Warning: Spoilers
The modern DC cinematic universe pivots sharply with Supergirl, the new superhero movie that trades the colorful, high-energy fun of 2025’s Superman for a remarkably different tone.
The film’s gritty and gloomy atmosphere establishes a different feel from its predecessor.
SUPERGIRL: VISUALS
This commitment to a more somber aesthetic is deeply appreciated, signaling a franchise willing to take bold, creative risks.
And despite the dark tone, the movie is still visually spectacular.
The cinematography utilizes the darker palette to create striking, memorable imagery. Even the fast-paced fight scenes are beautiful to watch.
A breathtaking, high-stakes brawl against space hijackers—capturing the exact moment Supergirl regains her powers mid-flight through the cosmos—easily stands as the undisputed highlight of the runtime.
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SUPERGIRL: MAIN CAST
At its core, the story follows Kara Zor-El (Milly Alcock) on a grueling trek across the universe.
When her superdog gets poisoned, she must overcome her invulnerability to chase a galactic supervillain named Krem (Matthias Schoenaerts), the leader of the Brigands, because he has the antidote.
Along the way, she must protect a young girl named Ruthye (Eve Ridley), who is after the same bad man.
Ruthye wants to take Krem’s head as retribution for her family’s murder, but Supergirl is stopping her from crossing this fatal moral threshold.
Supergirl also has to deal with Lobo (Jason Momoa), a bounty hunter who wants to capture Krem.
Will she team up with Lobo? Or will the vicious tracker take all the spoils for himself?
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SUPERGIRL: STORY
One undeniable triumph of the film is its clarity.
Even with so many overlapping events, cosmic locations, and competing factions, the story remains remarkably easy to follow.
The plot is laid out simply, ensuring the expansive space-faring adventure never becomes confusing.
However, the film ends up feeling somewhat underwhelming, largely because it tries to pack in too much.
While the narrative is easy to follow, the character arcs feel underdeveloped, resulting in weak emotional connections among the main cast.
The central dynamic between Kara and Ruthye feels somewhat frustrating.
The film hints at a deeper motivation behind Kara’s attempt to stop Ruthye from killing, but the flashbacks don’t fully clarify it.
Hence, the intended emotional weight doesn’t entirely land with the audience.
This overstuffed plot also reduces Lobo to little more than an afterthought.
Despite arguably being the strongest written character in the script, the bounty hunter still needs a few more scenes to truly shine.
I would have liked Lobo to have a stronger presence, and for the repetitive interactions between Ruthye and Supergirl to be trimmed down.
A missed opportunity unfolds on the dual-sun planet Barenton, where the story passes up the chance to develop a meaningful bond between Lobo and Supergirl.
Furthermore, the narrative stretches credulity with Ruthye pulling off an almost impossible stowaway maneuver on a pirate ship just to reach Barenton.
It would have made more sense—and helped tighten the pacing—if she had simply been captured by the Brigands on the previous planet instead.
Ultimately, these missing emotional connections culminate in a hollow finale.
At the end of the movie, Supergirl finally interacts with Superman, but there is absolutely no feeling of warmth between the iconic cousins.
This frigid ending is entirely symptomatic of exactly what is missing throughout the entire film.
For all its visual grit, stunning action, and clear storytelling, Supergirl is a beautifully crafted space epic that simply forgets to find its own heart.
Watch it to be dazzled, not necessarily to be deeply moved.