Film Review: The Flash

 

Sexuality/Nudity Mature

Violence Acceptable
Vulgarity Mature

Anti-Catholic Philosophy Acceptable

As with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, I appear to be in the minority opinion because I think The Flash is really good.

The movie is a kind of finale to the DCEU that began with 2013's Man of Steel.  The story revolves around Barry Allen/The Flash (Ezra Miller).  He is the hero of super speed, but still has trouble connecting to people.  His father Henry (Ron Livingston) is about to lose an appeal for the murder of Barry's mom Nora (Maribel Verdu).  Barry decides to go back in time and make a small change that should save his mother's life.  However, as he travels back to the present, a mysterious figure knocks him out of the timeline and into 2013.  There he encounters not only his living parents but his 19-year-old self.  Unfortunately, this is also the time of General Zod's (Michael Shannon) invasion of Earth.  Together, the Barrys go to find Batman and Superman.  But as it turns out the Batman of this universe is the one from the 1989 movie starring Michael Keaton.  And there is an even bigger surprise in the search for Superman.  Together, it is a race against time and fate to save all reality.

My feeling about the DCEU movies is that they are on their weakest footing when they try to ape the Marvel style, which is essentially FX heavy action along with non-stop quips.  The movie starts this way, with lots of that type of humor as Barry has to save a bunch of falling babies.  And while Ben Affleck is my favorite cinematic Batman, he is terrible as the Dark Knight in this movie.  Gone is the fiery intensity burning underneath the surface.  He tries to be funny and that just falls flat.  He recovers a bit in his portrayal of Bruce Wayne, but there is definitely something lost.  

A lot has been said about the poor quality of the CGI and they are correct.  Director Andy Muschietti actually does a great job of giving the super speed a strong cinematic feel.  He takes you into Barry's perspective as a speedster that we haven't seen before.  The problem is that when the CGI is used to render people, they all feel like waxy mannequins.  I am not someone who is against using CGI to recreate people on screen.  I had no problem with Grand Moff Tarkin in Rogue One.  But The Flash's use of digital actors leaves something to be desired.

My other big complaint is the inexplicable nudity in the movie.  There is a scene where Barry's clothes burn off and there are lingering shots of rear-nudity.  There was no reason to overly sexualize the character, especially in a movie that is supposed to appeal to teens and tweens.  

Beyond that, the movie is the best DCEU theatrical movie since Batman v. Superman, which I love.  

I have to admit upfront that I cannot stand Ezra Miller.  For some people, his real-life controversies will make it impossible for them to enjoy this movie.  I completely understand and respect that position.  I, however, can usually separate the art from the artist.  My biggest problem with Miller is that his on-screen persona is so annoying.  I hated his casting as Barry Allen.  His performances have nothing in common with the character he is based on.  He was my least favorite part of the Justice League movie.

But the movie does something incredibly clever that not only leans into this dislike, but simultaneously overcomes it.  Young Barry takes all of Miller's annoying traits and amps them up to 11.  Much of the dynamic between Older Barry and Younger Barry involves his older self trying to reign in his younger self.  As a result, Ezra Miller as the Older Barry seems reasoned, mature, and serious by comparison.  And I have to hand it to Muschietti, the use of both versions of Ezra Miller never feels artificial.  I completely bought into the idea that they are two completely different characters.

The best part of the movie is without a doubt Keaton as Batman.  I saw someone say that they had never seen someone so effortlessly cool, and I have to agree.  Every second Keaton is on the screen he commands it.  Some of this is the feeling of nostalgia.  However, Keaton feels as vital and powerful as ever in the role.  One of my favorite moments is a wordless scene where Bruce is patching himself up after a battle.  It is only a few seconds, but in those moments, Keaton takes you on Bruce's journey as his body is beaten, but his spirit is rejuvenated.  

The problem is that he isn't better integrated into the story.  While he and Supergirl (Sasha Calle) play important roles, it feels like all of the character development was reserved for Barry.  This makes some sense since it is a Flash movie.  But if you compare this movie to Spider-Man: No Way Home, you can feel a difference in how the supporting characters are given emotionally satisfying arcs.  Calle doesn't have a lot to work with and neither does Keaton.  But what little Keaton has, he nails.  Some of the Barry/Barry interactions and some of the Marvel-style jokes  could have been sacrificed to flesh out Batman and Supergirl.  This is true of almost all of the side characters.  There is a budding romance shoe-horned in with Iris (Kiersey Clemmons), which not only is not given enough time to grow but also the two have no chemistry to speak of.

The action sequences are incredibly fun.  While the early action scenes are played mostly for comedy, they get more serious as they go on.  The infiltration of a secret Russian base is a real highlight where it shows how an older, weary Batman is still a force to be reckoned with.  

Where the movie really works is in the way that it hits the emotional beats.  Barry's desire to save his mother is so primal that you can understand why he would risk the entire universe to save her.  This emotional through-line carries the movie.  It is so strong that you can understand why Bruce's icy heart could feel for Barry's desire to save his parents.  The film-makers carry this central emotional desire to its heartbreaking conclusion.  This was much more emotionally satisfying than the journey that Miles Morales takes in Across the Spider-Verse.  I think it is because Miles makes his turning point decision without much consideration, whereas Barry agonizes.  The conflict within Barry is so strong and it is wonderfully embodied in his two different selves.  This isn't just a plot device, but it forms to emotional core of the film.  While there are some incredibly fun cameos, they never materialize into more.

Thematically, The Flash deals with a lot of complicated moral questions.  Is your obligation to your family more important than the public?  Do you prioritize who you save?  When do you fight for life and when do you let go?  When the movie moves away from the Marvel style and decides to take itself seriously, I found myself hooked.  Miller, to his great credit, was able to take me on that harrowing emotional journey so that I felt Barry's heartbreak.

This movie is a swan-song of the world that Zack Snyder built back in 2013 and it is a worthy one.  If you enjoyed the Synderverse and/or Michael Keaton's Batman, then you will enjoy this movie.