Director Andy Muschietti’s love for The Flash shines through in the upcoming 2023 movie premiere. The comedic and fast-paced film presents a unique twist on the Flashpoint comic event. Barry Allen races to undo the traumatic murder of his mother, leading to a collision of two Batmen and two DC movie continuities that creates a sincere yet funny superhero movie. Despite some excessive fan service and an unwieldy third act, The Flash is an entertaining and earnest film for all audiences.
Barry’s Emotional Journey
From the start, The Flash is dedicated to Barry Allen’s emotional journey as he navigates his newfound time travel ability and reckons with his grief. Although excessive fan service can be found throughout the movie, The Flash focuses on presenting Barry’s deeply emotional story as a morality play. Barry must learn to cope with what his actions have brought and find the strength to face his guilt.
Batman’s Role
Two Batman characters appear in the movie and are contrasted to accentuate Barry’s story. Both men starved by violence as children, Ben Affleck’s Dark Knight laments that scars define us, while Michael Keaton’s Batman admits that there’s allure in the possibility of erasing the scars. These men provide Barry with a rich philosophical offering. Affleck delivers an impeccable performance, while Keaton’s portrayal of an older Bruce feels understated, barely tapping into his memorable lines. Keaton’s fight scene steals the show and presents a missed opportunity to explore and acknowledge how Batman can unravel with age.
Supergirl’s Disappointing Role
Supergirl’s role, however, feels more like a plot device than a well-developed character. The Flash struggles to present her as an essential part of the story, and her plot veers into a cringy cliche. Despite the disappointing role, actor Sasha Calle shows great commitment to the character, delivering an impressive performance.
The Fast-Paced Action
As the trailer highlights, the movie showcases great use of Flash’s signature powers in true blockbuster form. At the same time, the Flash’s expression of powers shocks some viewers, given the intimacy created by the fast-paced action. The cinematography and special effects are superb, with the Quicksilver sequence contrasting sharply with the rest of the movie’s sequences and creating an unsettling yet humorous impact.
Time Travel and New Additions
Although the concept of time travel in the movie is presented in a unique way that sets it apart from previous such presentations, the CGI render used for certain events proves distracting. It detracts from the intended impact of some of the most crucial scenes, leading to disappointment.
The Flash movie brings together the Snyderverse, expanding on Barry’s superhero journey profoundly. Barry’s arc drives the movie forward. It made sense that the third act was the most ambitious and unwieldy yet. It brought together all the chaos of the film and culminated in a satisfying resolution that delights all audiences. Ultimately, The Flash delivers an enjoyable and captivating movie that comic fans will love and ordinary moviegoers will enjoy.