I love when a movie centers around saving a dog. It’s probably one of the reasons I enjoy the John Wick films as much as I do. So when I realized that a big part of Supergirl revolves around saving Krypto, I was immediately on board.
The basic premise is pretty straightforward. Supergirl is hunting down a villain who poisoned her dog and is searching for the antidote before it’s too late. Along the way, she teams up with Ruth, whose family was murdered by the same man. Ruth is driven by revenge, while Supergirl is driven by the need to save Krypto. Those two storylines intertwine throughout the film and create something that feels a little different from the typical superhero movie.
In fact, when I walked out of the theater, I found myself wondering whether I had watched a superhero film or a sci-fi film. That’s one of the things I liked most about it. The stakes felt personal rather than world-ending. Nobody was trying to save Earth. Instead, the story focused on these characters and their individual journeys, which made it more engaging for me.
I also appreciated the origin story elements. I’ll be honest: I’m not a comic book expert. I know very little about these characters and their history. Because of that, I enjoyed the film taking the time to explain who Supergirl is, where she came from, and how she connects to Superman. Those details helped ground the story and made it easier for casual viewers to jump in.
Speaking of Superman, he does make a few appearances throughout the film. They’re not overwhelming, but they help tie everything together and connect this story to the larger universe.
The standout here is Milly Alcock. She fully embraces the role and makes Supergirl feel like a real person rather than a larger-than-life superhero. She’s flawed, she’s messy at times, and she’s trying to figure things out as she goes. That made the character relatable and believable. Whether everyone connects with her portrayal or not, I certainly did.
Visually, the film delivers what you’d expect from a movie of this scale. There’s plenty of CGI, but it never distracted me from the story. What impressed me far more was the sound design. It’s excellent. This is one of those movies that benefits from the theater experience. The action sequences, the atmosphere, and the overall sound mix deserve to be experienced on the big screen.
My biggest criticism is that the film often feels too dark visually. There were multiple moments where I found myself struggling to make out everything happening on screen. Some of the fight sequences move incredibly fast, and combined with the darker cinematography, I occasionally wished I could see more of the action. Maybe that’s my age showing. Maybe it’s the glasses. Either way, it stood out enough for me to mention it.
One surprise for me was Jason Momoa. I’ll be honest, I’m usually not a huge fan of his performances, but he worked here. His character brings some much-needed levity to the story, and I found myself enjoying every scene he was in. The movie benefits from his energy and sense of humor.
Overall, I had a great time with Supergirl. It’s fun, entertaining, and refreshingly focused on character-driven stakes rather than another save-the-world scenario. Between Milly Alcock’s performance, the strong sound design, and an engaging story, there’s a lot to enjoy.
I’m giving Supergirl 3.5 out of 5 stars.
If you’re planning to see it, I highly recommend catching it in theaters. The sound, action, and overall experience are worth the price of admission.
