By Phoebe Pang
The review embargo for “Supergirl” lifted on June 24, and the early verdict has turned out to be a messy one.
The film currently sits at 56% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on more than 130 reviews – a rough start for a major DC release, especially coming right after last year’s Superman, which opened to a much stronger 83%.
A genuine split among critics
Reviewers genuinely disagree on the film itself.
Variety’s Owen Gleiberman handed it a rotten score, calling the plot “numbingly flat,” even though there’s a lot of action happening on screen.
He also said it had “the worst script” he could remember for this kind of genre.
Meanwhile, The Hollywood Reporter’s David Rooney seemed just as lukewarm.
He claimed that Sasha Calle’s take on the character in 2023’s The Flash “registered with more dimensionality” by comparison.
However, not everyone was on the same side.
Consequence’s Liz Shannon Miller went with a fresh score, pointing out that “when Supergirl takes big risks, they tend to pay off.”
The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw landed at three out of five, adding that there are stretches where viewers will believe the franchise can actually deliver, not just talk about it.
READ MORE: Film news: Trailer for new Tom Cruise comedy “Digger” causes a stir on social media
One point of consensus
Even with all the back and forth about the film in general, it seems that almost every review, whether glowingly positive or totally negative, ends up at the same spot when it comes to lead actress Milly Alcock.
The critics who liked it tended to single her out as the main reason to watch the film
The ones that didn’t were careful about it too; they wouldn’t blame Alcock herself. Instead, they kept pointing at the script.
Outlets like The San Francisco Chronicle, Total Film and AV Club basically wrapped their whole review around the same thought.
Alcock is the strongest part of the film, and it runs better when it leans into her portrayal, rather than trying to rely on the plot.
It’s a pretty uncommon split for a blockbuster review cycle.
Usually, a flimsy script drags the lead performance down with it when critics cover the film.
Here, though, the reviewers seem to be doing the opposite; they’re sort of separating Alcock’s work from the film’s other problems.
READ MORE: Film news: ‘Sea of Thieves’ movie adaptation to bring audiences on a new voyage
A difficult commercial backdrop
The mixed reception arrives alongside softening box office projections.
Supergirl is tracking to lose its opening weekend to a resurgent second weekend for Toy Story 5, with some estimates placing its opening below 2023’s The Flash.
Supergirl opens in U.S. theatres on June 26, with Alcock set to reprise the role in future DC Universe projects regardless of how this opening weekend plays out.
READ NEXT: Music news: Thirty years on, Spice Girls’ ‘Wannabe’ remains a cultural touchstone
Elan Castanares 
Newsjustnews writers 
Mary Mae Balasanos