“SUPERGIRL” is the latest film from DC Studios, and the second film in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DCU. It is directed by Craig Gillespie, with a script by Ana Nogueira, who adapts the comic book “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow” by Tom King and Bilquis Evely.
It is a a bold, fresh and inventive film that soars highest when actress Milly Alcock delivers a stellar performance as the brash, rebellious Kara Zor-El. However, one particular element of the film that has attracted attention is the final needledrop the film. The needledrop comes in the final act, where a soft cover of the Jimmy Eat World Song, “The Middle” by Kelty Greye & KidMotel plays over the top of a major battle scene.
While many have had mixed reaction to the scene, in our opinion, it’s on of the highlights of the film. That’s because it ties together the entire thematic throughline of the film. The lyrics, as well as the tempo of the song, reflect exactly what Kara’s act has been about the whole time. The film gives Kara a strong arc centered around forgiveness, acceptance, and the impact that grief has on a person’s outlook on the world. Kara is not perfect, she is messy, she makes mistakes in this film, including mistakes that have consequences for innocent people. She also makes some surprising decisions, that cement her outlook in dealing with problems as sharply different to Superman. Even still, her perseverance and grit in the face and the subsequent lessons she imparts this on Ruthye are heartwarming and inspiring.
In the end, the film’s message is best described by the lyrics of the final needledrop of the film, a soft cover of the Jimmy Eat World Song about self-acceptance, “The Middle” by Kelty Greye & KidMotel. As Kara battles her way through the Brigands, she’s still finding the strength to fight for goodness, and to forgive others, even after she lost everything herself.
The way that Gillespie’s visceral action choreography slows down and meshes with the sound design to hit the beats of the juxtaposed soft song is beautiful. It represents exactly who Kara is. Goodness in the face of a horrible darkness and violence. Perseverance in the face of hopelessness. She opens the film feeling lost, isolated, and dealing with the loneliness and depression of having lost her entire family by drinking herself into a stupor. She ends the film not as a perfect hero, but as someone struggling through the pain to still do what’s right.
Supergirl is a hero who has to make tough decisions, and must find the strength to defeat cruelty while sparing others of the burden that revenge places on them. A warrior that carries the weight of her own past so that she can make the world lighter for others. She’s as messy as she was before, still not having fully found herself, but she pushes on and does the right thing in her own way. As the lyrics go, “Don’t write yourself off yet. It just takes some time. Little girl, you’re in the middle of the ride. Everything will be just fine.”
If you enjoyed our thoughts on the final needledrop in Supergirl, read full review of Supergirl right here.
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We also wanted to mention that Screen Brief had the opportunity to interview the film’s writer, Ana Nogueira. So if you are enjoying this review, please also watch our conversation with Ana where we discuss her approach to writing the film, adapting the comic, and the thematic angle she approached Kara’s character from:
It’s notable that this is the first time DC has ever made a direct screen adaptation of a comic book of theirs. While many other films have been loosely inspired by variou
