Since reading Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow in single issues, I have become a Supergirl fan. I know, why weren’t you a fan of her before that recent comic series? I’d say I was a casual fan, since watching the CW Supergirl show. Kara didn’t fully resonate with me as a character, until I read the Tom King and Bilquis Everly series from 2021. When I heard that Milly Alcock was going to play Kara Zor-El, lightly based on Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, the masterpiece that it is, I was pumped! After seeing Milly Alcock as Supergirl on screen, I can say that she did a good job but it wasn’t quite as epic as the referenced comic series. But that’s not a bad thing, so let’s get into it a bit more.

The film takes light adaptation to Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow in a way that works, except for the villain: Krem of the Yellow Hills (played by Matthias Schoenaerts). I will come out and say it, he is just forgettable in this film. It drives the storyline of the film, but his appearance was not as believable as his comic counterpart. Sure, he was menacing, with his introduction in Ruthye’s backstory. Ruthye seeks revenge for what Krem did to her family, and runs into Kara in a bar where she is celebrating her 23rd birthday. Their relationship makes this film what it is, in addition to one main scene stealer: Lobo, portrayed perfectly by the one and only, Jason Mamoa. Lobo does not appear in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, but he adds in some flair and edge and teases what can be for his own franchise in the future.

Milly Alcock does a good job of showing Kara’s grief as she is going through the stages as she deals with the trauma of witnessing the loss of her planet, and this is relatable. It is humanizing to see this from a superhero. We see Kara turning away from planets with a yellow sun, so she can be depowered and get drunk. Kara sees what Ruthye is seeking and does not want her to go down the path of doing something rash that she will end up feeling the repercussions of for the rest of her life. Another grounding part of this film, is Kal-El appearing to Kara for the first time as she comes to Earth from Argo. Which they showed in the trailer. I am glad that the film showed some backstory of Kara’s life, it left me wanting that more fleshed out. Kal-El becomes a parental figure in her life and even though she finds him to be irritating, throughout this journey, she discovers the power of hope.

Should you see Supergirl in theaters? Yes, especially in IMAX or any other large format. But should you read Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow before seeing Supergirl? Maybe, not. The film made subtle nods to the plot of the comic series but it misses on character development. It almost seems like it speeds up the plot and slightly misses the point of what they are pulling from. It almost seems like 20-25 minutes more of the film is needed, or there were cuts made that leave the plot not fully fleshed out.

For what it is, the film is a lot of fun, especially seeing Lobo on screen. Momoa is Lobo, no questions asked. But with the forgetable villain and lack of fully engrossing, fleshed out storyline, its still a fun time, but leaves me wanting more!