My quick rating – 6.5/10. Let’s just get this out of the way first, that CGI baby-in-the-microwave sequence looks rough. Like, “$220 million budget and still can’t beat the infamous dancing baby GIF” rough. It’s front and center, which isn’t the confidence boost I wanted at the start of this long-awaited DC movie. Sadly, that moment ends up being a pretty accurate preview of The Flash as a whole. Occasionally fun, but wildly inconsistent.
Directed by Andy Muschietti, The Flash makes a huge attempt at time travel and the multiverse, as Barry Allen tries to go back in time to save his family. Of course, this ruins reality, and the world becomes one where either there are no superheroes or they are very different. This is a great concept that provides a new spin on the superhero genre, although it didn’t quite go as I’m sure they had hoped.
Michael Keaton’s return as Batman is, without a doubt, the highlight of this movie. He slips back into Bruce Wayne with ease, delivering a darker take on the character that brought a smile to my face. His chemistry with Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen is surprisingly effective, and their first meeting is easily one of the best scenes in the movie. Every time Keaton is on screen, the film feels more focused, more confident, and dare I say, more alive.
That said, Miller remains a divisive choice as the Flash. For me, the performance still doesn’t have the charm and emotional accessibility that the character needs. The awkward humor doesn’t always work, and it’s hard not to think of how well Grant Gustin portrayed Barry Allen over the years on TV. Miller does have some moments, but they don’t quite work on the emotional level that the film is going for.
Aesthetically, the movie is a mess. Some of the super-speed action is actually pretty thrilling and well-done, while other CGI-heavy moments look unfinished and ridiculously fake. When it does work, it really does work – and when it doesn’t, well, it doesn’t.
Michael Shannon’s reprisal of General Zod is a welcome touch of nostalgia, although it feels more functional than fully explored. Sasha Calle’s Supergirl is a strong addition, delivering a solid performance, but it does raise questions about why the film didn’t use Melissa Benoist’s Supergirl character from the TV series (DC really doesn’t get it when it comes to casting.)
By the end, The Flash manages to pull itself back from being a complete disappointment thanks to Keaton’s Batman and a handful of genuinely thrilling action scenes. While it doesn’t fully justify the long wait or its massive budget, it does offer an interesting take on time manipulation and the multiverse – and maybe, just maybe, sets the stage for a more cohesive DC future under James Gunn.
