My recent movie reviews have overused certain trite tropes. So let me simply say 5/5 stars, two thumbs up, the little man out of his seat clapping wildly (only meaningful to readers of the SF Chronicle). This is not the Kara/Linda Danvers I was raised on in the 60s. But the sassy woman with the ready quip and wisecrack is worth watching. Thank goodness super-hero movies no long take themselves seriously.

No spoilers, but a few of my favorite moments. “If Clark is Superman, why are you Supergirl?” The answer was moderately incoherent, but still, the issue was finally addressed explicitly.

I do not recall the last film I saw that so completely met—yeah overwhelmed—the Bechdel Test, which measures the role of women in movies. All the heroes and all the intelligent characters in this movie are women. All the men are idiots or villains. Perhaps overdone, although I think there is a lot of catching up to do in this regard. The number of movies with female leads dropped from a peak of 47.6% in 2024 to 37% in 2025. If the women in this film were counted individually, we’d be back at 50%.

Fun and exciting. Bombs and chases. I love scenes where the hero flies upright, rather than in the classic flat with hands outstretched pose, which is most of the flights in Supergirl. So much so that, when she flies in the traditional way it stands out.

How is it that so many civilizations can master intergalactic travel and yet do not have the simplest indoor lighting. No bulbs, no LEDs, nothing but sunlight, and often not even that.

And there are all the bars and the aliens. If Lucasfilm sues, they will win in a New York Minute. In some cases, very little effort was made to disguise the “homages.”