Movie review: Supergirl

The pressure on Supergirl was enormous long before the film landed in theatres.

As the second film in the DC Studios’ rebooted cinematic universe following the 2025 Superman film, Craig Gillespie’s adaption of the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comic carried the weight of introducing a beloved character — proof that DC could build something beyond their flagship hero.

Instead, the film found itself at the centre of a beaten down conversation — one that Brie Larson, Marvel’s Captain Marvel, might be all too familiar with: respectable audience reactions, mixed reviews, and a large wave of online discourse that seems more interested in the gender and sexual appeal of the lead rather than the film.

The strongest aspect of the film is Milly Alcock. Rather than portraying Kara Zor-El as a “female Superman,” she leans into the character’s emotional scars.

Unlike Clark Kent, Zor-El remembers Krypton’s destruction firsthand, giving her an edgier, more cynical worldview. It’s a refreshing take on the usual optimistic superhero archetype and gives the film an emotional foundation.

Visually, the film also stands apart. It embraces a stretching cosmic setting instead of another Earth-bound CGI slugfest.

The alien worlds feel distinct, colourful, and most importantly, lived in. The result? A space-western adventure that feels more personal than world-ending, allowing quieter moments between Zor-El and Ruthye Marye Knoll to carry just as much weight as the larger battles.

That being said, Supergirl isn’t without its flaws.

The pacing struggles in the middle act, occasionally losing momentum on Zor-El’s emotional journey with the revenge-driven narrative surrounding Knoll — who was infuriating at times.

Some supporting characters like Jason Momoa’s Lobo felt pretty useless and underdeveloped. Almost as if they just told him to wear KISS makeup and ride a bike for a third of the film.

Yet, the conversation surrounding Supergirl goes far beyond filmmaking. 

Much of the online conversation narrowed on the existence of another female-led superhero film. Alcock faced social media attacks before the audiences saw the finished product.

The reaction felt eerily similar to Captain Marvel’s release. Brie Larson was accused of hating white men because she advocated for diversity. Despite the backlash, Captain Marvel grossed more than $1 billion worldwide.

With Alcock, the discourse has followed a depressingly similar pattern. Conservative commentators suggested that the film would have done better if it portrayed a more traditionally sexualized image of Supergirl.

The double standard speaks for itself.

No one expected Robert Downey Jr. to physically resemble a comic book drawing of Tony Stark. Yet, female superheroes are constantly judged on whether they satisfy conventional standards of attractiveness before their performances are even considered.

For many corners of the internet, strength is expected to come wrapped in an idealized body that appeals to the male gaze.

Ultimately, Supergirl is neither the masterpiece its biggest supporters claim to be nor is it the disaster the loudest detractors insist it is. It’s an emotionally grounded, visually ambitious project led by an outstanding performance from Alcock.

In a superhero landscape that is often criticized for feeling formulaic, that’s something worth celebrating, even if fragile male egos can’t wrap their heads around it.