The DCEU is at a turning point and The Flash is here to be the axis this creative pivot is built around… or so we believe. It picks up with Barry Allen (Ezra Miller), who uses his powers to change the past and save his family, inadvertently creating an alternate timeline in which the superheroes as we know them are gone.
Firstly, I must touch on the whole “one of the best superhero films ever made” claims that were made just a couple of months ago. For context – as certain critics/media personalities saw an early cut of the film, they began praising it highly, many going so far as to say it’s one of the greats. This set my expectations way higher than I initially had them. Now, after having seen the film, this is definitely a really good superhero movie with plenty of great moments and lots of fun to be had, but it’s not even close to the best DC film let alone superhero films in general. So, take that into consideration and maybe lower those expectations ever so slightly before diving in to the multiverse.
The Flash gets a lot of things right – it’s a fast-paced adventure with great thrills and plenty of comedy, but there’s also elements that are handled and executed poorly. Going into specifics, the film is bookended by sequences that are bad for an assortment of reasons. It opens with an action sequence clearly designed to establish Ezra Miller’s quirky persona, but it’s way too silly and campy. The entire scene is designed around hitting countless comedic beats, and it falls apart when they don’t hit as intended. On top of that, the poor CGI is a worrying sign of what’s to come – it’s a lot of visual noise and it looks distractingly fake, ripping you right out of the scene.
Then there’s the ending, which I’ll touch on without spoilers. The third act is very strong – it’s high stakes, action-packed and a good showdown that puts a cap on everything that’s been built up and teased so far. Then, in the final 10-15 minutes, it abruptly pivots its focus to another arc entirely, making way for a sequence littered with awful CGI and a twist that’s entirely predictable and rather pointless. The ending is severely rushed, leaving no time to fully process what’s happening… and before you know it, it’s all over. It’s bewildering how messy the ending becomes when it was looking so simple.
Now, let’s look at the good. The central narrative is aptly entertaining – watching Barry Allen navigate the multiverse leads to plenty of fun interactions and cool action sequences. It moves along at a rapid pace, hitting all the key plot points in quick succession and making a 2 hour and 24 minute film feel not a minute longer than 2 hours. It’s well balanced between character-focused moments and action sequences, offering enough of both worlds to remain fresh the whole way through. Most notably, the film features both Batman and Supergirl in hefty roles, making full use of the multiverse to bring something new to the DC universe. Despite these additional heroes being integral to the story, it still feels like a Flash movie and is never bogged down by the need to set up the new arrivals.
On top of this, there’s a very effective emotional arc. As someone who’s very familiar with the backstory concerning Barry Allen’s family, the emotion is still effective and impactful – a testament not only to the writing, but to Ezra Miller’s performance. Then on the other end of the spectrum, there’s tonnes of well-timed witty comedy weaved throughout, especially delivered by Ezra Miller. Not every joke hits, but most do, balancing out the more emotional content and breathing life into the action scenes. Ezra’s quick-witted dialogue paves the way for some unexpected laughs, especially when interacting with his multiverse counterpart.
In terms of performances, Ezra is honestly better than I expected. They hit most comedic beats and deliver on selling the emotional turmoil the character is going through. They play two roles in this movie and do them both very well, nailing the whole fish-out-of-water arc that the multiverse Flash goes through. The return of Michael Keaton as Batman is one of the film’s highlights. He’s awesome in every one of his scenes and jumps right back into the role with ease. He has a lot to do, and pairs very well with Ezra by offering a more dry, stoic performance. Then we have the arrival of Sasha Calle’s Supergirl, who is solid throughout the film. Her performance is good, yet she doesn’t have a tonne of acting to do. She’s in the movie quite a bit, but most of her screen time is spent throwing punches as opposed to delivering dialogue.
In the end, The Flash is nothing short of a really good superhero film that delivers an entertaining story with solid humour and strong arcs for both Barry Allen (x2) and Batman. With ample action and effective emotional throughlines, it’s a fun adventure despite its woes. The visual effects are occasionally poor and very distracting, especially in the film’s opening and closing scenes. It doesn’t end on a good note, rushing haphazardly to the finish line and creating a mess in its wake, but that doesn’t tarnish the overall product too much. Considering the state of the DCEU at the moment, this film being good is a gift in and of itself.
7.4/10
Everything Movie Reviews 