Craig Gillespie's “Supergirl”
Movie review by Dennis D. McDonald
Having become somewhat bored with comic-book hero movies, The Batman and Logan being major exceptions, I was curious to see how this new movie would treat Superman's cousin. Watching female superheroes fight off bad guys has become somewhat old hat, but I did want to test out a new TV.
It starts out inauspiciously. Supergirl is a drunken mess, going from dive to dive. We are expected to sympathize with her dissolute nature for two good reasons: (1) she is, after all, Kal-El's cousin (she calls him "Clark" and refers to him as a "nerd"), and (2) she is slavishly devoted to her uber-cute dog, Krypto.
What saves the film is that she goes on a quest from planet to planet to save Krypto’s life. Along the way we learn a lot about her backstory, how her powers vary from planet to planet depending on the types of suns they orbit, and how, even in distant galaxies, Epstein-style female trafficking is apparently a thing.
It all gets resolved in a climactic, CGI-heavy battle, of course, but there is enough creativity on display to keep most people awake. Events are also enlivened by the frequent appearance of Jason Momoa as the cigar-chomping good-guy/bad-guy Lobo. Momoa seems to be channeling the behavior of the Comedian in the Watchmen movie, which I did find amusing.
Critics have been a bit too harsh, I think, about this movie. Milly Alcock as Supergirl is a pleasure to watch. She puts her all into the role and succeeds in portraying a badass with a heart of gold that is revealed only through major trials. As a result, I would not mind seeing a Supergirl II with her again in the starring role.
Review copyright © 2026 by Dennis D. McDonald
