‘Supergirl’ First Reactions Praise Milly Alcock as Critics Compare James Gunn’s DCU to Mad Max
James Gunn’s rebooted DC Universe got off to a strong start last year when ‘Superman‘ introduced David Corenswet as the Man of Steel and went on to pull in a strong worldwide box office. That film “kicked off Gunn’s franchise with solid reviews and a strong $618 million at the worldwide box office.” Milly Alcock made her own quiet debut in that same movie, showing up as Kara Zor-El in a brief scene that set up a solo adventure of her own.
That solo adventure, ‘Supergirl‘, is now just days away, and it carries weight as only the second theatrical entry in Gunn’s Chapter One, Gods and Monsters era. While additional reactions to the Supergirl movie will emerge next week, the DCU is just getting started with Kara, with Alcock set to return for the already filming ‘Man of Tomorrow’. Directed by Craig Gillespie and adapted from Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s acclaimed ‘Supergirl, Woman of Tomorrow’ comic, the story follows Kara as she reluctantly teams up with an unlikely companion after a ruthless adversary strikes close to home, sending the pair on an interstellar quest for vengeance and justice. Jason Momoa joins the cast as the space mercenary Lobo, alongside Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley and David Krumholtz.
The press embargo on ‘Supergirl’ has now lifted, and the first wave of reactions is painting an unexpected picture. Film journalist Simon Thompson wrote that the movie “isn’t a classic but it’s fun and hits most of the targets it aims for,” adding that “Milly Alcock is great as the titular heroine and Momoa’s Lobo is a blast.” He also pointed to the action, humor and physical production as the film’s biggest wins.
Another early reaction, from journalist Mike Ryan, pushed the comparison even further, describing ‘Supergirl’ as a movie that “looks and plays more like a ‘Mad Max’ movie, with dirty worlds, gross villains and a self destructive hero.” That framing has stuck across the rest of the coverage, with other outlets noting “surprisingly dark themes, MAD MAX vibes, and a JOHN WICK style motivation” driving the story rather than the brighter tone Gunn struck with ‘Superman’.
The reception hasn’t been uniformly glowing, though. Several reactions note that the film “doesn’t quite live up to last summer’s Superman, and doesn’t have a particularly strong villain,” even while striking its own tone that’s “simultaneously funny and somber.”
Other early viewers echoed that the villain is “the weakest part” of the film, never feeling as memorable as the heroes or the spectacle around them. Even with that caveat, Alcock and Momoa keep coming up as the two biggest reasons people are walking out impressed.
‘Supergirl’ hits theaters and IMAX across North America on June 26, with the international rollout beginning two days earlier on June 24. James Gunn has confirmed the film sits in the DCU timeline between ‘Superman’ and the upcoming ‘Man of Tomorrow’, filling in more of Kara’s history before her cousin’s story continues.
With Alcock already being singled out as a breakout and Momoa’s Lobo pulling some of the loudest praise, the real question is whether general audiences embrace this grittier, road worn version of Kara the way the press seems to be. Does a ‘Mad Max’ flavored Supergirl sound like the right direction for Kara Zor-El’s first solo outing, or were you hoping for something closer to her cousin’s tone?
