For a long time, since I first saw him in the movie "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" (2016), I have been curious about the fastest superhero in the DC universe. So I watched this movie with the intention of finally finding out: Who is Flash? Or rather, who is Barry Allen? But to my surprise, I left the theater with more questions than answers.
After multiple delays and changes in production, "The Flash" arrived in theaters in 2023 as the first "solo" film of the superhero.
Directed by Andy Muschietti, this film promised to completely reboot the DC Extended Universe; however, it ended up being one of the most criticized superhero movies to the point of being considered a total failure.
"The Flash" is a story about the stages of grief: Denial, bargaining, and acceptance. Barry Allen, better known as Flash, does what he can as a superhero until one night he runs as fast as he can to surpass the laws of time and space. After discovering this new ability, he has the brilliant idea to go back in time to save his late mother’s life. The plot focuses on the madness of time travel and the multiverse, a very complex combination to understand for those familiar with science fiction.
Ezra Miller took on the task of playing two different versions of Barry Allen. The dynamic between the original Barry (the skilled and mature Barry) and his past counterpart (the immature, annoyed Barry without emotional scars) works as a classic duo of opposites. But having that be the driving force behind both the comedy and drama of the film seems too absurd to me.
The film stood out for a forced narrative filled with many predictable cliché action scenes typical of a superhero story. I must say I’m not a fan of DC comics; I’ve read some Batman and Superman comics but don’t know much about Flash. I expected at least to clarify who the hero is as a character. But this is not an origin story introducing his background, and the problem is that only key events are told, such as how he had an accident and gained superpowers; we aren’t told much else about the protagonist’s life.
Speaking of this, I think it’s pertinent to comment on the narrative challenge of giving a fictional character the gift of super speed. Because many writers try to impose limitations when dealing with a character who can circle the world in less than a minute.
Super speed is an instant solution to any problem if you have enough imagination; if there are no limits to its execution, it’s simply chaotic for any story. In this Flash adaptation, it’s shown that the efficiency of his ability depends on his metabolism: the calories he consumes. But that limitation didn’t seem very convincing considering the fact that if Flash has a full stomach he can travel through time.
The nostalgia factor is a resource this movie excessively abuses with the return of Michael Keaton as Batman, and that is the film's strong point. They didn’t limit themselves to a cheap cameo to attract audiences; his Bruce Wayne carries weight in the plot and stars in the best action sequences. It’s the best part of the film, and it’s somewhat ironic that the most relevant element in a solo superhero movie is another superhero.
To this day, it’s impossible to talk about "The Flash" without mentioning its greatest weakness: the visual effects (CGI). In many sequences, especially the special effect of Flash’s super speed, the technical quality is disconcerting.
The visual representation of time travel in the Speed Force, along with certain computer-generated cameos, fall squarely into the uncanny valley, looking more like characters from a video game over a decade old.
"The Flash" is a chaotic journey that leads nowhere. It’s a movie that leaves much to be desired, both narratively and due to very questionable aesthetic choices. It was not at all the ace up DC’s sleeve that was expected; everything built with so much effort over years didn’t end well, and that’s unfortunate. Currently, the DC cinematic universe is starting over. It will only be a matter of time before we see Flash again on the big screen, and I’m crossing my fingers that the mistakes made before will not be repeated in the future.
Rating: 40/100