PROLOGUE: Before I dive into my review of The Flash, I feel that I must address two distinct issues in which are completely unavoidable and must be briefly touched upon. Firstly, for those who are out of the loop, Flash actor Ezra Miller has made some pretty severe mistakes over the past few years. These mistakes have caused a massive online debate over accountability in Hollywood and how if you are rich and famous, you aren’t held to the same rules that most everyday normal people are. I won’t go into detail here, but if you’d like to know more, just look it up on Google. It’s completely understandable why some people are going to avoid viewing this film because of that, and it’s a decision I fully respect.
For general audience members that are reading this review, there are a few things to keep in mind when going in to viewing this film. To put it all in a nutshell, director Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel was the first movie in a larger DC Universe back in 2013. Due to backlash on its sequel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, many changes were made to its follow up, Justice League (2017). Unfortunately, the situation was made worse when Snyder had to step down from the project to tend to his grieving family after his daughter Autumn tragically took her own life. In 2021, Snyder released his full version of Justice League to HBO MAX and it was met with a far better reception than the studio/Joss Whedon botched effort in 2017. Zack Snyder’s Justice League was consistent with the vision that Zack had mapped out ever since Man of Steel was released. Sadly, there have been no plans to continue that story, as James Gunn took control over DC earlier this year, announcing that The Flash movie will be wiping the slate clean, which means everything that came before is to become non-canon in the new DCU timeline.
I am bringing this up because it’s CONFUSING for so many people in the general audience who wouldn’t understand why there are so many story/tonal inconsistencies in DC’s shared cinematic universe. For example: This actor plays the same character in a different movie but it’s not the same universe or timeline because it’s done by a different director and said character’s personality doesn’t align with their previous appearances. It’s stuff like this that even leaves myself and many others utterly bewildered. With all of that being said, these distinctive topics will be kept separate from my review of the film itself, so let’s dive right into it.
In The Flash, Barry Allen uses his super speed to change the past, but his attempt to save his family creates a world without super heroes, forcing him to race for his life in order to save the future. Director Andy Muschietti of IT Chapter 1 and 2 comes in to helm this gargantuan sized superhero multiversal blockbuster that is set the change the course of the future for DC’s shared cinematic universe. Right off the bat, there is a lot riding on Ezra Miller’s performance as not one, but two versions of Barry Allen, both with distinctive personalities. Even with the actor’s solid performance as Flash in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Miller has always come off way more along the lines of Wally West’s Flash rather than Barry Allen.
Ezra is really trying to balance the shy boy awkward humor with the more serious dramatic beats. Miller’s performance here is good for the most part, with some moments of comedic timing landing perfectly while others are rather cringe and unnecessary. Miller is at his best during emotionally touching scenes involving his mother, and that mother/son relationship dynamic itself is one of the strongest, most effective parts of the film. The way in which the speed force is translated visually from comics to film here is actually extremely impressive and it’s easy to understand what director Muschietti’s intentions were when certain things play out in the “Chronobowl” bubble of CGI mayhem. Flash’s display of powers are mostly well realized in live action with perhaps the most impressive visual stunt being his ability to phase through solid objects.
Fans who are holding out for Ben Affleck’s Batman to have a major part in the film will be disappointed, however the minor role that he does have was very reminiscent of Batman on team missions from the Justice League animated series and it is truly a shame that this is the last time we will probably ever see Batfleck again on a silver screen. Affleck has publicly stated that he was most proud of his performance as Batman in this film, making it all the more unfortunate that his older more grizzled portrayal won’t be getting further opportunities to shine. Viewers will need to at least watch Man of Steel to understand much of this film’s second half, as Michael Shannon makes his return as the Kryptonian menace, General Zod. Shannon’s portrayal as this alternate reality Zod is a lot more cold, ruthless, and soulless than his Man of Steel counterpart, so there isn’t much dimension to his character here other than an unstoppable force that the heroes need to defeat.
Sasha Calle might not have been given a lot to work with when it comes to character development, but for her first appearance as Kara Zor-El, she does a fine job conveying the physical prowess, hopeful attributes, and leadership qualities that Supergirl is known for. Where Calle’s Kara is shortchanged in development, she gets plenty of moments to shine in the chaotic CGI action and her role is basically the same role that Superman had in the Flashpoint comic event, which works to varying degrees. One thing that this movie does better than a vast majority of previous DCEU movies is that the colors of the superhero’s costumes look bright, rich, and vibrant as they do in the actual comics.
At this point, it is no secret that after more than 30 years, Michael Keaton has reprised his iconic role as Batman in this movie. While bringing Keaton back could have been cheap nostalgia bait to sell tickets, his role here has purpose and there isn’t a single moment in which the 71 year old actor phones in his performance. The film effectively builds up to Keaton’s first appearance so that when he does eventually come onto the scene, his presence feels both earned and appropriate. When Keaton suits up and goes into action, we are treated to some of the best Batman fight sequences in cinematic history, emulating the acrobatic moves and martial arts style of Batman in the Arkham games. Let’s put it this way. Michael Keaton’s return as Batman is a textbook example of how to bring back a legacy hero and have his or her role be consistent with what came before while adding layers and nuance to their character growth.
On the flip side, Warner Bros is trying to do so much to make this the ultimate DCEU climax that its tone and individual identity as a film oftentimes gets lost in the mix. Familiar situations such as the world engine from Man of Steel, while nice too see, could have been a newer threat or fresher scenario to better match the story of a solo Flash movie. Same sentiments are echoed with the new mysterious “Dark Flash” character, who comes off as just another “evil doppelgänger of the hero” CGI villain from earlier MCU movies. This was a massive mistake and classic Flash arch nemesis Eobard Thawn AKA Reverse Flash/Professor Zoom would have easily been a far more fitting and compelling main villain for Barry’s story here like he was in the Flashpoint comic (and animated adaptation). The rewriting, reworking, and resetting of a large portion of what many DC fans love about the universe Zack Snyder started bogs the film down in the process, making it feel clunky. The humor is hit or miss, with some genuinely hysterical time travel related gags met with a little too much MCU-like jokes. Strokes of absolute brilliance are to be found, mainly in a strong second act that accentuates the best qualities of DC’s most endearing adventures.
It comes as no surprise that the movie falters a bit in its bloated CGI fueled mess of a third act which feels redundant and plays out like a less exciting version of Man of Steel’s exhilarating climax. If you’re a massive fan of DC movies, there are quite a few cameos that will leave you speechless, so be weary of spoilers on social media. There is also one post credits scene at the very end of the scrolling credits, so be sure to stick around for that. Judging the film on its own merits, isolating all the behind the scenes drama, The Flash is certainly better than expected, but not on the level of greatness it should be. Overall, while it's overstuffed and confusing in the context of the larger DCEU/SNYDERVERSE, director Andy Muschietti's multiversal love letter to DC's cinematic legacy is mostly entertaining comic book movie escapism, with shocking surprises for longtime fans, heartfelt story beats, and a scene stealing return for Michael Keaton's Batman to overshadow the film's frustrating missed opportunities.
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