Supergirl Stumbles but Millie Alcock Still Shines Brightly

Millie Alcock arrives with something rare: an instinctive charm that makes Kara Zor-El feel freshly alive, even when the film around her falters. Supergirl imagines the familiar origin — a refugee from Krypton trying to juggle a human life as Kara Danvers and the weight of a cosmic legacy — but it often hesitates where you expect it to soar.

Critics have been split. On Rotten Tomatoes the film sits at 56 percent from 275 reviews, while Metacritic reports a 49 out of 100 from 54 critics. Those numbers tell a story of uneven applause and polite reservations. The consensus seems to be: a promising lead and moments of genuine invention wrapped in a movie that never fully commits to its most electric impulses.

Some voices responded enthusiastically. Collider gave an 80 out of 100, arguing that the movie cements the new DCU's potential and that director choices let the franchise breathe in a cosmic direction rather than being anchored to Earthbound melodrama. IndieWire, at 75, praised Alcock for finding both the human tenderness and the otherworldly charisma that make Kara someone you want on your side. Slashfilm, scoring 70, noted the film's encouraging refusal to demand perfection from its characters — mistakes, it suggests, can still lead to heroism.

Other reviews were cooler. Screen Rant and The Guardian both landed around the 60 mark, saying Alcock dazzles in spots but the movie's color palette and pacing sometimes drain her energy. IGN and Empire echoed that sense: a memorable central performance gets lost among familiar beats lifted from other superhero templates. The Hollywood Reporter saw promise in Alcock's restless, justice-driven Kara, yet felt the movie only sprang to life when returning to traumatic memory sequences.

More critical takes called out visual monotony and an unfocused tone. The Telegraph found the film heavy and repetitive, oscillating between tired post-apocalyptic visuals and recycled genre signposts. RogerEbert.com questioned why the emotional stakes never quite land, while Variety was blunt about a sluggish rhythm that leaves the film stuck between spectacle and satire.

There are vivid highs. Gillespie's flashbacks to Krypton add texture, some action beats pop, and the decision to let this Supergirl orbit a larger, cosmic DCU gives the story room to grow. Yet the film too often retreats into safe, gray-brown cinematography and storytelling choices that feel derivative rather than daring.

Millie Alcock is the film's keystone; her Kara is magnetic, messy, and generous of spirit — a clear sign that the character can carry bigger, bolder adventures ahead.

So where does Supergirl sit in the pantheon of DC outings? Somewhere in the middle. Not a failure. Not a home run. A spirited lead performance makes it worth seeing, even if the movie itself doesn't always match her energy. Will this be the start of a new, wilder chapter for Kara Zor-El, or a tentative footnote in the DCU? That question might be answered by what comes next — and by whether filmmakers finally let her fly without apology.