Supergirl Review: Milly Alcock, Krypto And Lobo Take The DCU Into The Cosmos

A punk-rock, heartfelt Supergirl movie gives the DCU another win.

After Milly Alcock made her DCU debut at the end of Superman, it was clear there was much more to Kara Zor-El than a quick cameo could show. That moment gave audiences a taste of her energy, her attitude, and her chaotic bond with Krypto, but Supergirl puts the full spotlight on her and lets Alcock completely own it.

This is not just “Superman’s cousin gets her own movie.” Supergirl is a much more personal, emotional, and rebellious cosmic adventure that shows why Kara is such a different kind of hero. She is not polished. She is not trying to inspire everyone with perfect speeches. She is angry, guarded, funny, messy, loyal, and still trying to figure out where she belongs.

SUPERGIRL is a welcome new entry in the DCU, packed with big action, a rebellious punk-rock edge, and maximum girl power thanks to a star-making Milly Alcock. Add in a brilliantly heavy metal Jason Momoa as Lobo and a Krypto who is impossibly adorable, and you have one seriously fun cosmic adventure.

Directed by Craig Gillespie, Supergirl follows Kara on an epic interstellar journey to save the life of her best friend, Krypto. The film also brings in Superman, Lobo, and Ruthye, giving the DCU one of its strangest and most exciting new chapters yet.

A Different Kind Of Supergirl For The DCU

Supergirl has been around for decades, with Kara Zor-El becoming one of DC’s most recognizable heroes. On screen, the character has already had several memorable live-action versions, from Helen Slater in the 1984 Supergirl movie to Laura Vandervoort in Smallville, Melissa Benoist in Supergirl, and Sasha Calle in The Flash.

Milly Alcock now gets to make the role her own for the DCU, and she does not waste the opportunity.

This version of Kara is inspired by Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, which is one of the most beloved modern Supergirl stories. The movie takes that emotional foundation and turns it into a big-screen sci-fi journey full of strange planets, wild characters, and a very personal mission.

Before Supergirl, Alcock had already made a major impression in House of the Dragon as young Rhaenyra Targaryen. She also appeared in projects like Upright and The Gloaming. But this feels like the role that will take her to another level. This is a full-blown movie star moment for her.

Alcock truly shines as a Supergirl who does not know where she belongs. She grew up on a dying Krypton, surrounded by death, fear, and the struggle to survive. She watched people around her die before eventually being sent to Clark on Earth, where she still did not feel like she fit in. That pain follows her everywhere.

Kara has dealt with grief in a way Clark never had to. She sees through the nonsense. She does not entertain anyone’s garbage. She is tough, guarded, and quick to push back, but underneath it all, she is still good. That idea of being “good,” especially tied to the message from her dying mother, gives the movie its heart.

The Krypton Scenes Are Beautiful And Heartbreaking

The Krypton material in Supergirl is some of the film’s strongest emotional work. The design of Krypton is beautiful, but it also carries a sadness. This is not a bright, hopeful world waiting to be saved. This is a dying place filled with people trying to hold on to whatever time they have left.

David Krumholtz and Emily Beecham play Kara’s parents, Zor-El and Alura, and their scenes add a lot of weight to Kara’s story. The urgency, love, and fear in those moments all come through. You understand how much Kara lost before she ever became Supergirl.

The film shows Zor-El trying to protect what remains of Krypton even as the planet decays. Kara is born into a world already broken, and that rough upbringing explains so much about who she becomes. She is not just carrying Krypton’s legacy. She is carrying the trauma of watching it die.

That is why her bond with Krypto makes total sense. He is not just her pet. He is family. He is her best friend, her anchor, and the one thing she can fully hold on to when everything else in her life has been ripped away.

Krypto is also shockingly believable. After speaking with Jennifer Holland about how she and James Gunn’s dog Ozu helped inspire Krypto, the emotional side of the character hits even harder. He always looks real, and it is still crazy to remember he is not actually there. Every scene between Kara and Krypto works because the bond feels honest.

Krypto, Ruthye, and Krem Elevate the Story

Kara’s mission begins when Krypto is poisoned by Krem, played by Matthias Schoenaerts. That instantly gives the movie a strong emotional engine. This is not about saving the universe just because the plot says so. It is about a girl trying to save her dog. It is a simple mission that makes everything feel more personal.

Schoenaerts is excellent as Krem. He gives the character a strange, dangerous, and unpredictable energy that reminded me of Peter Stormare in many ways, and that is a huge compliment. Krem feels like a real space gangster. He is brutal, hard to put down, and never feels like an easy villain for Kara to deal with.

Kara’s path crosses with Ruthye, played by Eve Ridley, who is a major standout. Ruthye is tough, strong, and on her own mission to kill Krem after he murders her family. She is a little cookie with a lot of fire, and her dynamic with Kara adds another emotional layer to the movie.

The Kara and Ruthye pairing works because both characters are dealing with pain, loss, and anger. They are not the same person, but they understand each other in ways most people cannot. Their journey gives Supergirl more weight than just “hero fights villain across space.”

It is a story about grief, revenge, loyalty, and learning who you want to be when the universe has already taken too much from you.

This Is Not Guardians Meets Mad Max

There has been so much talk about Supergirl being “Guardians of the Galaxy meets Mad Max,” but hard stop. That is such a weak comparison, and honestly, it feels like a cop-out.

I did not get that vibe at all.

This is just where modern sci-fi filmmaking is right now. We have colorful planets, strange alien worlds, CGI creatures, practical costume designs, big music cues, and a larger-than-life energy. That does not automatically make it Guardians. And just because Lobo has a motorcycle, and there are some tanks and vehicles in a couple of sequences, does not make it Mad Max.

That comparison feels lazy.

Supergirl has its own vibe. It is cosmic, punk-rock, emotional, and chaotic, but it is not trying to be those movies. It is doing something different for the DCU, and that is what makes it refreshing.

I read so much negativity before going in that I honestly started thinking, “Okay, maybe this will not be great.” Instead, I walked out highly satisfied. I was entertained from start to finish. In fact, I had more fun with Supergirl than I did with Superman.

That is not a knock on Superman. It is just how much this one worked for me on the fun meter, and it may be the punk rock/heavy metal hybrid vibes.

Supergirl takes the DCU into unfamiliar territory, and we have never had a Supergirl like this before. This movie is weird, emotional, funny, violent, colorful, and full of attitude. It lets Kara be messy and difficult without making her unlikable. That is a very hard balance, and Alcock nails it.

Jason Momoa’s Lobo Is Finally Here

Jason Momoa as Lobo is perfection. He is heavy-metal chaos from the moment he shows up, and he was in the movie more than I expected. Every time he appears, the film gets a jolt of energy.

He kicks butt. He is funny. He looks awesome. He feels like the character fans have waited years to see on the big screen.

Lobo could have easily been too much, but Momoa finds the right balance. He is ridiculous in all the right ways without taking over the movie. This is still Kara’s story, but Lobo adds a lot of flavor to the journey.

David Corenswet also appears quite a bit as Superman, which helps the DCU connective tissue feel present without stealing the spotlight. His role gives the movie a stronger connection to the larger universe, but Supergirl never becomes a Superman movie in disguise.

The movie understands that Kara needs to stand on her own. Superman matters to her story, but he does not define it. This is about Kara becoming the version of herself she needs to be, not the one everyone else expects.

Craig Gillespie Delivers A Fun Cosmic Ride

Craig Gillespie does a great job keeping the movie moving. There were no eye rolls from me, no grunts over cheesiness, and no major “what are we doing here?” moments. The film has a clear emotional goal and sticks to it.

At its core, Supergirl is about a loner girl trying to save her dog while also figuring out who she is supposed to become. That is why the movie works. Amid all the space battles, wild aliens, and DC spectacle, there is a simple, relatable story holding everything together.

Kara is not trying to be perfect. She is not trying to be Clark. She is trying to survive her own pain and still chooses to do the right thing. That makes her heroic in a way that feels different from Superman, and that difference is what makes the movie special.

The film is highly entertaining and never drags. It keeps throwing Kara into new worlds, new dangers, and new emotional challenges, but it never loses sight of Krypto or the pain driving her forward.

That said, the movie is not flawless.

Some of the fight scenes are too blurry, and I wish the action were cleaner in certain moments. A lot happens off camera, which can be a fun gimmick, but I wanted to see more of it. When you have characters this cool fighting in worlds this strange, I want to see the action clearly.

The CGI is also not always as crisp as it should be. Most of it works, especially Krypto, but there are moments where the visuals could have been sharper. I also wish the soundtrack was more memorable. The movie has a punk-rock edge, but I wanted a few more music moments to really stick with me after leaving the theater.

Verdict

Supergirl is a welcome new chapter for the DCU and a major win for Milly Alcock. She brings toughness, pain, humor, and heart to Kara Zor-El, giving the character a fresh identity that feels very different from every live-action version before her.

Krypto is adorable and emotionally important. Lobo is heavy metal perfection. Ruthye is a standout. Krem is a strong villain. Superman’s presence helps connect the larger DCU without taking over the story.

Most importantly, the movie is fun.

I came in with lowered expectations after seeing some of the online chatter, and I walked out truly happy. Supergirl is colorful, weird, heartfelt, and action-packed. It is a solid ride that keeps the DCU momentum going until next year’s Man of Tomorrow, where Kara appears to be a pivotal part of what comes next.

As for end-credit scenes, there was not one attached to my press screening. However, I have heard there may be one included when the film is released to audiences.

Supergirl is a fun, rebellious, and emotional cosmic adventure that gives Milly Alcock a star-making DCU debut. It is not perfect, but it is packed with heart, action, attitude, and one very good dog. And yes, IMAX is absolutely the way to experience it.

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