Supergirl is a flawed but fun ride anchored by a star-making turn from Milly Alcock

🎥 DC’s new universe is two films along, and it’s sort-of already testing our patience — though not without a few bright spots along the way. Supergirl, the second theatrical outing from James Gunn’s rebooted DC Universe, recently hit theatres. Directed by Craig Gillespie from a script by Ana Nogueira, the film is loosely adapted from the comic series. House of the Dragon’s Milly Alcock steps into her cape for her first solo big-screen debut as Kara Zor-El, joined by Eve Ridley, Matthias Schoenaerts, Jason Momoa, and a brief but welcome David Corenswet reprising his role as Superman.

The plot: Kara (Alcock) is Superman’s 23-year-old cousin — and very much his opposite. Impulsive and uninterested in the whole hero business, she spends her time bouncing around planets with her super-pup Krypto. Things go sideways when Krem (Schoenaerts), a ruthless space pirate and the film’s villain, poisons Krypto with a dart that gives Kara 72 hours to save him.

What we liked… and didn’t: Alcock is genuinely good — charismatic, funny, and convincing in a role that asks her to be rough around the edges without being unlikable. Krypto, who made his debut in Superman (2025), is a scene-stealer (perhaps, we might be biased), and we’ll admit that saving the dog is a more emotionally effective engine for the plot than the film deserves credit for. The film also gets its humor right — there’s a lightness to it that makes it easier to sit through than the sum of its parts would suggest.

That said, Supergirl has problems. The premise isn’t original — half origin story, half generic good-versus-evil chase — and Krem is a thoroughly underdeveloped villain. The storyline plays it frustratingly safe given how much more interesting the source material is, and Kara’s backstory, which should hit hard, feels rushed.

The verdict: Supergirl is not a bad film so much as a disappointingly small one. Alcock is the right Supergirl for this universe — whether the universe will give her a better film next time is the real question. A 6.2 on IMDb and 56% on Rotten Tomatoes feels about right. Worth a watch if you’re a DC fan — just temper your expectations.

WHERE TO WATCH IT- Catch Supergirl at VOX Cinemas (City Center Almaza, Mall of Egypt, and Alexandria), Scene Cinemas in Cairo Festival City and District 5, Premiere Cinemas in Cima Arkan and Point 90, and Zawya Cinema. Watch the trailer on YouTube (Watch, runtime: 2:57).