Barry, aka The Flash, is struggling to juggle everything around him. Simple tasks such as going to work on time seem near impossible as Barry receives alarming calls from members of the Justice League who continue to need his help saving the day. More importantly, Barry continues to fight for his Dad, who is still in jail on charges of murdering Barry’s mother. Barry’s father will have a court hearing soon, but his case doesn’t look promising.
One evening when Barry reflects deeply on his past, he expresses the many emotions surrounding the loss of his mother and uses his powers out of frustration. Barry discovers he can go back in time, meaning he could go back and make the slightest change that would save his mother’s life. Sure, people around Barry suggest messing with the past isn’t a great idea, but Barry feels that if it’s only a minor change and remains unseen, what could go wrong? However, when Barry attempts to go back in time, something forces Barry into a whole new world.
The Flash begins strongly with many fun action sequences and introduces a touching and wild concept surrounding Barry. Audiences gain a greater understanding of Barry’s past and the suffering that he still carries. When he sees an opportunity that will allow him to change the past, it’s impossible not to be supportive and curious to see if the impossible can be done. As you may expect, this film has many gags and unexpected cameos, which will please many DC fans worldwide. Most of the jokes worked well here, with only a few that didn’t land well, feeling a little silly.
Visually, I was delighted with The Flash. Everything here looks sharp, and plenty of scenes contain high levels of creativity. For the most part, action scenes look great, too, with only one scene that seemed far too dark to admire everything going on. The audio track is a delight, and hearing the classic Batman theme by Danny Elfman left me smiling as I went down memory lane.
Regarding performances, this is the best we’ve seen from Ezra Miller as The Flash. The character continues to bring fun and random moments to the screen, but I loved seeing his character on a deeper level. I am also incredibly excited to see actor Michael Keaton return as Batman. The actor seems comfortable and relaxed in his role once again, and I always admire his presence on-screen. Sasha Calle successfully plays Supergirl, bringing a new character to life that differs from anything we’ve seen in this franchise. Her presence is enjoyable.
As for the plot, it’s entertaining, but I’ll confess- not everything worked here for me. In saying that, the majority did. The start is excellent but sadly slows down at the end of the first act. Keaton’s presence on screen is fantastic, but some of his scenes felt rushed, or perhaps like some footage was left on the editing room floor. The biggest issue is the third act which drags on and contains a lengthy battle. Elements of the storyline in this act left me with more unanswered questions and slightly baffled. Choices made with key characters will quickly leave fans divided.
Overall, taking off with a bang, The Flash begins strongly with its action sequences and fun humour. The Flash is heartfelt and asks the ultimate question: “What if?”. If you ever wanted to see DC Worlds collide on the big screen, you’re lucky because that’s precisely what this film does and does wonderfully. This is a celebration of the many exciting worlds and characters many film buffs have always adored. It is packed with creative visuals, an excellent score by Benjamin Wallfisch, and fantastic sound effects. There’s no denying the plot will divide some, and perhaps I’m one of them. Bold choices are made here, and not everyone will be pleased with the dashing choices. I felt some questions were unexplained or unclear, and the third act overstayed its welcome, but in the end, it’s still delightful and highly entertaining as a DC instalment.
7.3/10
14th June 2023
Written by Peter Walkden
WALKDEN ENTERTAINMENT
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