(film review) - Supergirl

It took me a while to get around to watching this. I work full-time, my weekends are busy, I'm trying to keep up with TV shows and films for personal enjoyment and for ReelReeviews, and quite frankly, there's just too much to watch. So when you listen to some of the reviews from the critics and YouTubers who see these films before you, and the general consensus is mixed to negative, it's easy to wonder why you'd spend your hard-earned money on them. Between the Guardians of the Galaxy comparisons and complaints about the story, I nearly skipped this altogether. But that's exactly why you should make up your own mind. Because... I actually liked it.
It is very far from perfect and certainly not amazing, but I genuinely had a good time with it.

Kara Zor-El, Superman's cousin, had a very different upbringing from Kal-El, aka Superman. She grew up on Krypton before losing her family as a teenager and is eventually sent to Earth with Krypto. While celebrating her birthday off-world, Krypto is poisoned, sending Kara on a race against time to find the antidote before she loses the last living connection to her home. Along the way, she meets a young girl hunting the very same person.

One of the biggest criticisms after the trailer dropped was that it looked too much like Guardians of the Galaxy. Honestly, I think that's a lazy comparison. Yes, James Gunn is running the new DC Universe, and yes, the soundtrack gives off Guardians vibes. Maybe the film could have leaned more on its score than its needle drops, but beyond that, I never felt like I was watching a Marvel film or Guardians of the Galaxy; I did feel like a lot of these aliens were bipedal, human-looking, but why not, I guess; Star Wars is similar.

The story itself is fairly simple, and that's perfectly fine. This is not another world-ending spectacle. It is a smaller story about grief, loss and trying to save the last piece of Krypton Kara has left, so it was definitely more personal and character-driven.

The biggest issue is the execution, and with most comic-book material put onto screen, this is where the problem lies with a lot of the films and TV shows being pushed out, leading to this so-called comic-book fatigue.

Modern comic book films often feel the need to be overly childish to appeal to younger audiences. Constant silly humour and toilet jokes just aren't necessary, and unfortunately, this film falls into that trap a few times. It's a shame because the flying sequences and action are excellent, but some of the characters needed more development, and a few emotional moments don't land quite as well as they should.

Milly Alcock is fantastic and carries the film with ease. Her chemistry with her unlikely companion works really well, and Jason Momoa looks like he was born to play Lobo. He's chaotic, entertaining and leaves you wanting more, although his part in the movie is very small.

The villain, however, is just... fine. Serviceable, but ultimately forgettable. He didn't really carry any feelings of dread when he appeared on screen. You kinda wondered what was going to happen, but he just felt like a generic bad guy rather than a force to be scared of, but maybe that was the point considering his motives.

Supergirl is most definitely not essential viewing unless you're already invested in DC, or the character themself, but if you've been put off by the reviews, I'd still recommend giving it a chance. Talks of the movie being a bomb or flop to me really depend on how much the studio wanted to make and what they thought going in. Did they want the type of money Superman made, or do they want something a lot smaller, considering how secondary the character is? Moreover, if they wanted something a lot smaller (because the storyline also kind of dictates that), maybe they should have spent less money, unless what they spent, between $170-186 million, was justifiable? I mean, I understand the types of special effects needed to make someone fly, but the original Deadpool movie was made for $58 million. As a whole, Hollywood spend too much money on movies expecting to make what they spent back and then some, but if the storyline is poor but you are putting it out because "SUPERHEROES", there has been plenty of examples in movies history as to what works, and in 2026, in comic book movie history of late, as to what does NOT work and sometimes I feel, they are just not gettin i, hence the term, comic book fatigue when really it is mediocre fatigue and if I am honest, this dabbles in the category of mediocre.

It is not the disappointment many people have made it out to be, or how it came across to me at least, and I went in with a very low bar. It is simply a good film that had the potential to be a great one.

(trailer review) - Resident Evil

 

When I watched the teaser some months ago, I said that, for this film to work, it needed to stick as closely to the games as possible, making changes only where necessary while keeping the core of what made them so memorable. Do that, and you'll satisfy the fans while still bringing in general audiences if the story is compelling enough. I also admitted that, while I liked the teaser, I wasn't fully convinced. Well... this trailer changed that.
By the time it finished, the first words out of my mouth were, "Yes, this is definitely for me." It might sound like I've done a complete 180, but I haven't. I already liked what I saw—I just wasn't sold. Oddly enough, the moment that finally won me over wasn't a monster reveal or a big action sequence. It was the protagonist frantically searching drawers for shotgun shells. Anyone who's spent time with the Resident Evil games knows that feeling. Running low on ammo while desperately hoping the next cupboard saves your life is practically a gameplay mechanic in itself. It's such a small detail, but it's exactly the kind of authenticity I wanted to see. On top of that, this trailer also gives us a much better idea of the story.

The trailer follows a courier making what should be a routine drop-off. After accepting another job, he accidentally hits someone on a snowy road, only for the body to mysteriously disappear. Looking for help, he takes refuge inside a nearby house, but something immediately feels off. The place is a mess, strange noises echo through the rooms, and after finding a shotgun, he desperately searches for ammunition as someone sprints through the snow towards the house. It's incredibly tense, and the frantic editing really sells the panic.

From there, the trailer ramps things up. We see him wandering through a deserted city, while Paul Walter Hauser explains that whatever happened in the town unfolded in just a matter of hours. Bodies fall from the sky, grotesque creatures begin emerging from impossible places, and the protagonist is left bloodied and fighting to survive. Just as he's about to pull the trigger on whatever's behind/past a door. At the end tag, we're finally told where he's heading. Raccoon City General.

That reveal alone was enough to put a smile on my face. Not that it was of any importance, but Raccoon City and Monsters/Zombies, this is simply another story told from the point of view of a random courier venturing into the city while all hell has broken loose. Plus, doing it this way does not put pressure on the studio and the makers of trying to stick as closely to the storylines within the game; they can play it a little fast and loose.

The teaser nailed the atmosphere, but this trailer finally gave me the confidence that the filmmakers understand what makes Resident Evil work. It feels tense, creepy, unpredictable and, most importantly, like it actually respects the games. If the finished film can maintain this level of tension while delivering on the horror, then this could be something special.

(trailer review) - Spider-Man: Brand New Day

 

If I'm honest, I didn't even want to watch this trailer. At this point, I'm seeing this film regardless, and recently I've found myself wanting to avoid as many trailers as possible once I'm already sold. I understand the marketing cycle—a teaser, the main trailer, Trailer 2, then the inevitable final or international trailer—but it's starting to feel like overkill. I felt exactly the same with Dune: Part Three. If you've already got me buying a ticket, why keep showing me more?

That said, this is the final trailer, Peter's Journey, the film is only a week or two away, and... I'm glad I gave in. This is really good.

Rather than trying to sell us on spectacle, the trailer focuses on Peter himself. It opens with him reading a letter as we're taken through his entire journey, from high school and Ned discovering his secret, to Europe with MJ, Mysterio's illusions, Doctor Octopus, the Green Goblin, Sandman, Electro, the Lizard and, of course, Aunt May. It's less of a recap and more of an emotional reminder of everything Peter has sacrificed.

The line that really hits is when Peter explains that the only way to stop the bad things from happening was to make everyone forget him. Watching him walk into MJ's café, choose not to tell her who he is, and simply order a coffee still stings. It's a great reminder that, beneath the suit, Peter Parker has lost almost everything.

From there, the trailer shifts gears. Peter accepts that he's the only one who can carry the truth before launching back into action. We get our first proper look at the new threats, with Tremell Tillman warning that the enemy "can be anyone." Spider-Man squares off against Scorpion, goes toe-to-toe with the Hulk, battles what certainly looks like The Hand, dodges a shuriken in slow motion, and even lands an electrified punch on the Hulk. The action looks fast, creative and exactly what I'd hoped to see.

The trailer ends on a classic Spider-Man note. Ned reveals that his Spider-Man tracker says the hero is nearby, only for Spider-Man to appear behind him and casually reply, "Oh yeah? No way. That's crazy." It's a simple gag, but it's the kind of humour that has always made these films work.

I went into this trailer thinking I didn't need to see another second of this film. I came out even more excited than I already was. Thankfully, the emotional core seems just as important as the action, and if that's true of the finished film, then Peter's next chapter could be something really special.