This is the end of the DC Extended Universe… figuratively and literally. 2023’s The Flash has been in development since 2013, with the script going through a number of writers. The initial release date was July 2013, but due to a number of development problems, coupled with the multiple production shutdowns due o COVID-19, The Flash has gone through a lot of growing pains.
Seven years later, and after the end of its cinematic universe (with the reboot already in development from a new creative overlord, James Gunn), The Flash’s universe-ending storyline feels like it stretches before the film world and mirrors what’s going on in DC and it’s parent company Warner Bros. Now, we all the drama that’s been haunting this film for years: the struggles the DC Extended Universe was having trying to catch up to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.. the ghost of Zack Synder and Justice League controversy that’s inescapably attached.. and of course, the multiple legal allegations linked to the film’s lead, Ezra Miller. I want to try and leave all of that out of this review. I want to give you my review as a fan of superhero movies and blockbuster movies. I agree that the box office doesn’t represent the quality of this movie and that there is a lot of baggage that’s dragging it through the box office and has nothing to do with the quality of the movie. So let me just try (as much as possible) to leave all that baggage out and focus purely on the movie. Here we go…
The Film
To put it bluntly, The Flash might arguably be the best of the Synderverse-connect films and a great book-end with Superman’s Man of Steel. I know a lot of us are sad to see Zack Snyder’s vision of DC going away, but Andy Muschietti does the DCEU justice and directs the hell out of this film. These days, all the major superhero franchises are dealing with ‘The Multiverse’ and beside Sony’s Spider-man animated movies, this might be the best of the crop. At its core, The Flash is about being ok with moving on from the past. There are tragedies in our lives that we can’t change. They shape who we are and that’s ok. Miller plays Barry Allen as a young hero who’s still learning what he can do and what he ‘shouldn’t do’ even though he has the ability. It’s a brilliant turn to watch The Flash encounter his past self and see how he’s grown and realize the responsibility he now has. I didn’t expect this movie to be so funny and at the same time emotional. And again, even with all the controversy attached to him, Ezra Millers delivers all of that in a dual role.
The Cast
There’s no denying that even with all the controversy surrounding him, this is Ezra Miller’s film, and he’s incredible in it. A lot of us have been waiting for Miller to showcase his skills, which we really haven’t seen on screen since his haunting portrayal in 2011’s We Need To Talk About Kevin. Miller’s shows great range, from times when he’s funny, to bringing the drama when the film swings in intensity. Even playing two versions of Barry Allen, he’s good enough to add slight nuances between his older and younger shelf to keep them two completely different characters.
The other standout is Michael Keaton who doesn’t miss a step, stepping back into the shoes of Bruce Wayne and Batman. You can watch his two original films at Batman (1989’s Batman, and 1992’s Batman Returns) and see he hasn’t missed a beat. It’s a shame that the initial plans to have him be the connected tissue throughout all the DC movies going forward (similar to Samual L. Jackson’s Nick Fury in the MCU) are canceled. Having him as the superhero elder statement among all the new blossoming heroes would’ve been incredible.. But his story arc in this movie is still a nice love letter to his fans.
Another tragedy is that we won’t be able to follow the further adventures of Sasha Calle’s exciting portrayal of Kara-El/Supergirl. Seeing her in that incredibly designed suit, along with her comic-accurate aggressive fighting style is a site to be seen.
It was also nice to see Ben Affleck’s version of Batman get a few nice scenes, as well as Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman showing up briefly, along with Jason Momoa’s Aquaman in an end credit scene as a nice send-off to the Snyderverse. James Gunn has been unclear if we’ll see any of these actors in these roles after the reboot. So if this is the end for them (in the context of the movie) then I’m satisfied. There were some other cameos from previous films with were nice to see. All-in-all, this film felt like it was very respectful of everything that came before it.
The Verdict
I’m not the biggest DC fan. Even though I enjoyed the breath of DCEU movies, I lingered more in the MCU. But saying that, I have to say I loved this movie. I loved Andy Muschietti’s direction, Ezra Miller’s portrayal of dual Barry Allens, the nostalgia of Michael Keaton’s Batman, and the multiple cameos giving Zack’s Synderverse and fond farewell on the heels of James Gunn’s reboot of the DCEU. The underlying messages of moving on, and the responsibility of power and its repercussions were great.
Unfortunately, this movie isn’t getting the box office it deserves possibly due to a lot of controversy and missteps in marketing. The early fan screenings meant to generate hype on social media failed. The multi-year development time, coupled with the COVID shutdowns didn’t help. And of course, the multitude of antics and allegations of lead star Ezra Miller created a whirlwind of negative energy around this film. With an initial weekend box office of only $55M, this will be officially labeled as another DCEU flop. And it doesn’t deserve it. As superhero films go, The Flash is one of the best, in my opinion… and this is coming from an MCU guy.
That being said, I wish this movie stayed with it’s original course after hearing what the initial plans were with Michael Keaton’s role moving forward, along with Ben Affleck Batman’s role in a possible Flash sequel. But that’s ok. Just like the movie’s main theme, sometime you can’t go back. You have to appreciate what’s happening now and just enjoy the ride. And that’s how I felt watching The Flash. It’s okay to appreciate what came before and what’s happening now and give what comes in the future a fair shake.
I’m giving The Flash: 4/5
