‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’ opens in theaters on Friday, and critical reaction heading into the opening weekend is decidedly mixed.
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrowthe latest entry in DC Studios’ rebooted DCU franchise, opens in theaters Friday, and critical reactions heading into its opening weekend are decidedly mixed.
Directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Ana Nogueira, the film adapts Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s 2021 eight-issue comic book series of the same name.
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The plot follows Kara Zor-El as she reluctantly teams up with a young girl named Ruthye on an interstellar journey of revenge and justice after tragedy strikes.
The cast includes Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El aka Supergirl, David Corenswet as Superman, Eve Ridley as Ruthye, Matthias Schoenaerts as Krem, Jason Momoa as Lobo, Ferdinand Kingsley as Elias Knoll, David Krumholtz as Zor-El and Emily Beecham as Alura Zor-El.
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Dynamic leads can’t quite save ‘Supergirl’ from turbulent early reviews
At the time of release, the film has a score of 58% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The most consistent praise across reviews is for Alcock’s portrayal of Kara Zor-El. Several critics noted that she brings a ferocity to the character that is a breath of fresh air. Momoa’s portrayal of the intergalactic bounty hunter Lobo has also drawn strong attention.
Early critical reactions to the film indicate that DC Studios has a visually stunning, emotionally resonant hit on its hands. Leaning heavily into the cosmic aesthetic of the source material, Gillespie has created a space opera that feels completely separate from previous DC releases. Critics praise the film for mixing interstellar stakes with an intimate, raw story of grief and justice.
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The cinematography is highly praised. Reviewers praise Ana Nogueira’s script for staying incredibly true to the poetic, revenge-driven tone of The woman of tomorrow.
However, some critics note that audiences expecting a bright, traditional “Superman-style” adventure may be buried under the film’s heavier themes of revenge.
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David Rooney from The Hollywood Reporter was less enthusiastic about the film overall. “I wish I could say I had even half as good a time for Craig Gillespie’s leaden attempt to resurrect Superman’s cousin as a viable hero in her own interstellar turmoil. Sadly, that’s not the case, despite Milly Alcock’s gritty performance that makes her an appealingly punky protagonist,” he wrote.
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,Variations Owen Gleiberman wrote: “Little attributes of ‘Supergirl’ make it a subversion of the genre. It’s all so desperate to be ‘punk rock.’ But ‘Supergirl’ is punk crock.”
Audience reaction to Letterboxd has followed a similar pattern: praise for the leads, frustration with the film around them.
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“It’s a perfectly fine movie that reminds me a lot of Phase 1-2 Marvel movies. Milly does well as Kara, but the movie holds her back. Momoa as Lobo is AMAZING and so funny in every scene. Visually, it’s very boring; every planet looks and feels the same. No color to be seen anywhere. But in the end, it changes a very strange feeling,” and a very strange feeling. user wrote.
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Another wrote: “Milly is great as Kara and Jason is great as Lobo but the movie definitely held them back. Cool action sequences but lore changes were lame. Overall the comic is much better and I wish it was more faithful but still had a good time.”
A third reviewer noted, “Here goes DC again, taking one step forward, two steps back.”
“Wish it took more inspiration from the book for its visuals and ending, but as I (expletive) with Milly heavy as Supergirl. Lots of fun, but I can’t ignore the massive Star Wars influence to its detriment (they literally recreated babu-frick) + it looks like Thor: The Dark World,” wrote a fourth commenter.
