Spoiler-free review: The Flash is a fantastic DC superhero movie

Superhero movies are a dime a dozen these days, and there is debate about what people want out of them going forward. Do we want movies that expand on an established universe and create bridges to future films, or standalone stories that don’t require vast knowledge of complex lore and can stand on their own two feet as a solid hero’s journey? Andy Muschietti’s The Flash strikes a unique balance between these two poles.

The Flash is funny, charming, full of heart, rich with nostalgia, and is the first DC movie in a long time to really get me excited about these legendary comic book characters. With the exception of James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, it’s easily the best DC movie to date. The film includes a large cast of fan favorite characters, an intelligent approach to the idea of the multiverse, and adrenaline-pumping action. It’s cheeky and self-aware in a way that isn’t overbearing. For the first time, DC feels like they are on the right track to establish their own path to success instead of chasing after Marvel.

Is Ezra Miller good as Barry Allen in The Flash?

Before we go any further, we have to address the elephant in the room. The Flash stars Ezra Miller in the title role, who in the past couple years has been accused of assault, kidnapping, endangering a minor, and more. It’s impossible to talk about this movie without bringing this up, especially because Miller is a MASSIVE part of what makes the movie so successful. Obviously, they are the lead in the film, but they also play the main supporting role. It’s not spoiling anything that isn’t already in the trailers to say that there are two Barry Allen’s in this movie. Therefore, most of the scenes involve Ezra Miller acting alongside… Ezra Miller.

Miller plays both Barrys to perfection; he’s a sweet, misguided kid thrust into an impossible situation. Miller has excellent comic timing, but it’s not just about laughs; they create a character who is vulnerable, lovable, and layered. Miller’s acting grounds the movie and drives the story forward. It’s a shame that such a good movie relies so heavily on the acting talents of a lead who’s in the news so often for the wrong reasons. But if you can look past that, Miller turns in a great superhero performance.

The Flash does nostalgia bait and the multiverse right

One of the things that makes The Flash so refreshing is that it is, quite simply, fun. It’s the type of film where audiences can feel the joy from the actors emanating off the screen. This is a turn away from the bleak, brooding DC films directed by Zack Snyder. Even actors who entered the DC Universe under Snyder’s tenure, like Ben Affleck as Batman, seem more energized. Affleck comes into the character in a new way as his wizened veteran Bruce Wayne interacts with broken adolescent Barry Allen. The characters bond over both having experienced extreme trauma early in their lives, traumas they are determined to overcome one way or another.

And there’s all the multiverse stuff, which opens the door for plentiful cameos and references. Michael Keaton is terrific in his return as Bruce Wayne, and it’s a delight to see Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, brought to life in a breakout performance by Sasha Calle. And the film’s nostalgia trip doesn’t end there. There are a variety of other cameos that are sure to have audiences hollering in their seats, as well as nods to every DC movie and comic book you can think of.

It can be chaotic. At times, the humor is so meta and irreverent that it bogs down the plot, but it never becomes unbearable. If anything, the nostalgia bait makes you feel like you’re a part of the story, since it’s drawing on the shared experience of everyone in the audience. And it’s not there for its own sake; the movie takes these references and uses them to underline its message about the need to move forward and not be defined by the past. The film prepares DC fans for the launch into a new DC universe, assuring us that we needn’t be wary of change.

The Flash also does a better job of explaining the rules of multiverse theory, and how they interface with time travel, than many other multiverse-themed superhero movies, including good ones like Spider-Man: No Way Home and Loki. After a certain scene with a bowl of spaghetti, the stakes should be pretty clear.

Verdict

The Flash isn’t perfect. No movie is. The action scenes, while exciting, rely heavily on CGI, and Michael Shannon’s return as General Zod doesn’t compare to Terrence Stamp’s performance as the character in Superman II. The film lacks a strong antagonist throughout most of the story, and some battle sequences feel light on stakes. At the same time, some actions scenes are among the best yet produced in a superhero movie. The film’s opening, in particular, is an astounding mixture of action and comedy, showing Barry using his powers to come to Batman’s aid in a slow-motion, high-speed sequence that recalls Quicksilver’s big scene in X-Men: Days of Future Past or even the highs of Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Is The Flash the greatest superhero film ever, as some early reviews have claimed? I wouldn’t go that far, but it deserves to be in the conversation. The Flash is a genuinely good movie that wants to make you happy, and succeeds. See it in theaters and experience it with a passionate crowd.

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