REVIEW: "Supergirl" (2026)

(Source: IMDb)

The current slate of DC Studios movies continues with what is officially their second theatrical release. Following a brief cameo in last summer's entertaining Superman, Clark Kent's cousin Kara Zor-El gets her own standalone entry. The main differences in Supergirl (courtesy director Craig Gillespie and writer Ana Nogueira) are a rougher, more desolate aesthetic and a subversive character portrayal than seen with previous actresses Helen Slater, Melissa Benoit, and Sasha Calle, respectively. 

House of the Dragon actress Milly Alcock dons the cap/trench coat and sunglasses as Kara, a young woman still traumatized by the destruction of her home planet and her people—save for her lone dog, Krypto. As something of an anti-heroic take on the character, Kara is a young woman who has become disillusioned and hopeless, would rather drink her problems away, and who has no issue knocking her opponents into oblivion. Her cousin Clark (David Corenswet, once again) keeps sending her messages, encouraging her to come and live on Earth and find community in Metropolis. 

The plot centers on the young Kryptonian as she reluctantly goes on a three-day mission to help a young girl named Ruthie (newcomer Eve Ridley) seeking revenge for the merciless deaths of her family, and to save Krypto after the super-canine gets infected with a poisonous dart. Supergirl also marks the cinematic debut of DC’s intergalactic bounty hunter Lobo (played by Aquaman himself, Jason Mamoa), who almost steals the show with his commanding screen presence, gruff personality, and dark sense of humor. 

One of the film’s weaknesses, on the other hand, is its generic adversary, Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts). Plus, the story cuts back and forth between light and harsh tones a little too much (something Project Hail Mary did really well), including some brutal savagery and implied references to sex trafficking. Probably the main element that viewers and critics have already taken issue with prior to this blockbuster’s release is how Kara differentiates herself from her more optimistic cousin: “He sees the good in everyone, and I see the truth.” (What are we to make of a statement like that?) 

Granted, Alcock kills it in the role, displaying a dry sense of humor, vulnerability, and quiet pain. (Like Indiana Jones, she sometimes makes it up as she goes along.) The action sequences are exciting, especially a sequence involving tech pirates and teleported fighting. Ditto a town square brawl. The movie also has a cool soundtrack (including a cover of Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle”). The symbolism of red (grounded, flawed, “normal”), green (weakness, sickness), and yellow (hopeful, heroic, empowering) throughout the film’s color scheme is poetic. 

Flashbacks to Kara’s home planet (ten years after Kal-El was born) reveal how Kara’s parents tried to save what was left of their world, doing all they could to encourage her for a better future than their dying planet, and to be good no matter what—not perfect or great, but good. This comes into play in how Ruthye grows on her, and how Kara does all she can to prevent the younger girl from becoming who Kara has become (“Your life will be your revenge”). 

Even so (and this is not a criticism), Supergirl feels like it has as much in common with Zack Snyder's previous DC Universe as it does with James Gunn & Peter Safran's current slate (which continues with a standalone Clayface movie this fall and Gunn’s Superman follow-up, Man of Tomorrow, next summer). Supergirl is not a terrible movie, mind you. Neither is it great. It’s just middling. It is distinct from its predecessors and has some good things/elements worth commending, I’ll give it that. (I did appreciate it a little more during a second screening.) Personally, I would have liked to see more excitement, investment, and energy (punk-rock?) in it and less melancholy.