Supergirl (2026) - Rob's Review

I went into Supergirl with a strange mix of excitement and exhaustion. On one hand, I am absolutely feeling superhero fatigue. There are only so many origin stories, multiverse complications, cameos, and franchise setups a person can take before the whole thing starts to feel less like entertainment and more like homework.

On the other hand, I am a DC fanboy, so of course I rushed out to see it.

Thankfully, Supergirl surprised me. Not because it reinvented the superhero movie entirely, but because it understood something important: Kara Zor-El does not need to be treated like a female Superman. This movie gives her a different tone, a different emotional starting point, and a very different kind of adventure. In fact, one of the best things about Supergirl is that it often feels less like a traditional superhero movie and more like a full-blown science-fiction film.

That might turn some Supergirl fans away, depending on what they want from this character. Kara is obviously central to the story, but she is not the only reason to see the movie. The worlds, creatures, aliens, ships, landscapes, and strange corners of the universe are all major parts of the experience. There is a sense of scope and imagination here that makes the movie feel big without constantly reminding us how important it is.

The film also handles Kara’s origin story smartly. It does not stop everything to walk us through every detail. It gives us what we need, interspersed throughout the movie, without shoving it in our faces. That matters because, frankly, origin stories are tired. Most of us know the basics by now, and even when we do not, we do not need forty minutes of explanation before the actual story begins. Supergirl trusts the audience enough to keep moving.

Milly Alcock is terrific as this version of Kara. She is not playing a polished, fully formed hero who always knows the right thing to do. This Kara is lost. She is angry. She is reckless. She is carrying trauma, loneliness, and uncertainty, and Alcock makes all of that feel believable without turning the character into a one-note brooding hero.

This is a darker movie than Superman, and it needed to be. Supergirl is not in the same emotional place as Superman. She is not rooted in the same way. She does not have the same relationship with Earth, humanity, or even herself. There is a messiness to her that works. Seeing her drink herself into a stupor on a planet with a red sun tells us a lot about where she is in her life. She does not know her place, and because she does not know her place, she lashes out in ways that are sometimes funny, sometimes sad, and sometimes self-destructive.

Krypto is also used well. He helps drive the plot, but the movie does not overuse him. That was a smart decision, especially after how much attention he received in Superman. He is present, he matters, and he gets his moments, but the film does not lean on him so hard that he takes over.

The villain is another strong point. Supergirl needs an antagonist who can actually challenge her, and this movie gives her one. The threat feels real, not just physically, but emotionally. Kara gets pushed, tested, and forced to confront more than just a powerful enemy. That is where the movie finds a lot of its heart.

That does not mean everything works perfectly.

Jason Momoa’s Lobo is decent, but he feels underdeveloped. The character has presence, and Momoa is a natural fit for that kind of chaotic energy, but Lobo does not feel as fully used as he could have been. Given his screen time, I wanted a bit more from him. He is entertaining, but he does not leave the kind of mark he probably should.

Ruthye, played solidly by Eve Ridley, is also a mixed element for me. She is important to the plot and to Kara’s arc, but her presence does not always click. There are moments where having her around works well, and there are moments where the movie seems to be forcing the dynamic a little harder than it needs to. That said, Ruthye is essential to Kara becoming the hero she becomes by the end. Even when the character dynamic is uneven, the purpose behind it is clear.

What really carries Supergirl is the combination of spectacle and heart. There are explosions, battles, creatures, ships, strange planets, and nonstop sci-fi action, but the movie is not empty. It has an emotional core. It understands that Kara’s journey is not about becoming powerful. She already is. Her journey is about figuring out what kind of person she wants to be when she has that power and no clear sense of where she belongs.

Critics will do what critics do. Some will probably complain that it is too dark. Some will say it is too weird. Some may say it is not enough of a traditional superhero movie.

For me, that is exactly why it worked.

Supergirl is different, and superhero movies desperately need different right now. It is darker, stranger, more sci-fi-driven, and more emotionally rough around the edges than some audiences may expect. But I had a lot of fun with it. More importantly, I felt like I watched a movie with its own identity.

As someone who is tired of superhero movies but still loves DC, Supergirl gave me the kind of experience I was hoping for: big, weird, emotional, action-packed, and just different enough to feel fresh.

4 out of 5