The Flash Review: Ezra Miller, Michael Keaton shine in uneven DC superhero film

The Flash hits screens in perfect Barry Allen fashion. A little late to the party, but the film’s heart earns forgiveness in the end.

The Flash is an interesting paradox of a film. The beginning is a bit wonky, the 2nd act is as close to perfect as possible in a superhero film and the 3rd act is disastrous.

Ezra Miller is excellent as Barry Allen, especially when acting opposite themself. Miller does struggle to generate any chemistry with Iris West (Kiersey Clemons) and his performance as Barry early in the film sways toward irritating more than endearing. However, once he breaks the universe, Miller turns in one of the best, most nuanced performances in a superhero film. Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck are both outstanding as different Bruce Wayne’s but are largely used as simple fanservice.

The Flash has an unrelenting pace, but surprisingly shines brightest when the film slows down and lets scenes breathe. When Barry goes back in time to save his mother, he breaks the universe. The universe he arrives in doesn’t appear to have metahumans, Zod is beginning his siege on earth and there’s another Barry he needs to put up with. The most novel aspect of The Flash is how it works as an origin film and a sequel by pairing the two Barrys opposite each other.

Unfortunately, the film doesn’t slow down enough to let moments really sink in. Part of the problem is the shoddy CGI work. The CGI is better than The Flash tv series on the CW, but not by much and certainly is not up to the standards of the The Avengers films or Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Even Steven Caple Jr’s Transformers: Rise of the Beasts does a better job of using CGI in live-action than The Flash.

The female characters are completely wasted in The Flash. Sasha Calle is intriguing as Kara aka Supergirl, but doesn’t get enough screen time. The romantic relationship between Barry and Iris fizzles.

Michael Shannon‘s return as Zod doesn’t work. There’s no onscreen connection between Zod and Kara so there’s an absence of tension in their battle. Apparently, using a Flash villain in a Flash movie is a novel concept.

In spite of the bad CGI, terrible 3rd act and underwritten supporting characters, The Flash does succeed overall. Andy Muschietti does a terrific job of managing tone and finding the heart in Barry’s story.

The ending of The Flash does create a “what the heck is happening” moment, but it also makes it difficult to see how consequential The Flash is to the new DCU universe.

With the overview out of the way, let’s take a deeper look at the Scarlet Speedster’s newest adventure. There may be some minor spoilers. 

Flashpoint

The Flash begins in the Zack Snyder Justice League universe with Affleck’s Batman, Gal Gadot‘s Wonder Woman and Barry thwarting a bank robbery that goes awry. There are some good action beats during the sequence. However, the CGI during Barry’s rescue of babies falling from a tall building is atrocious. The sequence is designed in a similar comedic manner as the Quicksilver sequence in X-Men: Days of Future Past but doesn’t match the creativity.

Meanwhile, Barry’s more distracted than usual. His father’s appeal hearing is coming up. The odds of them winning the appeal is unlikely due to the lack of evidence. A phone conversation between Barry and his father is too much for Barry to bare. In Barry Allen fashion, he runs. This time he runs too fast and enters the speed force where he discovers the ability to reverse time.

He reveals his discovery to Bruce. Barry can save his mother and father as well as Bruce’s parents. Bruce warns Barry about the consequences of time travel. He also talks about the importance of tragedies and how even if we can fix them, we shouldn’t. The scars make them the heroes they’re. Affleck is fantastic in this scene. Just enough yearning for a more pleasant life, but enough wisdom to understand the mistakes he’s made in trying to get justice for his parents’ murders.

Barry is seemingly convinced. However, a conversation with Iris makes him realize a specific forgotten item set up the circumstances that turned his light upside down. He believes the small change shouldn’t have a huge ripple effect.

The opening of The Flash has a great action sequence and Bruce-Barry conversation. However, Allen is pretty irritating in this early section. Once Barry goes back in time, the emotional story starts to kick in and the film significantly improves.

Barry vs Barry in The Flash

Barry’s awkward, yet endearing reunion with his mother and father is broken up by the arrival of a younger Barry Allen. Barry’s able to get to Younger Barry before their parents can see. Younger Barry is quite different from their counterpart. He’s cockier, entitled, and doesn’t have powers or trauma. Miller is at their best playing opposite himself.

Barry still has his powers and is looking for a way back. Suddenly, Zod appears and gives his speech. In an interesting retcon, Barry reveals he helped save someone in Metropolis during Superman’s fight with Zod. Barry quickly searches for metahumans, but Batman does exist.

Barry realizes he needs more metahumans and decides to recreate the experiment that gave him powers so Younger Barry can become a speedster. Unfortunately, Barry loses his powers while Younger Barry inherits the speedster’s powers during the experiment. The Flash shifts gears into something of an origin story for The Flash. Barry teaches Younger Barry how to use his powers. Although Younger Barry doesn’t listen very well.

The dynamic between the two Barry Allens is terrific and demonstrates how powerful Bruce’s words were in the other timeline. Barry’s tragedy made him a better, more responsible hero (albeit with some eccentric tendencies).

Let’s get nuts

The return of Keaton as Bruce Wayne works for the most part. Barry and Young Barry meets Bruce as a haggard old man, still nimble enough in a fight. Christina Hodson and Joby Harold‘s screenplay doesn’t really dig into why Bruce is so out of the game. Bruce retiring from being Batman doesn’t need an explanation. He’s an older man. However, Wayne Manor is in a shocking state of disrepair.

Keaton captures the essence of a haunted Bruce which works well enough. Muschietti does a great job of recreating Tim Burton‘s shooting style. Bruce is apprehensive about helping out until he discovers Barry’s story. Barry is trying to find Clark and Bruce is able to provide information on an alien being held in a Russian prison. The two Barrys and Batman infiltrate the prison where they rescue Kara. At first, Batman insists on leaving Kara, but Barry, who still doesn’t have his powers, saves her anyway.

Kara isn’t sure she wants to save humanity. After all, humans were the ones holding her prisoners. She eventually changes her mind and helps Barry regain his powers. The two Flashes, Supergirl and Batman attack Zod and his army.

The Flash falls off a cliff after this point, but everything from the reintroduction of Keaton’s Batman to Calle’s Supergirl is great. There is one issue though. The film’s pacing in this section is constantly moving from one scene to the next. For example, there’s little time to process Supergirl’s emotions. For example, she goes from being appalled at Zod to helping Barry in the next scene.

The Flash final thoughts

The Flash is a solid enough DC film. There are great performances by Keaton, Miller, Affleck and Calle. The theme of tragedy turning someone into a hero is a powerful throughline.

However, the CGI is poor quality and the 3rd act goes off the rails and The Flash never gets back on track. Calle makes the most of her screen time but is criminally underutilized.

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