Supergirl should be titled “OK-Girl, because that’s exactly what it is. In a similar vein to the release earlier this summer of The Mandalorian and Grogu, it isn’t a miss per se, but it isn’t a hit either.
Hollywood has consistently done the Supergirl franchise dirty ever since the Helen Slater movie (and it is a movie Faye Dunaway probably never even speaks of it’s so bad), but diehard DCU fans have always held out hope that this would be rectified. This current iteration does a slight course correct, but doesn’t go far enough.
The man in charge of the latest DCU, James Gunn, did an admirable (though not great) revamp with last year’s Superman film, but the next installment in that world leaves much to be desired. And for the life of me, I cannot exactly pinpoint why it doesn’t pop, but it just doesn’t.
And it’s not that the star, Milly Alcock, doesn’t bring everything to the screen. Her casting is pitch-perfect as she perfectly encapsulates who and what Supergirl should be for the current era: brash, tough, and empathetic. In this way, the House of the Dragon alum shines through and through.
The plot is fine enough too.
In this adaptation ripped from the popular comic book series, Kara randomly meets a young wannabe heroine out for blood after the decimation of her family. Her target is Krem, and after requesting assistance from baddies all over the galaxy in a bar, Kara is the one chosen begrudgingly for the job. But Kara takes a glacial march towards justice after the same villain positions her dog Krypto and given a timeline of three days to find a cure. And then along the way, Lobo (played by an always campy Jason Momoa) joins the mix.
When I first saw Milly Alcock as young Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon, it was obvious she had the makings of a star. Her turn as Kara in Supergirl may ultimately become her star-making vehicle—not because it’s her finest performance, but because it will introduce her to a far larger global audience than any of her previous work. Ironically, she’s delivered stronger performances elsewhere. Here, Alcock is tied down by uninspired writing and direction, making it difficult to connect with the character. Instead of capturing the spirit of the comic book the story is based on, Supergirl settles for a hodgepodge of more popular movies that deal with dystopian universes and buddy films. Plus, it is bogged down by less-than-impressive visual effects that do the talented cast any favors.
The film takes far too long to let Kara unleash the full scope of her powers, and unlike Superman, Supergirl squanders its momentum with underwhelming action and a middling final fight sequence. Milly Alcock still hints at the compelling Supergirl she could become under stronger writing and direction, but this film never gives her the material to shine. While she may fare much better alongside her famous cousin in next year’s sequel, this movie does little to make audiences emotionally invested in where Kara’s journey goes next, leaving what should have been a powerful story about trauma, resilience, and imperfect heroism feeling strangely hollow.
Supergirl is disappointing enough to raise legitimate questions about the creative direction of the DCU under James Gunn. While the reboot has generated considerable goodwill, it’s still far from the consistently great cinematic universe some have proclaimed it to be, and this film underscores that there is significant room for improvement. If projects of this caliber continue to receive the green light, it may be worth asking whether fresh creative leadership should eventually take the helm for future installments. Despite the film’s shortcomings, there is clearly something special in both the character of Kara and Milly Alcock, who has already proven herself in stronger roles. Unfortunately, Supergirl never gives her the opportunity to fully realize that potential, leaving audiences with a forgettable introduction rather than an exciting new chapter for the DCU.
As a member of GALECA, the film critics society, Triston regularly reviews and covers the latest films and television series from around the world.
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