Supergirl, 2026.
Directed by Craig Gillespie.
Starring Milly Alcock, Eve Ridley, Matthias Schoenaerts, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, Jason Momoa, Alice Hewkin, Ferdinand Kingsley, Diarmaid Murtagh, David Corenswet, Emily Piggford, Bruce Lennox, Thalissa Teixeira, Kadiff Kirwan, Imogen Turner, Asha Soetan, and Leo Bill.
SYNOPSIS:
Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, joins forces with an unlikely companion on an interstellar journey of vengeance and justice when an unexpected adversary strikes too close to home.
The next chapter in the DCU’s film universe has flown in and landed with success as Supergirl is a fun time with Milly Alcock rightly stealing the show as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl. Her charismatic presence carries the film alongside compelling performances from her castmates, particularly Jason Momoa’s chaotic Lobo. Though some elements of the story leave a little to be desired it is ultimately another entertaining and captivating piece of the DCU.
Loosely adapted from Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s graphic novel Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, the film picks up after Alcock’s cameo at the end of Superman where Supergirl is partying across the galaxy to numb the pain of her lost home and family. A chance encounter puts Krypto’s life at risk, forcing Supergirl to team up with a young girl on a quest to both save Krypto’s life and avenge a slain family.
A common criticism from those who do not know much of Supergirl is how “she is just like Superman except she’s a woman” and Supergirl does a lot to show that is not the case at all. Craig Gillespie’s direction, Ana Nogueira’s script but most importantly Alcock’s portrayal imbues Kara’s character with plenty of nuance as she grapples with her grief through dark humour, alcohol and a need to do good even when all she wants is to be left alone. It is a relatable aspect to Supergirl and Alcock sells it for what its worth, especially in the flashback portions detailing her life after Krypton’s destruction and the struggles its survivors fought with. She does well conveying how the circumstances of her youth made her a drastically different person than Clark Kent that puts those mistaken criticisms to bed, especially in regards to her ideals and being less afraid than Superman is to get her hands dirty.
Eve Ridley makes a great partner for Alcock as Ruthye, the young girl dead set on avenging her family after their cold-blooded murders. The two share nice chemistry together as Supergirl and Ruthye embark on their intergalactic journey. Ridley feeds off Alcock’s annoyance and reluctance while Alcock compliments Ridley’s impatience and brashness. They are great foils for each other and their relationship is the backbone of the film. Ruthye’s quick turn of emotions is compelling thanks to Ridley’s performance that displays Ruthye’s capability and stubborn determination even as her grief and anger are prone to cloud her judgement. Alcock and Ridley are simply a combo that delivers on most of the story’s promise.
Along for the ride is Jason Momoa trading in his trident from the previous DCEU for a swinging hook as Lobo, one of the most dangerous bounty hunters in the galaxy with a don’t-give-a-shit attitude. Momoa is a wild card and it is quite clear how much fun he is having cutting loose, showing much more comfort in this role than in his turns as Aquaman (and that is with a pretty balanced portrayal in the first Aquaman). Momoa and Alcock are great together, but what was surprising was Momoa and Ridley’s camaraderie. Though the two share only a couple scenes together, they make the very most of them as Lobo serves as the devil of sorts on Ruthye’s shoulder to Supergirl’s angel.
Meanwhile Matthias Schoenaerts plays the villainous Krem, a ruthless pirate who delights in dealing out as much cruelty as he can whether its murdering innocents or kidnapping young women. Schoenaerts does make Krem a detestable villain worthy of rooting against- harming puppies will do that as any John Wick fan knows – but Krem himself is a little one-note. There is not much to him beyond his obvious gleeful evil and that is okay, not all villains need to be layered with deep reasons for why they are the way they are and Schoenaerts finds ways to make Krem interesting with his speech and body language, but Krem and his Brigands feel generic even with Krem’s tactical combat methods. As a villain for Supergirl’s introductory film in the DCU, they are somewhat lacking.
That is why so much of the film rests on Alcock and Ridley’s shoulders. Supergirl and Ruthye’s relationship hold everything together even when some of the story isn’t as strong as other points in the film. The low-stakes (no world-ending beams into the sky or wormholes tearing apart the earth) are welcome as they put the focus on the character development but some aspects get pushed to the side. A plot point involving young kidnapped girls does not get the time it should, instead coming off as just another reason to hate Krem rather than a bigger motivator for Supergirl to stop him or examine the trauma they might face.
Supergirl does strive to be a family-adventure like Superman was so it shies away from really spelling out the horrors those girls go through even though the implications are there for the adult audience. Some slight changes into Kara’s backstory on Krypton also weaken what was already a traumatic origin and makes the change questionable, though the performances from Alcock and her onscreen parents played by David Krumholtz and Emily Beecham make up for that as much as they can.
The film’s action is also a huge selling point with entertaining and inventive set pieces that take full advantage of Supergirl‘s sci-fi setting with neat gadgets and weapons. Supergirl’s own fighting style is distinct from her cousin’s as she is less inclined to pull her punches and powers. The choreography is well done as is the editing and special effects in those sequences which make what is going on quite clear. The alien designs and costumes, many of which seem practical, add to the unique feel among DC films and gives Supergirl its own visual identity. That said, the music is fairly bland and a couple of the needle-drop songs – one in particular in the climax – are out of place and could take you right out of the scene.
Supergirl is still a very fun film with great performances from Alcock, Ridley and Momoa. The spotlight on Kara’s character showcases why she is so appealing apart from just being Superman’s cousin and her relationship with Ruthye is explored quite well. The weaker elements with the story and music don’t harm the overall feeling it leaves you with as it puts Supergirl on her own heroic path.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Ricky Church
