Superman’s little cousin gets an intergalactic adventure fighting aliens, space pirates, and hangovers
Directed by: Craig Gillespie
Written by: Ana Nogueira
Starring: Milly Alcock, Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley
Rated PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, action, language, and smoking
Release Date: June 26, 2026
Runtime: 1:47
This review may contain spoilers
Guardians of the Galaxy? Nooo… it just sorta looks like it…
James Gunn brought us a new Superman last year and the start of a new cinematic universe. Supergirl even showed up at the end as a cameo.
Photo credit: Warner Bros.
Now, she’s getting her own film with a big space adventure. Along the way will be bizarre aliens, space pirates, catchy soundtracks, cute CGI creatures, and bounty hunters.
I’m sure James Gunn’s style is entirely by coincidence.
Truth. Justice. Whatever
Instead of keeping Metropolis or even Earth safe, Supergirl (Milly Alcock, HBO’s Game of Thrones: House of the Dragon) is celebrating her 23rd birthday off-world. More specifically, planets around a red sun, which drains her powers, so she can get drunk. She’s kinda messed up after watching her home die before coming to Earth.
Photo credit: Warner Bros.
However, a lone girl, Ruthye (Eve Ridley, Sky Kids’ Emerald) shows up to kill her alcoholic binge. Ruthye needs help getting revenge on her family’s murderer, a space pirate called Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts, Bullhead).
Same dude also shoots Supergirl’s dog, Krypto, with a poisonous dart, and Krem is the only person in the galaxy with the antidote. So now, it’s on!
DCU
This is the second of the newly set DC Universe (DCU) movies. It’s just Superman and Supergirl right now.
Plus, there’s a second season of Peacemaker on HBO. The show is now set in the DCU, not the now-dead DC Extended Universe (DCEU).
But the DCU is still growing, including this year’s Clayface and a new Lanterns show. James Gunn has been taking his time building this new universe.
“He sees the good in everyone, and I see the truth.”
Milly Alcock’s Supergirl (or Kara) was a great performance in this movie. Instead of bubbly and always-so-loving like in CW’s Supergirl, Alcock’s Kara is deeply traumatized after seeing her parents and everyone else slowly die around her on their floating city in space (long story). Her only real attachment is her dog, Krypto. So, well, you mess with the dog, and you’re gonna get a furious Supergirl.
Photo credit: Warner Bros.
Alcock’s version is pretty unique compared to all other versions that have been on screen. And there have been several, including a little-known 1984 Supergirl movie starring Helen Slater (also seen digitally in The Flash), Melissa Benoist on the CW series, and Laura Vandervoort appearing as Supergirl on Smallville.
I guess maybe Sasha Calle’s Supergirl in The Flash would be the closest to Alcock’s, but man, do I barely remember anything from that mess. I forgot I even wrote a review for that.
From the sea to a spacehog
Okay, seriously, how in the hell did this man not get Lobo in the first place?!
Momoa appears as galactic bounty hunter Lobo. He previously played Aquaman in DCEU’s Justice League and Aquaman movies. While Momoa played a bad-ass version of the superhero famous for talking to fish, Lobo was a character basically written for him. Just give the man a cigar and a flying motorcycle, and you’ve got perfection.
Photo credit: Warner Bros.
Dude’s voice even has a Beetlejuice sound to it, which I am not against at all.
Also, just realizing Momoa and Alcock were both from Game of Thrones, although in different series.
Aww, he’s such a boy
Gunn really loves having cuddly, cute critters in his movies and shows. Guardians of the Galaxy had their Baby Groot, and Peacemaker had Eagly.
Photo credit: Warner Bros.
Krypto the Superdog returns and even has his own origin story in flashbacks. And he just makes the most adorable CGI puppy!
Of course, he’s out for a bulk of the movie, like in Superman. In both Super movies, the dog is held back in need of saving. I hope he doesn’t get caught again in Man of Tomorrow.
Holy plot stories, Batman!
Supergirl had a lot going on for her first run in the DCU. It has several stories happening at once – Kara’s life on her floating city, her arrival on Earth, her disassociation with “home,” her poisoned dog, Ruthye’s revenge, and her wanting to party belligerently. Plus, there’s Superman repeatedly trying to get Kara to come home.
Like I said, there’s a lot going on for introducing her in 1 hour and 47 minutes.
Photo credit: Warner Bros.
Not going to lie, I would have been more interested in seeing Kara’s life on Krypton before the planet was destroyed. And then focus on her adjusting to life on Earth. Maybe like a TV series on HBO or something.
Everything blended together was just a lot for a short film.
Not so super, girl
Supergirl was okay. Its greatest strengths were Alcock’s and Momoa’s performances. Both played their characters pretty damn well, and they look great as their characters on screen.
The story was just too much happening at once. It was covering so much ground that there was little time to really focus on them.
Zero post-credit scenes. How dare you, DC!
Supergirl is currently playing in theaters.
Photo credit: Warner Bros.
