We’ve waited quite a long time actually to see The Flash hit theaters. It’s been multiple leadership groups at DC Films, multiple owners of Warner Brothers, and now a new regime at DC Films led by James Gunn. Normally, that kind of development, turmoil, and delays would sink a film like The Flash. Instead, this film proves to be worth the wait.

It might not be the greatest movie ever made and the cinematic masterpiece that DC wants you to think it is, but that’s undue hype from the studio. What The Flash is, is an emotional multiversal story that ends up as a smaller character study of who Barry Allen is and what makes The Flash, The Flash.

It might have the frame of Michael Keaton returning as Batman to get butts in the seats of theaters across the world, but that’s not the only thing to watch The Flash for. Andy Muschietti and co. have crafted one of the better DC films in recent memory, one that is more than fitting of a watch.

An Aside About Ezra Miller

It’s impossible to objectively critique The Flash without mentioning that Ezra Miller has been problematic in real life. They’ve been caught in some emotional, legal, and mental troubles. It definitely casts a cloud over The Flash, especially considering that DC and Warner Bros. haven’t come out and acknowledged the issues publicly. So, for those that don’t want to watch The Flash for that reason, it makes sense, but it won’t have any bearing on the critique of the film in this review.

A Masterstroke Of Screenwriting And Michael Keaton

One of the highlights of The Flash is the choice that the writers made to make Barry Allen a side character to Barry Allen. The Flash in previous DC movies has been a side character that’s there for a lot of comic relief. There’s some deep emotional stuff going on with Barry, but it’s always let up with a bit of humor. I know there are those weirdos out there that just flat-out don’t want comic-book movies to be funny, but the humor here works and isn’t just there for no reason.

Ezra Miller plays off themselves very well, and the scenes featuring both Barrys are a highlight. There are also some nice comedic moments with Michael Keaton’s Bruce Wayne/Batman performance. The comedy mostly comes when he’s Bruce, so you still get that smoldering intensity as Batman.

Sasha Calle simply steals the show as Supergirl. She captures the essence of the character and the feeling of being the only one from your species on a planet of humans. I really hope she gets more to show off her talents in future installments in the DC films universe.

Rough CGI Is Really The Only Bad Thing About The Flash

CG artists are underpaid, overworked, and underappreciated.

That’s the reason why the CG in The Flash isn’t up to par with some other blockbusters out there. However, in places, the CG is a bit rough around the edges actually works. When Barry is in the Speed Force, the smooth-looking visuals on the different timelines look fine. When you get to action scenes or set pieces, the CG sticks out like a sore thumb. In places, it means that things look vastly different than their real-life counterparts.

One place where it would have made much more sense to do real effects is when there are two Barry Allens on screen. Older movies would have just filmed Ezra Miller twice and spliced together the footage. This time around, they use a body double and superimpose a digital face. It looks fine, but it could look better.

Emotional, Weighty, And Some Surprises

I won’t get into the surprises during the latter half of The Flash, but the film’s third act is thrilling in myriad ways. You have some enthralling action set pieces, some really emotional moments that will hit you like a truck, and there are some things that we’ve never seen before out of a comic-book movie here. Andy Muschietti captures the feeling of reading a comic-book event on screen with some of his direction. Also, the color palate and shot composition on display are stunning. The Flash is a really pretty movie cinematically.

Everyone has a mom and dad, and The Flash takes that to heart. I don’t know what to tell you if you don’t feel something watching this movie. That’s really what separates The Flash. It’s inventive, fun, and takes some big swings with the plot. Those swings all connect in a dramatic way, making for one of the best DC movies ever.

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