The Flash (Movie Review)

After multiple production delays, controversies, peculiar promotional headlines and what has quite possibly been one of the strangest lead ups to a movie ever, The Flash is finally in cinemas! But after all of that, you might be wondering if this film is a run away success or just a overhyped Flash in the pan….

Directed by Andrews Muchietti and staring Ezra Miller (Barry Allen/The Flash), The Flash is a time travelling/Multiverse super hero epic that is trying to re-capture some of the lightning in a bottle of the recent Spider-Man No Way home and Spider-verse films.

Let’s get one thing straight right out of the gate. This film is trying to lure audiences into the film through the power of nostalgia, some of which is genuinely fun. From the trailers you are likely already aware that Michael Keaton (Bruce Wayne/Batman) plays a prominent role in this movie, as does Ben Affleck (Bruce Wayne/Batman) and both are enjoyable. However, this film not only has two prominent Batmen but also – in an attempt to outdo Marvel’s Spider-Man – features a LOT of cameos from heroes/actors both past and present. While some of the cameos are cool; the manner in which most most of these cameos take place in the film is blink and you’ll miss it; and often feels less organic than the way Spider-Man implemented them.

So how does Ezra Miller (The Flash) go as the leading man in this movie? Well, its a bit of a mix. Ezra Miller is able to nail some of the comedic and emotional scenes, with a couple of heartfelt moments. On the other hand, Ezra also struggles to be likable and can come across as more annoying and awkward than endearing and conflicted. Overall, the actor lacks the charisma of say…. a Michael Keaton.

Speaking of which, Michael Keaton is a real treat for fans of the original Keaton Batman films. The production crew have gone to great lengths to not just recreate some of the Bat equipment, but also to recreate some of the original sets and music too, its genuinely a lot of fun. Supergirl (Sasha Calle) is also in this film in a small supporting capacity and is likable enough given the little screentime she has access to.

Something that may pull you out of the experience is how the cinematography and special effects of this film are all over the place. A lot of effort visibly went into making Michael Keaton (and one cameo in particular) look cool, which is a major plus! On the flip side, a lot of what should be stand out scenes are undermined by some truly wonky PlayStation 2 level visual effects. There are also some peculiar choices of how the camera chooses to frame certain moments and characters with the use of CGI. A lot of which make some actors look like floating heads on computer generated bodies, it’s genuinely bizarre.

Overall, despite the questionable special effects and an uneven first half, The Flash is an alright time. It is hard to place exactly who the target audience for this film is but if you have an understanding or love of past and present DC films you will get a delighted chuckle out of some of the throwbacks here. If you’re not really interested in super heroes, this won’t win you over but it is an alright movie to eat popcorn to.

I’d give The Flash 2.5 Flash Rings out of 5.

Parental Advisory: There is a noticeable but surprising amount of medium level profanity in this film; which depending on your tastes; may be a bit much for younger audiences.

Fan continuity advisory: There several small references to the director’s cut of Zack Snyder’s Justice League and therefore this film is a continuation of that story, as opposed to the radically different theatrical Justice league.