Milly Alcock in “Supergirl.”
Warner Bros. Pictures
Supergirl, starring Milly Alcock in the title role, is getting mixed reviews from Rotten Tomatoes critics.
Directed by Craig Gillespie, Supergirl plays in previews on Thursday night before opening in theaters nationwide on Friday. Alcock, of course, was introduced as Kara Zor-El, the cousin of the Man of Steel (David Corenswet), in a cameo appearance near the end of director James Gunn’s Superman in 2025.
Alcock stars in the lead role in Supergirl, where she teams up with an ally, Ruthye Marye Knoll (Eve Ridley), and the alien mercenary Lobo (Jason Momoa) to embark on an interstellar path of vengeance and justice when the ruthless villain, Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts), is responsible for a tragedy that strikes too close to home.
Rated PG-13, Supergirl also stars David Krumholtz and Emily Beecham as Kara’s parents, Zor-El and Alura, as well as Corenswet, who reprises Clark Kent/Superman.
The review embargo for Supergirl was lifted Wednesday at 12 p.m. PT/9 a.m. PT, and in early reviews posted on Rotten Tomatoes, the film has earned a 61% “fresh” critics’ score based on 75 reviews, after starting with a 56% “rotten” score.
RT’s Critics Consensus, Audience Summary and Popcornmeter score based on verified user ratings are still pending.
Note: This article will be updated as more “Supergirl” reviews are posted on RT, and the critics’ score will be adjusted accordingly.
What Are Individual Critics Saying About ‘Supergirl’?
Owen Glieberman of Variety is among the top critics on RT who gives Supergirl a “rotten” score, writing in his review summary, “Kill Krem! Save the dog! Those are the motivations driving the entire not-even-interesting-enough-to-be-convoluted plot of Supergirl. Maybe that’s why the movie is full of action yet numbingly flat.”
David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter also gives Supergirl a “rotten” score. Rooney writes in his RT review summary, “Given Australian director Gillespie’s history with films about spirited, rule-breaking women, like I, Tonya and Cruella, the failure to find emotional depth in the sisterhood of Kara and Ruthye is notable.”
Rocco T. Thompson of Slant Magazine isn’t a fan of Supergirl, either, writing in his RT review summary, “Despite being fairly light on its feet, Craig Gillespie’s bratty, high-flying space western is fatiguingly overfamiliar in a genre that can’t help but keep looking backward for inspiration as it clings to relevance.”
Pete Hammond of Deadline also deems Supergirl “rotten.” Hammond writes in his RT review summary, “The special effects and relentlessly dark tone often get in the way of making this group rock despite the best efforts of Alcock who is a bit too quirky, playing Zor-El as somewhat reckless, headstrong, and not always put together.”
Clarisse Loughrey of the Independent (UK) takes aim at James Gunn in her in “rotten” review summary on RT, writing, “The mandate here appears to be to keep things as distinctly Gunn-esque as possible. In return, Superman’s moodier, more cynical relative has been robbed of the chance to speak with her own voice. It’s the superhero equivalent of a Vegas impersonator.”
In his “rotten” review summary on RT, Nick Schager of The Daily Beast simply writes, “Its lack of originality or grandeur renders it a less than super spin-off.”
Liz Shannon Miller of Consequence is among the top critics on RT who gives the film a “fresh” score, with some reservations. Miller writes on RT, “When Supergirl takes big risks, they tend to pay off. There aren’t enough of those moments, though.”
Jake Coyle of The Associated Press also has some issues with the film, but gives it a “fresh” score on RT, writing, “While the latest DC release, and second under James Gunn ’s stewardship, has its moments, Supergirl struggles to match Kara’s punk-rock energy with an equally spirited supporting cast and story.”
Kate Erbland of IndieWire also gives Supergirl a “fresh” score, writing, “What makes Supergirl stand out — and what might, unfortunately, alienate fans looking for more of the same — is its interest in staying small while asking some very big questions indeed.”
in addition, Peter Bradshaw of the Guardian praises the film. In his “fresh” review summary on RT, Bradshaw writes, “Supergirl isn’t a perfect movie by any means, but there are moments when you’ll believe this franchise can fly.”
Supergirl plays in preview screenings on Thursday night before opening in theaters nationwide on Friday.
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