The Flash – A Character-Driven Superhero Epic (Early Review)

There has been perhaps no more tumultuous production than that of The Flash, an entry in the ever-evolving DC Extended Universe (or DCEU) that has also seen its fair share of changes over the years. Since the film was announced back in 2014 with Ezra Miller set to star as the DCEU was in its infancy, the film had seen writers and directors come and go as it found itself delayed multiple times as a result of various creative conflicts, scheduling conflicts involving key cast members, and the COVID-19 pandemic. A CW television series, starring Grant Gustin as Barry Allen/The Flash, premiered around the time of the film announcement and just completed a 9-season run a few weeks ago. Most notably, Miller’s erratic behavior and various personal and legal issues have cast a negative light on the film. As a result, a large contingent of audiences have expressed that the role should be recast. That being said, the role was not recast with as they remain at the helm with Andy Muschietti set to step into the director’s chair. Whatever one may think about Miller and their actions, they are up to the challenge of headlining their own film. Though its premise lends to some surprises, their effortless charm leads the way in a story that balances stakes and heart while finding emotion within the spectacle.

The Flash picks it up with Barry Allen (Miller) balancing his life as a criminologist and that of being in the Justice League as The Flash. Essentially relegated to mop-up duty, he was resigned to the role. Ultimately, his focus was on his family and helping his father Henry (Ron Livingston) get his murder conviction overturned in death of his mother Nora (Maribel Verdú). Unbeknownst to him, Barry stumbled onto a way that could possibly save his family when he learned that he could travel back in time. While the allure of saving his parents was tempting, time travel is dangerous as changing something in the past could create unintended circumstances in the present or future. Nevertheless, Barry went forward anyway to prevent his mother’s murder which of course caused some unintended circumstances. Somehow finding himself in a different universe, at least it was one where his mother was alive and his family was whole. However, it already had a Barry albeit a younger one. This dynamic certainly made for a conundrum as far as navigating the other universe was concerned but both Barrys coming together was inevitable.

The many contrasts between the younger and older Barry play out on screen and how that dynamic evolved was a blast to watch, lightening the mood and highlighting how far Barry has come. The younger Barry became a mirror of sorts as Barry more or less saw his own reflection, offering him some perspective. Though the truth behind why he was there in the first place and the paradoxes that revealing this truth may create loomed large, that was just the beginning of their problems. The greatest challenge to this perfect scenario was the unceremonious return of General Zod (Michael Shannon) who was up to his old tricks. Little did Barry know; his current universe showed no signs of a Superman or even a Justice League. Luckily, there was still a Bruce Wayne around but he was not quite the one he remembered. The other universe’s Bruce Wayne (Keaton) was older and retired as the safer Gotham City rendered him obsolete. Given a reason to don the cowl once again, he did not lose a beat. Remembering how the last time with Zod went, the answer was to find Superman. However, they found his cousin Kara Zor-El/Supergirl (Calle) whose experience on Earth shaped her into a different hero than her cousin.

The climax of The Flash brought upon a great deal of thrills and excitement as the two Barrys along with Supergirl and Batman taking on Zod and his minions definitely delivered on the film’s “Worlds Collide” tagline. It was action-packed and full of spectacle as it featured our heroes in action working together to save the other universe but the real climax was the emotional one at the root of the story. The fight to save this other universe held more significance to Barry as despite the perfect scenario he had created for himself, it came with a cost. As much as he tried to make things right, his ordeal proved to be a lesson about how he should accept his fate as our experiences, good or bad, shape us into the people we become. Already causing damage to the multiverse through his past actions, getting back to his original universe wasn’t without sacrifice and wasn’t necessarily seamless either as the ripple effects of it all are only starting to be felt. Maybe not a game-changer in and of itself, without giving anything away, the film merely opens the door for what is possibly to come. Whether or not that potential is realized remains to be seen.

As mentioned, the film feels very much like a superhero film with the same level of spectacle audiences have come to expect from the DCEU. For the most part, that kind of blockbuster type entertainment will surely be enough to bring them to theatres. However, where the film truly excels is on a character level. A testament to the strong writing of Christina Hodson, it is more than Barry’s emotional arc as Bruce and Kara are given some compelling character development as well. More beaten down and weathered than the Bruce Wayne Barry was used to, his decades of life experience shaped him into an interesting character in the context of today’s DCEU. Kara’s backstory was a rough one. Only knowing darkness most of her life, she simply needed to see the light. Doing each of these characters justice, the film balances those storylines admirably, finding emotion in the midst of its wild premise. Not only is it tense, thrilling, and full of heart, it is also hilarious but not in an off-putting way, jokes that didn’t land excluded

On a technical level, though the film may not be ground breaking but for it sticks to the tried and true for which is still does very well. The cinematography and production design do a decent job at keeping up with the action as it takes audiences to Central City, Metropolis, and Gotham City, giving each their own look and feel. A special kudos goes to work done to bring the other universe’s Wayne Manor and bat cave to life. The film also may not feature as many action sequences as one would expect but for what it does, it pulls them off in a solid way in spite of an overreliance on CGI that did result in some distracting moments. The special effects behind bringing the special abilities of The Flash too life was similarly well executed with the exception of the slow-mo sequences that looked somewhat awkward. Meanwhile, the film’s depiction of the multiverse was equally as awkward-looking. What nobody can argue about is the power of Benjamin Wallfisch’s thematic score.

In the end, the best part of The Flash is Miller’s stellar performance as Barry Allen/The Flash. They carry the emotional weight of the film effortlessly as their charm makes him an easy character to follow and invest in emotionally. Far removed from his role as the mostly comic relief role in their previous DCEU appearances, this film allowed them to tap into their talents as an actor, including their fantastic range. Giving Barry depth, they showed all his different sides in an arc that amounted to him having to grow up. They could be quirky or serious when they needed to be all while imbuing Barry’s flaws and youthful impulsiveness. Going even further, they played a younger version of Barry with much of that same energy, with and without the pain of having lost his mother, and making him feel like a distinct character. Both Barrys had their own arcs and watching them play off of one another over the course of the film was easily the biggest highlight. In supporting roles, Calle was an absolute force as Supergirl in limited screen time and Keaton was another highlight, turning back the clock and not missing the beat as he returned to the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman over 30 years after 1992’s Batman Returns.

Overall, The Flash is indeed not a complete disaster as its troubled production may have suggested and is, without a doubt, one of the best films that the DCEU has produced. The blockbuster-worthy spectacle is there but the film thrives as a character-centric tale led by Ezra Miller. While some will inevitably not be willing to look past their actions in their personal life, they proved that they have a future as Barry Allen. Though what will happen next in terms of The Flash and the DCEU mostly remains a mystery following the hiring of James Gunn and Peter Safran to lead the newly-minted DC Studios, Miller should still play a part in whatever that future will look like.

still courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.