Warner Bros and DC have had it rough the past couple of years as they have been trying to get their heroes off the ground. They have attempted to create their universe, but due to studio interference and a regime change, things haven’t gone according to plan. The Flash has been a film in the making for the past nine years and has had plenty of changes. A major one is the personal life of their lead actor Ezra Miller getting into trouble in multiple countries. While watching this film, it’s impossible not to feel uncomfortable watching Ezra portray the hero. The film has been tainted because of Miller. It’s hard to believe that they will remain in the role moving forward.
Director Andy Muschietti brought horror elements to The Flash, and it was nice to see what he could do with Batman. Everything to do with the character of The Flash was mishandled. It was also a poorly executed multiverse storyline. Barry Allen (Miller) travels back in time using the speed force to stop his mother from being stabbed and clear his father’s name. It sounds simple enough. However, the focus shifts to Barry breaking the fabric of the universe and multiple piles of earth, all because he moved a jar of tomato sauce to save his mother. The characterization of the original Barry Allen kept shifting and didn’t feel the same as the one we saw in Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Once this Barry goes back in time, he meets an 18-year-old version of himself that is the polar opposite of any iteration of Barry we’ve seen.
It’s hard to be a fan of the character while watching this when they don’t create an emotional connection to his mother. No one even questioned who killed Nora because it became bigger than that. Then when Michael Keaton’s Batman and Sasha Calle’s Supergirl came in, Barry faded into the background. The third act felt hollow and visually empty. There was no threat of fighting General Zod (Michael Shannon) because there was no build-up. There are also cameos in this that are borderline disrespectful and pure fan service for the sake of the multiverse. It doesn’t work when it has been disjointed for so many years. The Flash could have gone a different route and focused more on Barry and his family instead of the multiverse.
The Flash, to put it in simple terms, is a mess. The writers did not know what to do with this character. And it showed when Barry was interacting with other heroes. This did not feel like Barry Allen. He is one of the coolest heroes apart of DC. The special effects were questionable as well. There is so much that can be done with his power set. Barry’s story with his mother is supposed to be emotional, and nothing ties them together. There was no eagerness to find out who killed her. Barry became more fascinated with the multiverse. This felt very repetitive and inconsequential to the character. The screenplay was the main reason why this fell flat. There was a story here, but it became overstuffed with unnecessary excess. The actors had little chemistry with one another, and it did not feel polished as a DC comic book film. By far, it is one of the weakest entries.
1.5/5
Review by: Amanda Guarragi
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