The Flash is a fun superhero movie dealing with consequences, family, and a multiverse of heroes at stake! It is directed by Andy Muschietti and he previously directed the Stephen King adaptations; It (2017) and It: Chapter Two (2019). It is written by Christina Hodson who also wrote Birds of Prey (2020) and Joby Harold who co-wrote Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. It is interesting that the CW Flash series has run down at the same time that this film has finally reached theaters. The Speed Force crackles around logos. There is a closeup as Barry Allen (Ezra Miller), in a suit, enters a coffee shop. Miller reprised his part as Credence Barebone in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022).
Barry Allen here has all of the awkwardness from Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021), but he has an arc here developing as a person and a superhero. He orders a sandwich which the barista takes some time getting made while he is late for work. Barry gets a call from Alfred (Jeremy Irons) who was also from Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Alfred like that film acts as a coordinator, the tech guy, who works from Batman’s computer. I would have liked Barbara Gordon, Batgirl, to be the organizer as she was in the comics as Oracle. He mentions that other members of the team are busy. Barry activates his Flash Ring which ejects his costume and he changes into The Flash. He is about to make his run, it is a twisted ready-to-run move like a combination of a weightlifter muscle pose, sprinter, and ballet dancer.
He sees some kids who are awed by The Flash as a superhero and asks for a half-eaten candy bar. It is thrown to him, but doesn’t quite make it as he moves through the Speed Force! The Flash in the Speed Force has some interesting effects that stands out from the films and televison show. In Gotham City, an ambulance collapses in a sinkhole endangering a hospital. On the Batcycle, Batman (Ben Affleck) is pursuing a Humvee of armed robbers. Affleck plays Phil Knight in this year’s real life drama, Air. Alfred contacts Barry about the gas and water pipes in the hospital basement and The Flash goes to tie them up to prevent an explosion.
The building cracks and we see the a nurse trying to settle her patients, but the building tilts and the window shatters. The Flash goes to rescue them in a bizarre scene rendered in CGi, the patients look like plastic, the scene seems to be the micro-second race to outdo Quicksilver’s race in X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014). Barry wears a watch device that tracks his calories so he has to take time to get his carb load. Batman pursues the criminals on a bridge and fires a metal ball that takes out the Humvee, Batman uses his Batarang to catch one of the thieves, Alfred reminds him that a briefcase has a virus that can take out Gotham. They reach the safety of the bridge and The Flash arrives after the rescue.
At the Central City Research Center, Barry finds that he has missed a meeting and finds his co-workers Patty and Albert, in credits they are Patty Spivot (Saoirse-Monica Jackson), a comics character memorably played by Shantel VanSanten in the tv series, and Albert Desmond (Rudy Mancuso), the character later becomes the villain Doctor Alchemy. At a press conference, their boss takes credit for their work, but Barry’s attention goes to Iris West (Kiersey Clemons). The actress was in the romantic comedy this year, Somebody I Used to Know. She says they “saw each other a few years ago.” A mention of the Zack Snyder’s Justice League moment.
Iris mentions his father’s appeal the next day which she is covering as a reporter. At his apartment, Barry looks over the security cam footage of a grocery store with his father unidentifed to the camera. He speaks to his father, Henry Allen (Ron Livingston) at Iron Heights prison. Livingston starred in the horror movie, The Conjuring (2013). While they talking, Barry Flashes over to the family home, he flashes back to his younger self, played by Ian Loh. Flash-back, we have Nora Allen (Maribel Verdú), Barry’s mother, making pasta. I didn’t realize Verdú played Mercedes in Pan’ Labyrinth (2006). She is the emotional heart of this film. Nora asks Henry for a can of tomatoes at the grocery store. Then, she dances with Barry. A nice family moment.
In his room, young Barry hears a scream and then sees his father in the driveway returning from the grocery store. He rushes to the kitchen to find his mother dying! The Flash starts to run. It looks like Miller has his strange run on a disc like the Six Million Dollar Man. Still, he enters a blue field that distorts into what Barry calls a Chrono Bowl, a surreal auditorium of past images. Again, the faces look artificial, maybe the Speed Force looks like Lawnmower Man (1992). Barry pushes his face through the field to see the patient from the rescue. At night, Barry tells Bruce Wayne about being able to go back in time and that he could save his mother and Bruce’s parents. Bruce argues against him to do so which is a major development for his character, “Martha!”
Iris sees Barry at his apartment and he tries to do a Flash tidy up with funny results! He phases, vibrating his molecules!, through a poster of Raquel Welch (very Shawshank Redemption) to get some beers for them. Barry talks with Iris about the case against his father and says, “Three lives ruined for a can of tomatoes.” This has the Flash enter the Chrono Bowl again, but something knocks him away. Barry sees his house and then his mother at the kitchen. His father asks about his Freshman year at college and then Barry sees his younger self walking up to the house! This is the situation from the Flashpoint, a 2011 crossover storyline from the comics, it was adapted into the animated Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013) and the third season episode of The Flash CW show, “Flashpoint” (2016).
Original Barry, short hair, meets with Young Barry, long hair, outside and then takes him to his room. He is annoyed at his college self saying, “You don’t stop talking.” So the seriousness of the situation makes Barry reflective of himself to others. The two Barry Allens is interesting, the visual effects are seemless, but Young Barry becomes grating after some time. There is a storm outside and Original Barry finds out from Young Barry that it is September 29th, “the day he got powers”! So Original Barry has to bring Young Barry to the Central City Crime Lab to recreate the accident that made him become the Flash! His origin was explained, but we get to see the lightning and chemicals transform Barry here. It is awkward for both Barrys with the new Flash power.
Still, they discover that Zod (Michael Shannon) has appeared in Australia. After some time with Young Barry’s roommates, they travel to Wayne Manor, I felt the shivers of remembrance with the hall of different armors to the 1989 Batman! They find a very different Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton)! It is great to have Keaton back as Batman with a new fighting style and effects. The Batwing is stunning when we first see it. The Barrys have to join with Batman to attempt a rescue of Superman in Siberia. This is a nod to the Red Son storyline in comics. It turns out that this is Supergirl played by Sasha Calle. Both Keaton and Calle are introduced in this later part, but are just memorable with a world made up of very different heroes! There are some surprising CGi cameos and an end credit scene. The Flash has a the fate of a multiverse on the choices of Miller's Barry Allen with Keaton and Calle making a strong trio (quartet with Young Barry)!
Four Flash Rings out of Five!
#TheFlash, #AndyMuschietti, #EzraMiller, #MichaelKeaton, #SashaCalle, #MaribelVerdu, #RonLivingston, #BenAffleck, #JeremyIrons, #KierseyClemons, #IanLoh, #SaoirseMonicaJackson, #RudyMancuso, #MichaelShannon
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