I wanted to love Supergirl, I really did. I’ve always been a fan of the character, and after how much I enjoyed Superman, I was hoping the DCU would keep that momentum going.
Going into the movie, I’d already seen the mixed reactions, so I purposely lowered my expectations. I figured maybe people were being overly harsh and I’d end up having a great time anyway. Sadly, that wasn’t the case.
I didn’t walk out hating Supergirl, but I definitely walked out disappointed. That’s almost worse because the movie constantly hints at something that could’ve been really special, yet it never gets there.
Instead, it settles into being a perfectly serviceable superhero movie that checks all the familiar boxes without giving audiences much of a reason to remember it once it’s over.
There are enjoyable moments sprinkled throughout, a few laughs, and some entertaining action beats, but nothing ever rises above being simply… okay. When the credits rolled, I found myself struggling to think of a single sequence that truly stood out.
That’s the biggest frustration. When James Gunn and Peter Safran took over DC Studios, they made it very clear that story would be the driving force behind this new universe. Gunn repeatedly talked about only moving forward with projects when the scripts were ready and perfect.
That philosophy got a lot of fans excited, myself included, because that’s exactly what superhero movies pop. Strong characters. Strong storytelling. Movies that leave you feeling something instead of just watching another collection of visual effects and fight scenes.
Unfortunately, Supergirl doesn’t live up to that promise. The script is easily the movie’s biggest weakness, and everything else suffers because of it. The story feels surprisingly thin, and despite Kara being the title character, it rarely feels like she’s driving the narrative.
Instead, she spends much of the movie accompanying a sidekick whose revenge story never really grabbed me emotionally. I kept waiting for Kara to have that defining moment where the movie truly became her story, but it never fully happens.
She moves from one drab planet to another, one uninspired action scene to the next, and the emotional journey never feels as compelling as it should.
Ironically, some of the most interesting parts of Kara’s character come through flashbacks. Those glimpses into her past carry more emotional weight than much of the present-day storyline, which left me wishing the movie had spent more time exploring what makes this version of Supergirl unique instead of treating her like a passenger in her own adventure.
The entire movie feels caught between several different ideas without ever committing to any of them. It even borrows plenty of stylistic cues that feel heavily inspired by James Gunn’s filmmaking, complete with constant music needle drops and sarcastic humor, but it never captures the heart that makes Gunn’s movies resonate. Those elements are there on the surface, but they never come together in a meaningful way.
That’s really the recurring theme throughout the entire film. Everything feels like it’s trying to imitate stronger superhero movies instead of confidently becoming its own thing.
The villain doesn’t help matters either. He’s about as generic as comic book villains come. There’s no complexity, no memorable personality, and no real sense of danger beyond serving as the obligatory bad guy who needs to be defeated before the credits roll.
Superhero movies can absolutely survive weak villains if the hero’s personal journey is compelling enough, but because Kara’s arc feels underdeveloped, the lack of an interesting antagonist becomes even more noticeable.
Then there’s the visual effects. Honestly, I couldn’t believe how rough some of the CGI looked. This movie had a healthy budget, yet several flying sequences and action scenes look surprisingly unpolished. It looks cheap for a major DC blockbuster.
That caught me completely off guard because if there’s one thing I expected this movie to absolutely nail, it was the spectacle. Supergirl soaring through space should’ve looked incredible. Instead, far too many scenes are weighed down by effects that never fully convince.
That weakens the action as well. While there are certainly entertaining moments, most of the set pieces become repetitive and start blending together. The third act especially suffers because the visuals simply don’t sell the scale the movie is aiming for. Instead of building toward an exciting finale, it feels like another round of digital chaos that’s over almost as quickly as it begins.
One bright spot throughout the movie is Milly Alcock. I honestly think she does everything she possibly can with the material she’s given. She’s charismatic, she’s believable as Kara, and there are flashes of a fantastic Supergirl performance buried throughout the film.
The problem isn’t Alcock. The problem is that the screenplay rarely gives her opportunities to truly shine. She spends much of the movie reacting to everything happening around her instead of actively shaping the story herself.
That’s what makes this so frustrating. I still want to see Alcock continue playing Supergirl because I genuinely believe she has the potential to become one of the standout heroes in the DCU. She simply needs a movie that’s willing to dig deeper into who Kara is and give her material worthy of her talent.
Jason Momoa‘s Lobo is another fun addition, although his appearance almost feels like he’s visiting from another movie entirely. Momoa clearly has a blast playing the character, and every time he shows up the energy immediately picks up.
Unfortunately, the movie never really figures out what to do with him beyond giving audiences another recognizable DC face. He’s entertaining, but he also highlights how unsure the film feels about its own identity.
One thing I kept thinking about while watching Supergirl was how much it resembles a product instead of a passion project. That’s a harsh thing to say because there are talented people involved here who clearly cared about making the movie, but the final result feels strangely manufactured.
It follows so many familiar superhero formulas that very little of it feels inspired. Even the cosmic locations, which should’ve been visually stunning and bursting with imagination, often come across as surprisingly lifeless.
I wanted to walk out talking about an incredible new chapter for the DCU. I wanted to rave about Milly Alcock becoming the definitive Supergirl. I wanted to leave excited about where this franchise is heading.
Instead, I walked away thinking about how much better this movie could’ve been. Now, to be fair, I don’t think Supergirl is a bad movie. I’ve seen far worse superhero films over the years.
The problem is that I expected so much more. This character deserves better. Milly Alcock deserves better. And fans deserve better.
Supergirl is simply another reminder that decent superhero movies aren’t enough anymore. Audiences have seen what this genre can accomplish when great storytelling comes first, and this movie never reaches those heights.
It’s a mildly enjoyable adventure that’s frustratingly forgettable, filled with missed opportunities and weighed down by a script that never unlocks the incredible potential sitting right in front of it.
