“SUPERGIRL” (2026) REVIEW : HOPE IS LOST, A HERO IS FOUND
The Maiden of Might has returned to the big screen!
Coming off the cameo performance in 2025’s “Superman”, fans have been patiently waiting for Kara Zor-El aka SUPERGIRL to crash back into theatres.
With so much momentum from the Man Of Steel’s film, the pressure has been on DC Studios to continue its’ hot streak. “Supergirl” starring Milly Alcock was announced in January of 2023. Jason Momoa was cast as LOBO. Craig Gillespie signed on to direct. The movie side of things was locked in for high expectations. As for the comics influence, fans couldn’t ask for a better story.
The plot was based on the classic 2021 Supergirl saga: “Woman Of Tomorrow” by Tom King, Bilquis Evely, Mat Lopes & Clayton Cowles. All signs pointed to another huge win.
After the last trailer, fans had an inkling of what to expect. The question then became: “Will it deliver?” After watching the film, the answer isn’t a simple Yes or No.
Milly Alcock as Supergirl -credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros pictures
*** SPOILER TALK - YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED ***
The major obstacle with this film is to stand out from what James Gunn did in 2025. Going with the “Woman Of Tomorrow” story is a great call. However, in bringing that story to the big screen, the writing misses the mark in key areas. One of those factors is not having Alcock deal with her belief of lost identity compared to her famous cousin. It is replaced with her over-indulgence of partying on Red Sun planets.
When these moments take place, they fail to connect to the deeper reasons. Instead of substance, the audience gets crude humor with no payoff. Straying away into its’ own lane with a recycled “No Sun, Yellow Sun” gimmick in multiple areas hinders progress. The overuse of pop/rock music in scenes mimics Gunn’s formula a bit too much and distracts as well.
SUMMER OF SUPERGIRL SPECIAL!
Once the main plot gets going, the supporting cast does their best with what’s given via the script. At times, some scenes just fall to mere annoyance than structure. Eve Ridleyas Ruthye’s attempts to win over Kara’s help quickly sinks into troubling spaces. Where fans should rally around her cause, the overwhelming push to pair up with Kara fails to connect. Ruthye also slips into familiar “sidekick” roles. There’s one point in the movie when Ruthye unveils an item she randomly happened to be carrying around for “reasons”. Sure, it’s a Hollywood trope but piecing more of these elements into her connection with Kara weighs events down.
Matthias Schoenaerts as Krem of the Yellow Hills delivers a polarizing take as the main villain. More times than not, Krem comes off as a over-zealous Jack Sparrow than a conniving antagonist with his trafficking schemes. This takes place right from the start with Ruthye’s family and never seems to get on track. There’s only a handful of times where he comes across as a true threat to Kara and Ruthye. When it hits, there’s something to grow from. Unfortunately, it comes too late to cement status. This circles back to the stray path the story takes. Instead of locking in on the serious crisis at hand, the movie leans heavily into the campiness and overplayed points.
BUT WHAT WORKED?
Alcock’s performance as Kara works superbly when given real material to absorb. When the story gets back into the vein of the source material, she soars with great success. Kara becomes more grounded as a hero with a complex moral balance. Once in the final stages of the movie, her acting steals scenes. It gives the film new life into a strong finishing arc. Viewers can clearly see her vast differences than her cousin in the finish. Had this been brought out earlier in the script, the film would have been much more sound in presentation. When it counted, this was an easy win for the actress to pull off.
The other name on the marquee lived up to his much anticipated hype. Momoa exemplifies all the lovable (and despised) aspects of the Main Man. Lobo is the walking definition of polarizing in the DCU. Momoa flips the switch from ally to antagonist when the script needs it most. His lines encompass the crass and crude manor it needs to be delivered. When paired with Alcock, their scenes work extremely well to push events forward. Even a conversation with Ruthye comes off incredibly well due to the attitude of delivery. This won’t be the last time we see the last Czarnian in Gunn’s universe and his return can’t come too soon. Excellent work.
The other key win was when the source material was followed. It gave Kara a true sense of purpose while challenging her. When faced with Krem’s attacks, Kara snapped back into hero mode than hungover wanderer. Viewers see her pushed to lines she never thought to walk. It’s a gritty way of drawing hope out of someone so jaded and lost. This causes the lone story venture that shakes up the finish with Krem. Some viewers may not love it but it was a completely natural progression of Kara’s character. Adding this component into the mix stirs up a much needed reaction to seal the ending before a smoother epilogue.
FINAL GRADE: 7
Kara Zor-El’s heroic evolution takes a few misleading turns before finding its’ intended destination. Using “Woman Of Tomorrow” as a guide, the story fails to completely follow the blueprint to the story’s success. Alcock delivers a masterful performance when given strong material to lift. Momoa lets everyone know immediately he IS the Main Man in a show-stealing role. The pair makes the most of what is offered through the unbalanced act, while giving a distinct look at Truth, Justice and A Better Tomorrow for fans to ponder.
“Supergirl” debuts in theatres on June 26, 2026.
Let me know your thoughts on “SUPERGIRL” in the comments below. Thanks for reading this FLZ editorial. Till next time….
