5/7 🪩🪩🪩🪩🪩
I don’t get what’s going on. Here we have another strong film that people aren’t showing up for, and I really hope that changes over the holiday weekend. Supergirl is visually fantastic, full of imagination, texture, and scale, even if the story itself does have some noticeable issues.
First, the visuals. Craig Gillespie packs so many cool details into the frame, and this movie is overflowing with texture. The universe feels lived in, not sterile or overly polished. The set design and overall visual language are genuinely stunning. Almost every corner of the frame has something interesting to look at, and the special effects are gorgeous. It is the kind of film that reminds you why these stories deserve to be seen on the biggest screen possible.
As for the story, even though the movie is funny, a couple of scenes felt unnecessary. Do we really need to see her pee? Did she need to come off quite that drunk in the beginning? I understand the vibe they were going for, showing Kara as messy, reckless, and emotionally damaged, but some of it felt a little too forced. Beyond that, the emotional depth of the characters felt somewhat surface-level, even when the film was clearly trying to connect us to Kara’s trauma and backstory. There is a great emotional core here, but I think the first half could have used a little more reworking. This does not really spoil anything since it happens early in the film, but I still found myself wondering: how did Ruthye survive? They just let her go? Makes no sense after seeing what the second half of the movie is about and that she is a prized commodity.
When it comes to the acting, Milly Alcock is excellent as Supergirl. She feels like a perfect fit for the role, and honestly, I cannot really picture anyone else playing this version of Kara. She brings attitude, pain, humor, and vulnerability to the character in a way that feels very cool and edgy. Maybe even award-worthy. Jason Momoa, on the other hand, did not add as much depth to his character as I hoped. I get the sense that the DC team loved working with him and wanted to bring him into this new DC era, but maybe I just did not connect with the character, or maybe the performance did not quite land for me. Eve Ridley is also good as Ruthye. I would have liked to see a little more emotional weight from her in the beginning, but I do think she grows stronger as the film moves into its second half.
The music also deserves credit. This film clearly loves a versatile soundtrack, mixing classic hits with a score that helps drive the emotion. It felt very much like a James Gunn film, even if Craig directed it. The sound design is strong, and the musical choices give the movie personality. The soundtrack uses an awesome mixtape to shape the tone and rhythm of the adventure unfolding on screen.
Overall, the main thing that dragged Supergirl down for me was the first half of the story. The second half is much stronger, and the film’s message against trafficking and exploitation really does speak volumes. Still, I kept wondering what happened in the editing room and storyboarding process that allowed the opening to feel so confusing and uneven. It is a super cool movie, but I feel like a few tweaks would have made it so much better.
Even with those flaws, I still think this movie deserves to be seen in theaters. It is bold, visually rich, and carried by a fantastic lead performance from Milly Alcock. I hope audiences give it a chance, because this is the kind of superhero film that at least deserves to make its budget back. Please go see it!
Emotion: 6/7
Editing & Story: 6/7
Visuals: 7/7
For editorial use only. Images, footage, and related materials are courtesy of DC Studios and Warner Bros. Pictures. Supergirl is a DC Studios presentation of a Troll Court Entertainment / The Safran Company production, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. All rights reserved.