'S MASTER'S VOICE RESOUNDS

 

MOVIE
Masters of the Universe
Director Travis Knight
Review Ray Chan

For a property that began life as a line of action figures designed to separate children from their pocket money, Masters of the Universe arrives with an unexpectedly earnest heart. Under the direction of Travis Knight, whose Bumblebee demonstrated an ability to eke out emotion amid toy-based corporate filmmaking, this trip to the world of Eternia aims for something more substantial than mere nostalgia exploitation.
    The plot follows Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine), a well-meaning if occasionally accident-prone young royal who discovers that he is destined to wield the Power Sword and become He-Man, champion of Castle Grayskull and protector of a kingdom of immense magic and advanced technology. Standing in his way is the evil Skeletor, played by Jared Leto with a theatrical abandon that ignores any semblance of subtlety.
    He-Man's iconic look is a blend of sword-and-sorcery fantasy and futuristic space warrior: a towering, heavily-sinewed, blonde barbarian wearing a fur-lined loincloth and tall, furry brown boots. He is most recognisable by his polished iron chest harness with a gray cross emblem.
    Galitzine proves an engaging centrepiece. Rather than presenting Adam as a pre-packaged hero, the film allows him moments of uncertainty and awkwardness before he grows into the role. His He-Man remains noble and brave, but refreshingly human beneath the mountains of muscle.
    The film's tone is perhaps its greatest surprise. The dialogue is knowingly corny, packed with grand declarations, melodramatic threats and enough questionable one-liners to fill an entire Saturday morning cartoon schedule. Yet it rarely feels cynical. Knight appears to understand that the material only works if everyone commits completely to its inherent absurdity.
    No one commits harder than Leto. His Skeletor is gloriously overcooked, complete with maniacal laughter that should sound ridiculous but somehow emerges as strangely convincing. It is the performance of a man who understands that an immortal skull-faced sorcerer is not the place to exercise restraint.
    If the film occasionally stumbles, it is under the weight of its own mythology. Callbacks, characters, and Easter eggs arrive with machine-gun frequency. Longtime devotees of Eternia's lore will likely spend much of the running time nudging companions and whispering explanations. Casual viewers may occasionally feel as though they have wandered into the middle of a reunion party where everyone else knows the in-jokes.
    Still, the spectacle is hard to resist. The production design embraces the colourful weirdness of it all, delivering monstrous creatures, oversized weapons and fantasy landscapes with considerable flair. Fans will especially love watching Adam’s cowardly green pet tiger, Cringer, transform into Battle Cat, a massive, armoured feline that serves as his steed in combat.
    And yes, there are post-credit scenes. The absence of two major characters throughout the main feature proves conspicuous enough that even newcomers may suspect something is being held back. Their eventual appearance all but confirms that the studio hopes this is merely the first chapter in a larger saga.
    Masters of the Universe is an entertaining, good-natured adventure powered by strong performances, impressive visuals, and an admirable willingness to embrace the delightful silliness of its source material. It may leave non-fans scratching their heads at some of the references, but for audiences willing to surrender to its peculiar wavelength, the Power of Grayskull remains surprisingly potent.

#mastersoftheuniverse #heman