SUPERGIRL – Review by Susan Kamyab
While America celebrates the red, white, and blue, the box office is embracing red, blue, and yellow — as Supergirl flies into theaters. The question is: does the latest DC adventure soar to the same heights as last year’s crowd-pleasing, Superman?
Audiences first met Kara Zor-El, better known as Supergirl, during the closing credits of Superman, when she abruptly arrives to pick up her beloved dog, Krypto. As we follow her journey, we discover a heroine who is still grappling with loneliness and emotional scars, finding solace in Krypto’s companionship while keeping the rest of the world at arm’s length. But when an unexpected enemy threatens her only companion, Kara is forced to team up with an unlikely ally on a quest fueled by vengeance.
Milly Alcock delivers a humorous, heartfelt, and emotionally resonant performance, capturing both Kara’s wit and vulnerability with ease. Unfortunately, the uninspired story and dystopian production design weigh down the film, slowing its pacing and preventing Alcock from fully taking flight. Though James Gunn neither wrote nor directed the film, he did hand pick director Craig Gillespie to take over and is equally to blame for another forgettable DC flop. Aside from Kara’s compelling backstory, much of the supporting cast and many of the film’s subplots feel underdeveloped and insignificant. And while Jason Momoa clearly enjoys his role as Lobo, his performance leans so heavily into the character’s larger-than-life persona that he often comes across as more of a one-note, cartoonish bounty hunter than a meaningful antihero.
Supergirl’s biggest shortcoming is its dreary backdrop and muted color scheme, which feels overly familiar to Mad Max: Fury Road and Star Wars. The film becomes noticeably more vibrant and engaging whenever Kara has flashbacks of her home planet or briefly appears in Metropolis. Despite its flaws, there remains clear promise in Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El. With the tease of a potential team-up with Superman, audiences can look forward to her character thriving in a future installment, particularly with more screen time alongside David Corenswet.
