I won free tickets to see an early screening of The Flash 2 weeks before it was being widely released, and the movie was as entertaining as advertised. I will not go into spoilers because the film is not out yet, and my screening cut off before the end credits began so I do not know if and or what the post-credits scene will be. I will do a spoiler review after the next time I see the film, but until then I will be brief. The premise of the film as seen in trailers is that Barry Allen (played by Ezra Miller) believes that he can use his speed to go back in time to prevent the death of his mother. There will be consequences from his actions which is where the film spends most of its running time. The film is very good mix of action, humor, and heart which I feel comes from Miller's performance and Andy Muschietti's (It and It: Chapter Two) direction. The movie had a long and disastrous production history with multiple good directors joining the project only to leave due to creative disagreements. Warner Bros. was really pleased with the work that Muschietti did on It and It 2, and I think his attention to detail and style paid off. Muschietti's work on The Flash has led to speculation that Warner Bros. would like him to direct the next Batman film.
One of the biggest draws of the film was that Michael Keaton was joining the film to portray Batman/Bruce Wayne. Keaton was always a very popular Batman as his two films are still held in high regard to this day. I do think Keaton's Batman films have their virtues I still think of the Nolan films as the high point, and I think Affleck was also great too. The Keaton films have an element of camp to them that just doesn't work for me, but I feel like I am in the minority there. I think what I loved about the Snyder films is the same thing that others hated about those films. I really liked the gritty and darker tone of the Snyder films, and the critics of those films cite the lack of joy in his films as an important missing element. The Flash manages to bridge that gap using humor effectively, and having Ezra Miller in the role helps. Miller has had personal issues in the last few years, but they have shown to be a great performer. The Flash will connect with the Snyder films by having Michael Shannon reprise his role from Man of Steel as General Zod. Sasha Calle will be appearing as Supergirl in this alternate timeline, and there will be a second and younger Barry Allen in the film. While the film is based on Geoff Johns Flashpoint storyline, there are some major changes to the adaptation of the comic. The Flashpoint comic is one of my favourite stories, and it is one of the reasons I got back into comics. The story in the comic is a lot bigger, and the changes made to it are something I can only discuss if I wanted to get into spoiler territory.
I am going to give The Flash an 8/10, but that could go down if my issues with the film stand out more. I wanted to give the film a 7/10, but that was mainly because I enjoyed the Flashpoint comic as much as I did. I mentioned earlier that the film made some drastic changes to the Flashpoint storyline, and those changes irritated me. I cannot blame the film for making changes, and I am sure my second viewing will confirm that the film is an 8/10 for me. I think Keaton is great in his return to the role, but part of me will forever wonder if it was Christian Bale instead or possibly the character from the comic book. The introduction of Supergirl was great, but I wish she was in the movie more than she was. The films works because Ezra Miller is great in the role, and the portrayal of Barry Allen is consistent with the appearances in the previous films. The action is exciting, the film made me laugh a lot more than I was expecting to, and I even teared up at one point. Anyone who is a fan of the Flash, DC comics, comic book films or even just entertaining movies will enjoy The Flash a lot. I am curious to see if The Flash will be part of the James Gunn universe of DC films, and the film offers a tease near the end that might be relevant.
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