Supergirl review – Milly Alcock’s Supergirl rides a messy, humor-forward mission—saving her poisoned dog Krypto and partnering with a girl seeking revenge—while the rebooted DC universe leans into a sharper, more bruised kind of heroism. “Supergirl” opens in theaters June 26 as
Kara Zor-El doesn’t exactly arrive in style. She starts her solo sprint through the DC rebooted universe with a hangover, a questionable plan, and a mission that’s pure personal chaos: she’s trying to save her beloved dog, Krypto.
In “Supergirl. ” Milly Alcock brings that energy to the screen as a jaded. self-destructive superhero who looks better in a ratty T-shirt and a grubby duster than in a spotless cloak. The cape and the “S” shield eventually show up. but the character’s first instinct is to keep drinking through pain—over and over again—while she chases answers on planets with a red sun where her Kryptonian physiology makes getting intoxicated far more complicated.
The film begins shortly after the end of “Superman. ” when audiences met Kara Zor-El (Alcock) after she crashed into the Fortress of Solitude of her straitlaced Man of Steel cousin (David Corenswet). Her purpose was simple: to pick up her chaos-agent dog, Krypto. “Supergirl” then turns Kara’s 23rd birthday into a loop of wasted celebration and nursing a hangover. until one night changes everything.
That’s when Kara meets Ruthye (Eve Ridley). a girl with a single-minded reason to keep moving—she’s seeking revenge on the vicious Brigands who killed her parents. Kara ends up running afoul of the same crew. and it takes a brutal turn when their leader. Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts). poisons Krypto.
Kara is reluctant at first to help Ruthye. But the clock starts ticking fast: she learns she has only three days to track down Krem, get the antidote, and save her superpup. The urgency is the engine of the movie, and it pushes Kara out of her emotional spiral and into something closer to purpose.
The movie’s momentum comes alive in set pieces that match its tonal ambition—offbeat humor in the spirit of “Guardians of the Galaxy. ” paired with scuzzy “Mad Max: Fury Road” vibes—while still moving like an intergalactic revenge flick. One standout sequence finds Kara battling teleporting tech pirates on a space bus. a moment that captures why this version of Supergirl can be fun without pretending to be polished perfection.
Underneath the action, the story keeps circling back to what Kara fights for. Kara and Ruthye learn the Brigands are trafficking young women for dastardly purposes. giving the film another reason to keep the violence moving. And the movie draws a line through Kara’s behavior: whether the sun is red or she isn’t super-strong. she fights the same way. revealing her no-nonsense mettle.
Still, the film’s emotional center doesn’t just come from Ruthye’s grief and Kara’s determination. Krypto’s poisoning and Ruthye’s plight also open the door to a look at Kara’s traumatic origin story. including a painful. slow-burn death of loved ones and her people. The Kryptonian flashbacks that lead up to Kara and Superman’s first get-together work to build her motivations and sharpen the kind of hero the movie wants her to be. The tradeoff is that those sequences slow the main narrative’s momentum.
Alcock. who has shown versatility in roles including “House of the Dragon” and “Sirens. ” makes Kara’s emotional weather feel believable. Her performance is tough to read in the way grief and self-destruction often are—she’s good without being kind. which sharply contrasts with Superman. Alcock also manages something important for a lead like this: she gives Kara likable depth while keeping her unpredictable.
Jason Momoa appears as Lobo, making his debut as an over-the-top bounty hunter. The film doesn’t do a full deep dive into him—viewers only get a taste of the cigar-chomping Lobo—but the portrayal lands as a better fit than Momoa’s previous DC-era work.
Where the movie starts to stumble is in its structure and focus. A lack of focus and not nearly enough Krypto weigh on the experience. and Krem—the villain played by Schoenaerts—comes across as one-note. None of that fully derails “Supergirl’s” spunky weirdness. but it does keep the film from tightening into a cleaner. more relentless ride.
David Corenswet. appearing in a handful of moments as Superman. continues to build his case as a strong interpretation of the character. and the film places him in a broader arc by pointing to an upcoming sequel involving him. Even with that foundation laid. Alcock is the one making the main cinematic statement here: she’s not going anywhere. and the new DC universe is better for having a Supergirl who burns hot and doesn’t pretend otherwise.
“Supergirl” is directed by Craig Gillespie (“I, Tonya”) and based on the comic book “Woman of Tomorrow.” The film is rated PG-13 and opens June 26 in theaters, earning a ★★★ out of four rating.
Supergirl Milly Alcock DC universe Kara Zor-El Krypto Ruthye Krem of the Yellow Hills Matthias Schoenaerts Eve Ridley Craig Gillespie David Corenswet Jason Momoa Lobo Woman of Tomorrow comic June 26 release PG-13