Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) has found a way to travel back in time to save his parents from being taken from him–but it comes at a cost. As he travels back in time to reset his own timeline, other timelines begin to converge and the malicious General Zon (Michael Shannon) has reemerged to take over earth. As Barry and a new team of super beings take the stage and face off against Zod, he realizes that there is more to being The Flash than just saving lives–he must save the multiverse from extinction.
The Flash was a film that was in production far longer than it needed to be, its release constantly being pushed back due to a series of extraneous issues. As much as it shouldn’t, when things like the film’s lead getting into legal trouble over and over again postpone the release of a film, it tends to hinder the final product. Against all odds, The Flash rose from the ashes of Miller’s shenanigans, and I did not find this to be the case at all with the newest installment of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU).
The Flash wastes no time jumping into an action-packed narrative, into a film that is groundbreaking in more ways than one. Comedy and action take the stage together in the opening moments, creating a really promising balance that transcends the entirety of the film. Miller is the star of the show, there’s no doubt about that–and in the opening seconds of the film he’s given the opportunity to develop comedy and showcase his talents. The moment the film opens viewers are able to see why Warner Brothers and DC refused to give up on the actor, why they refused to give up on the project, and why they ultimately had so much faith in The Flash.
For anyone familiar with the Flashpoint storyline of Flash lore, The Flash won’t be a complete surprise–however, Writers Christina Hodson and Joby Harold doctored the story up in a way that allowed it to remain fresh from beginning to end, to present viewers with a new twist at every corner, and to constantly keep those viewers guessing. As the film develops, and the story along with it, The Flash only gets stronger and more intriguing. Flash is obviously the most important person in his own film, and he’s what helps to drive the film forward more than anything else–but the wonderful inclusion of all that has come before in the world of DC plays just as important a role. The Flash dives deep into the history of DC superhero films, pulling content from a series of other successful projects–and while there are familiar faces and familiar instances sprinkled throughout the course of the film, this team always finds ways to mold it into something different, into something unique and fresh. While Flash is the most important character, the fact that The Flash is able to continue to introduce unique material is what ultimately breathes life into this project, and it’s what allows the film to be successful.
This film is heavily reliant on CGI, and while I understand that CGI is an integral part to superhero films, it seems that they attempted to do too much here. I could have overlooked this shortcoming, but the reality is that many instances of CGI are underwhelming or simply poorly developed. The Flash is a supernatural, science fiction journey that transcends a multiverse of superheroes and supervillains–and it requires CGI in order for it to be successful, in order for any of it to come to life. Some of the instances of CGI, however, could have been better developed, could have been more aesthetically pleasing. That’s really The Flash’s one blunder, the one thing that truly hinders the film.
It seems like we’ve waited a decade for The Flash to finally be released, to finally make its way to theaters and enthrall us. However, doubt was raised at just about every turn leading up to the film’s release, and it seemed more and more likely that the film would fail to live up to the hype that its team and new DC-frontman James Gunn gave it. This seems to be one of the rare occasions when, after a film has been so frequently talked about, so often said to be one of the best of its genre, to come through and deliver in almost every way. The Flash is one of a kind, a breath of fresh air in a DCEU that has struggled for nearly ten years, and an all-around spectacular film that enthralls and entertains from beginning to end.
Directed by Andy Muschietti.
Written by Christina Hodson & Joby Harold.
Starring Ezra Miller, Sasha Calle, Ben Affleck, Michael Keaton, Antje Traue, Michael Shannon, Kiersey Clemons, Maribel Verdú, Ron Livingston, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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