A good number of DC fans flocked to the theaters to see The Flash, but mostly to see the return of Michael Keaton‘s Batman. This alone couldn’t save another DCEU film from itself.
Worlds collide in The Flash when Barry Allen uses his superpowers to travel back in time in order to change the events of the past. But when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation, and there are no superheros to turn to. That is, unless Barry can coax a very different Batman out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian… albeit not the one he’s looking for. Ultimately, to save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry’s only hope is to race for his life.
Hopes were high heading into The Flash, but the film’s promising elements are held back by an overwhelming amount of juvenile jokes, predictable plot twists, and lackluster performances, particularly from Ezra Miller as the lead. One of the few shining acting performances came from Sasha Calle as Kara Zor-El / Supergirl, which gives us hope for the future of the DC Studios.
After watching The Flash, it’s clear that Miller’s Barry Allen may not be the best fit for a full-length movie. Miller’s quirky and somewhat erratic performance style can be entertaining in small doses, but it may not be enough to carry a film on its own.
While the return of Keaton as Bruce Wayne / Batman was a delight and something we thought we would never see again after Batman Returns, unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to make it a blockbuster success.
CGI and special effects are crucial for bringing the title character’s powers and abilities to life, they should enhance the film, not distract from it. Unfortunately, many of us were disappointed with the quality of the said effects in The Flash. Some scenes looked just off, and the overall effects was jarring and took away from the story. This is something we should not see in films these days with the money spent and the advancement of the technology. However, films such as The Flash and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania seem to struggle in these departments.
Overall, while not the best or the worst DCEU film, it will definitely keep you entertained. We’d say it falls somewhere in the middle of the pack.
The film was directed by Andy Muschietti from a screenplay by Christina Hodson and story from John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein, and Joby Haroldas. It is the 13th film in the DC Extended Universe.
The Flash stars Ezra Miller as Barry Allen / The Flash alongside Sasha Calle as Kara Zor-El / Supergirl, Michael Shannon as General Zod, Ron Livingston as Henry Allen, Maribel Verdú as Nora Allen, Kiersey Clemons as Iris West, and Antje Traue as Faora-Ul. Michael Keaton returns as Bruce Wayne / Batman for the first time since Batman Returns in 1992. He first appeared as the Dark Knight in the 1989 Tim Burton Batman film.
Next up in the DC film universe is Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom due out December 20, 2023.
