 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Supergirl
- Review Date: January 15, 2007
- PG
- Genre: Fantasy
- 1984
Common Sense Media says
Female superhero can't save this '80s clunker.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this tween-appropriate film as comic book-style violence. 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.There are some mildly scary scenes and Supergirl's mentor tragically dies in a brief non-graphic scene.
What's the story?
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 in town. The wicked sorceress and her nitwit minions take on Supergirl in many non-graphic, comic book-style battles. Supergirl finds romance on planet Earth, but she will not allow her first love to distract her from her superhero duties.
Is it any good?
As superheroes go, Kara is a fine female role model, but Helen Slater's acting 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.
What families can talk about
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?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
Good movie for kids.Supergirl is so awesome.I think more girls will like this movie more then boys.
Was this review useful?
|
|
Kid, 11 years old
March 4, 2012
AGE
Don't bother. Watch another Superman movie.
It's good for little girls but not anyone else. Christopher Reeve was going to be in this movie but he hated the script and he flew away into some other work including the also bad Superman IV that didn't make it's money back! The director that made this movie only cared about the special effects and not the plot at all. If you have a boy that's a fan of the Superman film franchise he won't like it that much but if you have a little girl she'll like it.
Was this review useful?
|
|
| Topics: | superheroes, adventures |
| Studio: | Warner Home Video |
| Director: | Jeannot Szwarc |
| Cast: | Faye Dunaway, Helen Slater, Peter O'Toole |
| Genre: | Fantasy |
| Run time: | 125 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | January 16, 1984 |
| DVD release date: | November 26, 2006 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | mild violence |
Review It
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
Already seen it? What do you think?
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
