Supergirl (1984) Review: Flawed But Fun

The setup is brutally efficient. When the ruthless mercenary Krem (Matthias Schoenaerts) murders a key figure in Kara’s life on Earth, Supergirl is forced to abandon her quiet existence. Hot on Krem’s trail is Ruthye (Eve Ridley), a headstrong young alien from a backwater world seeking vengeance for her own murdered father. The two form a reluctant partnership - Kara the jaded warrior, Ruthye the righteous firebrand - and hitch a ride across the galaxy with the intergalactic bounty hunter Lobo (Jason Momoa), who has his own blood feud with Krem. Their journey takes them from neon-drenched alien casinos to a desolate prison moon, culminating in a confrontation that forces both Kara and Ruthye to question the cost of their quest. The arc is straightforward - vengeance vs. justice - but it’s carried by a surprising emotional center between the two leads.

Let’s start with the good: Milly Alcock is a revelation. From the opening scene, she communicates a weary, bone-deep loneliness that feels miles away from the sunny-dispositioned Kryptonian we’ve seen before. Her Kara has been on Earth for decades, quietly simmering with anger and guilt, and Alcock sells every conflicted glare and hesitant smile. She also earns the action sequences, trading graceful, Superman-style ballet for a more brutish, brawling physicality. When she punches, it hurts.

Eve Ridley’s Ruthye is her perfect foil - a naive but steel-spined adolescent who has no powers, only conviction. Their partnership, which could have been a tired odd-couple trope, crackles with mutual respect and genuine tenderness. The real comedic and narrative dynamite, however, is Jason Momoa’s Lobo. Yes, he’s playing himself, but it works: a grunting, gleefully violent, 12-foot-tall space biker who treats everything like a punchline. His banter with Alcock’s deadpan reactions is the film’s most consistent joy.

Director Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya, Cruella) brings a kinetic, punk-rock sensibility to the proceedings. The cinematography is drenched in moody purples and oranges, and the spaceship interiors feel cluttered and lived-in - a clear nod to the Alien aesthetic. The action is chaotic but legible, particularly a mid-film chase through an asteroid field that uses Lobo’s space motorcycle in a genuinely inventive way.

Alas, the script is the film’s Kryptonite. Co-writers (the story is credited to a committee) pack the 108-minute runtime with lore dumps about Kryptonian history, the origins of the villain, and a convoluted McGuffin involving a “sunstone.” The exposition often lands with a thud, killing the momentum of otherwise tight sequences. Matthias Schoenaerts’s Krem is a one-note sneer; he’s physically menacing but given zero interiority. You don’t fear him so much as wait for him to be defeated.

Worse, the film commits the sin of underusing David Corenswet’s Superman. In a post-credits scene that feels bolted on, he shows up for a brief, stoic cameo. It’s a pointed reminder that this Supergirl is determined to stand on her own, but it also highlights the lack of a real emotional grounding. For a story about choosing justice over rage, the finale relies on a deus ex machina that feels unearned. The third act devolves into a standard energy-beam fight, a disappointing retreat from the character-driven mayhem that preceded it.

Pros

• Milly Alcock’s breakout performance: brooding, vulnerable, and physically commanding.
• The chemistry between Alcock and Eve Ridley is the emotional heart of the film.
• Jason Momoa’s Lobo is a riot - a perfect injection of chaotic, crude humor.
• Craig Gillespie’s direction: visceral, colorful, and unafraid to make the film ugly when it needs to be.
• The practical effects and creature design for the alien worlds feel tactile and fresh.

Cons

• A bloated, exposition-heavy script that kills narrative rhythm.
• Matthias Schoenaerts’s Krem is a forgettable, mustache-twirling villain.
• The third act devolves into conventional superhero CGI slugfest.
• David Corenswet’s Superman cameo feels obligatory and undercooked.
• Runtime cuts short the emotional development needed for the secondary Kryptonian flashbacks.

Supergirl is a flawed but fascinating recalibration of the character. It’s a space western, a buddy road movie, and a rage-fueled revenge thriller all at once - and it doesn’t entirely succeed at any of them. Yet Milly Alcock’s magnetic performance and Craig Gillespie’s willingness to get weird make it a must-see for genre fans. The TMDb rating of 6.148/10 feels about right: it’s a B-minus, a film that dares more than the safe, sanitized blockbusters of yesteryear. It may not soar as high as the best of DC, but it’s a hell of a lot more interesting than most of its recent output.