June 29, 2026 · Watch the trailer
Part of the appeal of comic books to readers, young and old alike, is the dynamic, vibrant, out-of-this-world realities created on the page. Successful film adaptations, whether embracing a grounded, gritty aesthetic like Christopher Nolan's “The Dark Knight” or the bombastic, colorful spectacle of Joss Whedon's original “The Avengers,” thrive on bringing an energy and urgency to the screen that makes audiences feel as though a comic book has come to life.
DC, which struggled to find its footing after Nolan concluded his Batman trilogy, began trending in the right direction by bringing James Gunn aboard to oversee its creative direction. His “Superman” reboot proved to be both a critical and commercial success. The second installment in this revitalized cinematic universe, “Supergirl,” arrives with much of the same comic book lore intact, but director Craig Gillespie can't find the same impact.
“Supergirl” follows Kara, Superman's cousin, on a wild interplanetary birthday bender before she's forced into action after space pirates poison her dog, Krypto, and steal her ship. The ensuing hour-and-forty-five-minute adventure lacks any real sense of purpose, and while audiences will be lightly entertained by its superhero-meets-“Mad Max: Fury Road” premise, “Supergirl” never quite packs the same punch as its predecessor.
Unquestionably, the film's greatest strength is Milly Alcock's performance as Kara. She strikes an effective balance between seriousness and carefree confidence, successfully capturing the emotional dichotomy of a young woman searching for both her own identity and a greater sense of family and purpose.
Gillespie attempts to weave Kara's origin story throughout the larger narrative with moderate success, and it's largely Alcock's ability to blur the line between altruism and anger that makes the film's frequent time jumps work at all.
Eve Ridley delivers a solid performance as Ruthye, a young girl seeking revenge for the murder of her parents, and the older sister-younger sister dynamic she develops with Alcock becomes one of the film's more engaging relationships, even if the screenplay rarely gives either actress the material they deserve.
Jason Momoa, previously known to DC audiences as Aquaman, returns to the franchise as the antihero Lobo, roaring onto the screen atop a motorcycle. While Momoa is clearly having fun with the role, his inclusion feels less like an organic part of the narrative than an attempt to boost name recognition while sprinkling in additional comic book Easter eggs for longtime fans.
Matthias Schoenaerts portrays Krem with plenty of menace, but the character himself is little more than a generic comic book heavy. A mid-tier Superman villain with vague motivations beyond creating random chaos, Krem never emerges as either a believable threat to Kara or an emotionally compelling antagonist. The result is yet another underdeveloped element in first-time feature screenwriter Ana Nogueira's overcrowded screenplay, which continually introduces ideas without fully exploring any of them.
Visually, “Supergirl” opens with a bright, punk rock aesthetic before quickly fading into a sea of dull blacks and grays. As is the case with many modern superhero films that rely heavily on green screens, several action sequences seem designed to conceal the shortcomings of their visual effects rather than showcase Kara's powers.
Gillespie frequently buries the action in darkness or overwhelms it with motion blur, making the spectacle feel more muddled than exhilarating. Even so, several set pieces genuinely work, particularly an early sequence in which a ship is raided by tech pirates, leading to an inventive and occasionally hilarious teleportation battle that stands as the film's most creative action sequence.
It's apparent throughout that Nogueira's script never quite comes together as the cluttered mishmash of ideas, emotional side quests, and repeated origin-story detours never fully coalesce into a satisfying narrative. The film also struggles to incorporate David Corenswet's Superman, whose altruistic optimism was the emotional backbone of Gunn's far superior “Superman” from last year. While that sense of hope is clearly intended to influence Kara's own journey, Gillespie never quite sticks the landing.
Among DC's modern output, “Supergirl” settles comfortably into the middle tier. It never reaches the heights of “Superman,” Nolan's “Dark Knight” trilogy, or even Todd Phillips' original “Joker.” At the same time, it remains far more watchable than many of the later entries in the former DC Extended Universe.
Unfortunately, there simply isn't anything distinctive enough about “Supergirl” to make it essential theatrical viewing, and casual moviegoers may be better served waiting to catch it at home later this fall.
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