★★☆☆☆ (4/10)
A beautiful, charming misfire that flies in slow motion
Why did this flop so hard? Simple: the tone. Superman balanced heroics with humor. Supergirl leans fully into made-for-TV fantasy. It doesn’t know if it’s for children (thanks to a bizarre phantom zone villain who looks like a furry) or for adults (thanks to a weirdly long scene where a possessed boy tries to assault Kara). The theatrical cut is a mess; the director’s cut is slower but more coherent.
The plot is nonsensical: a lost cosmic lens (the Omegahedron) falls into the hands of a wannabe witch named Selena, played by Faye Dunaway as if she’s in a completely different movie. Dunaway is chewing every piece of scenery in a 50-mile radius, and honestly, it’s the most entertaining trainwreck you’ll ever see. Peter O’Toole shows up, looks confused, collects his paycheck, and leaves.
Let’s be honest: following the lightning-in-a-bottle success of Superman: The Movie was impossible. But Supergirl tries so hard to be magical that you almost forgive its bizarre, glitter-strewn failure.
Watch it only for Helen Slater’s luminous presence and the incredible camp value of Dunaway screaming spells at a mirror. It’s a noble failure — underpowered, over-styled, and oddly lovable for those who appreciate 80s cheese. Just don’t expect a punch or a point.
The action is shockingly flat. Supergirl’s flying looks slower than a jog, and her big "battle" involves a tornado and a possessed construction truck. There’s no physical threat, no Lex Luthor-level menace — just campy magic spells and awkward slapstick.
Not the Catwoman of its day, but closer to Steel . A curiosity, not a classic.
Helen Slater is not the problem. She’s genuinely perfect as Kara Zor-El — wide-eyed, earnest, and possessing a natural warmth that makes you root for her. The real Krypton sets are gorgeous, and Jerry Goldsmith’s score soars. The first 20 minutes, with Kara leaving Argo City for Earth, feel like a lost fairy tale.
Then the movie lands on Earth, and things go... sideways.
★★☆☆☆ (4/10)
A beautiful, charming misfire that flies in slow motion
Why did this flop so hard? Simple: the tone. Superman balanced heroics with humor. Supergirl leans fully into made-for-TV fantasy. It doesn’t know if it’s for children (thanks to a bizarre phantom zone villain who looks like a furry) or for adults (thanks to a weirdly long scene where a possessed boy tries to assault Kara). The theatrical cut is a mess; the director’s cut is slower but more coherent. supergirl 1984 imdb
The plot is nonsensical: a lost cosmic lens (the Omegahedron) falls into the hands of a wannabe witch named Selena, played by Faye Dunaway as if she’s in a completely different movie. Dunaway is chewing every piece of scenery in a 50-mile radius, and honestly, it’s the most entertaining trainwreck you’ll ever see. Peter O’Toole shows up, looks confused, collects his paycheck, and leaves.
Let’s be honest: following the lightning-in-a-bottle success of Superman: The Movie was impossible. But Supergirl tries so hard to be magical that you almost forgive its bizarre, glitter-strewn failure. Supergirl leans fully into made-for-TV fantasy
Watch it only for Helen Slater’s luminous presence and the incredible camp value of Dunaway screaming spells at a mirror. It’s a noble failure — underpowered, over-styled, and oddly lovable for those who appreciate 80s cheese. Just don’t expect a punch or a point.
The action is shockingly flat. Supergirl’s flying looks slower than a jog, and her big "battle" involves a tornado and a possessed construction truck. There’s no physical threat, no Lex Luthor-level menace — just campy magic spells and awkward slapstick. The plot is nonsensical: a lost cosmic lens
Not the Catwoman of its day, but closer to Steel . A curiosity, not a classic.
Helen Slater is not the problem. She’s genuinely perfect as Kara Zor-El — wide-eyed, earnest, and possessing a natural warmth that makes you root for her. The real Krypton sets are gorgeous, and Jerry Goldsmith’s score soars. The first 20 minutes, with Kara leaving Argo City for Earth, feel like a lost fairy tale.
Then the movie lands on Earth, and things go... sideways.