Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this tween-appropriate comic book story features Superman's cousin Kara fighting for justice this time. The violence always incorporates good vs. evil, and most of the more intense battle scenes involve the heroine (and occasionally her mortal friends) going up against a wicked sorceress. All types of weapons are used (from knives to a nauseating amusement park ride), but there's never any blood or gore. The heroine, a high school-aged superhero, presents a good role model for tweens (and even younger girls), and the character is juxtaposed against a ruthless female villain whose minions occasionally drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes. In terms of the fright-factor, this film has some mildly scary scenes and Supergirl's mentor tragically dies in a brief non-graphic scene. Overall the mood is lighter than anything you'd see in the Batman series, with much of the feel of the first Superman movie with Christopher Reeve.
Families can talk about the themes of good vs. evil. Why and how does Supergirl present a positive role model for everyone, not just girls and women? What thoughts and actions make the sorceress such a bad egg? Families can also get into some interesting and fun research of the history of comic books and superheroes -- what year was the first Superman comic book introduced, and what was going on in the world for society to want/need such a strong, idealistic hero?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Ellen Dendy
Superman's younger cousin, Kara (aka Supergirl), travels to Earth to retrieve the Omegahedron, an object vital to the existence of her alien people that has fallen into the hands of wicked sorceress Selena (Faye Dunaway). On the outskirts of Metropolis, Supergirl (Helen Slater) disguises herself as a boarding school student and miraculously befriends Lois Lane's younger sister and intrepid newspaper photographer Jimmy Olsen (Marc McClure, who portrayed Olsen alongside Christopher Reeve's Superman).
The fight of good vs. evil begins as soon as Selena realizes that Supergirl is searching for the all-powerful Omegahedron. The wicked sorceress goes up against Supergirl in many non-graphic, comic book-style battles. Like many superhero stories, Selena's evilness is exaggerated and her followers are as dumb as doorknobs. Like her older cousin, Supergirl finds romance on planet Earth, but her heart belongs to her mission of peace and justice; not even her first love will distract her from her superhero duties.
As superheroes go, Kara is a fine female role model, but at the same time Helen Slater's portrayal here often feels wooden. Viewers of any age may find it hard to connect with the character. Screen legends Faye Dunaway and Peter O'Toole were both nominated for "worst performance" Razzie awards, but Dunaway's over-the-top turn stands out as one of the best things in this lackluster film. Some of the more complex action scenes are intense, but there are a lot of scenes that drag on far too long. Any attempt at humor and comic relief in the script falls flat.
That said, this is a fine film for tweens to watch if you're open to something that feels more like a made-for-TV movie -- that is, don't expect the same quality of the 1978 Superman.
Families who enjoy this movie may also enjoySuperman, Superman II, The Powerpuff Girls Movie, and the TV show Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentSome kissing. |
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ViolenceStandard comic book fights involving various weapons, but no gore. |
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LanguageOccasional use of "s--t" and "Jesus" as an exclamation. |
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Social BehaviorOf course it's nice to have a female superhero in the spotlight! |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoWicked sorceress and her minions drink and smoke. |
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