SUPERGIRL Review | Milly Alcock and Eve Ridley shine in an emotional, character-driven DC adventure about grief, healing, and hope.

SUPERGIRL REVIEW | Messy, Emotional, and Exactly the Supergirl We Needed

Directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Ana Nogueira, Supergirl is the latest chapter in James Gunn’s new DC Universe. It takes a dramatically different approach from its cousin film, Superman. The film stars Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, Eve Ridley as Ruthyel, Jason Momoa as the notorious bounty hunter Lobo, and Matthias Schoenaerts as the villainous Krem.

Based on the acclaimed comic Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, the story follows Ruthye after the ruthless Krem murders her family. Determined to make him pay, she recruits a reluctant Kara Zor-El to help track him across the galaxy. Kara initially wants no part of the mission, but when Krem seriously injures Krypto, the super-powered dog who is essentially her entire world, she suddenly has a score to settle of her own.

What makes this version of Supergirl so fascinating is how completely different she is from Superman. Clark Kent grew up surrounded by love, stability, and a sense of belonging. Kara remembers Krypton. She remembers her family. She remembers watching her world die. That trauma shapes every part of who she is. She’s impulsive, messy, sarcastic, stubborn, and often self-destructive. In other words, she’s kind of a hot mess, but she’s also one of the most relatable superheroes DC has ever put on screen.

Milly Alcock is outstanding. She perfectly balances Kara’s contradictions, creating a hero who is incredibly powerful yet emotionally fragile. Kara can save worlds while struggling to save herself. Beneath the cape is a woman carrying survivor’s guilt, loneliness, and unimaginable grief, and Alcock never lets the audience forget it.

What surprised me most was Eve Ridley as Ruthye. On paper, a thirteen-year-old girl on a revenge mission could have easily become a one-note sidekick. Instead, Ruthye becomes the emotional anchor of the story. Ridley brings determination, vulnerability, and heart to the role, and the screenplay wisely treats her as Kara’s equal rather than her passenger. In many ways, this story belongs just as much to Ruthye as it does to Supergirl. Eve’s performance is absolutely stellar, even though she’s just a kid seeking to kill for vengeance – she makes you root for her the entire film.

The push-and-pull relationship between Kara and Ruthye is what elevates the movie beyond a standard superhero adventure. Both characters are driven by loss, but they approach it very differently. Ruthye believes revenge is the answer. Kara understands the cost of carrying that kind of anger. Their journey creates thoughtful conversations about grief, justice, and healing without feeling preachy.

Jason Momoa’s motorcycle riding, cigar smoking Lobo is exactly as chaotic and over-the-top as fans would hope, while Matthias Schoenaerts’ Krem gives audiences a villain they will have no trouble rooting against. Neither character is as interesting as Kara and Ruthye, but both serve the story well.

Ultimately, Supergirl succeeds because it understands that the most compelling heroes aren’t defined by their powers. They’re defined by what they carry inside. Kara carries trauma, loneliness, survivor’s guilt, and the weight of an entire lost civilization. She’s rude, impulsive, stubborn, and has absolutely no interest in being anyone’s inspirational role model. But beneath all of that is someone who still shows up when it matters. Kara may be a little hungover, but she’s going to save you anyway. That’s what makes her a hero.

Heart-wrenching, engaging, and unexpectedly fun, Supergirl is one of the strongest entries in James Gunn’s new DC Universe so far. Thanks to Milly Alcock’s star-making performance and Eve Ridley’s scene-stealing turn as Ruthye, this cosmic revenge story becomes something far more meaningful: a thoughtful exploration of grief, healing, and what it means to keep moving forward after loss.

Supergirl is playing in theaters on June 26th.