'The Flash' Review: A Superhero Film That Can't Outrun Its Flaws
After a bumpy road to the silver screen, audiences are finally able to see the flash, a superhero film that has glimmers of brilliance, but buckles under its own ambition.
In The Flash, Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) is struggling to balance his superhero and personal lives, a common problem for most comic book characters. After discovering he can effectively travel back in time, Barry decides to travel into the past in order to prevent the death of his mother, unaware of the disastrous consequences his decision will have. During his disorienting trip into the past, he encounters the likes of a new Bruce Wayne/Batman (Michael Keaton) and Supergirl (Sasha Calle), in addition to another version of himself, also played by Miller.
The story follows the beloved Flashpoint storyline from the comics, exploring the multiverse and differing worlds in which these comic book characters exist. Fortunately, the cast here is solid, Miller giving their best performance as the hero yet, showcasing a more mature, emotionally vulnerable side that helps propel his arduous journey in addition to his goofy personality. The audience needs to fully understand why Barry decides to make such a reckless decision and Miller sells it wonderfully despite not being given the best material to work with.
However, the sizable selling point of the film is the return of Keaton as Batman, having previously starred in Tim Burton’s Batman films. Keaton slips back into the cape and cowl effortlessly, radiating the charm and magnetism that has made him such a fan favorite for decades. His dynamic with Miller’s Barry is the highlight of the film, both characters able to sympathize with one another having both lost loved ones. More importantly, this iteration of Batman feels organically placed in the story rather than shoehorned for the sake of fan service.
Also faring well is Calle as Supergirl. While her version of the character is vastly different from most iterations of the character, she’s fantastic in the role, easily able to share the screen with Miller and Keaton, leaving the audience wanting more of her character in future DC films. The performances help elevate material that isn’t as sharp or finely tuned as it should be.
In the director’s chair is Andy Muschietti, coming into the DC fold after his stellar work on It and It: Chapter Two. He was an inspired choice for helming the film, his visual style lending well to the blockbuster material. There are several sequences that are visually dazzling, fully demonstrating the powers of the titular hero in ways audiences haven’t fully seen before. However, aside from one action sequence, most of the set pieces in the film are forgettable and lackluster, poor CGI and visual effects not helping matters. It’s clear this film could’ve used far more time in post production in order to polish the visuals and immerse the viewer effectively. Despite some occasionally stunning sequences, the poor quality of the CGI becomes a glaring flaw and distraction throughout.
The two largest issues the film suffers from are its overindulgent, cringey humor and its lack of emotional punch. This is a comic book film littered with jokes and goofy humor, the majority of it falling flat with jokes going on far too long and Miller going a bit too over the top as a secondary version of Barry. With the stakes so high, there should’ve been a finer balance between the laughs and the drama. Flashpoint is one of the most emotionally resonant comic book story arcs, but its not given the justice it deserves here. Though Miller is able to sell the emotional scenes the best they can, the overall impact of the film feels dull when it should leave the audience breathless and grasping for tissues.
Lastly, the film feels like a cobbled together mess, each act feeling tonally dissimilar from the previous one. The film begins as an epilogue of sorts to Snyder’s DCEU, the second act leaning into being a goofy time travel buddy comedy, and the final act becoming a bombastic comic book film that struggles to wrap up the Flashpoint storyline and set up the future. None of these acts flow naturally into one another, leaving the film with a bit of an identity crisis.
The Flash is very disappointing misfire for DC, a great time travel film buried beneath poor visual effects, a weak script and sloppy storytelling. While there are plenty of callbacks and Easter eggs for fans to enjoy and salivate over, there isn’t much else the film offers that makes it memorable. The potential for this character is still present, but this speedster needs to be running on steadier ground to go faster than the speed of light.