Collette’s Review: The Flash

In this film, Barry Allen’s world is in shambles, much like the DCEU’s. We begin with a heist gone wrong. Ben Affleck’s Batman needs assistance, and Alfred is forced to go to his third option for help, Barry (Ezra Miller). As a building full of newborn babies collapses, Barry is fighting his need for more calories to keep up his strength, all while saving the children from a horrendous demise.

As openings go, this was pretty entertaining. It’s a bit of an edge-of-your-seat feeling while also being thoroughly entertaining. After the insane intro, we dive more into Barry’s fight to save his father from a lifetime in prison for a crime he didn’t commit; The murder of his mother. As hope for his father is almost lost, Barry travels back in time to save his mother. And he does, but in turn, he creates a butterfly effect. Now Barry must help his younger self obtain powers and attempt to do what he couldn’t in his first weeks as a superhero; Save Earth from Zod.

This movie may not be the greatest superhero film of all time, but it is entertaining. The addition of Michael Keaton’s Batman is smart. There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the movie due to the film’s star Ezra Miller. Because of this, Warner Brothers has shifted focus to nostalgia being the selling point for the movie. And it works. The Batman bits are honestly the best parts of this movie. That includes seeing the Batmobile, the Batplane, and creative shots framing the outline of the Batman logo. The other win is Ezra Miller’s ability to play two characters simultaneously. Both Barrys are vastly different, the younger version gets a little annoying at some points but is entertaining for the most part.

Flashpoint is a complex story to tell in a short amount of time. For the most part, it’s well-told and easy to understand. They hit every plot point and are even able to garner a lot of emotion in one single film. However, there are moments and side stories that feel a little rushed and unfinished.

Now I’m not one to harp on VFX in films because I know how hard these teams work to create something. But it is very obvious that the budget was spent elsewhere. To bank on nostalgia and “Wow” factors, the studio noticeably shelled out cash to great cameos and possibly many reshoots involving Keaton. During the time-traveling/ Flashpoint scenes, the VFX is absolutely dreadful. If it was an artistic choice, it didn’t feel like it. Most of the fight scenes looked good, but when it came to heavy CGI scenes, it was apparent that this film was hurting for cash.

The Flash is a very entertaining movie that handles a complex story well. Bringing back Michael Keaton is a brilliant strategy that will razzle and dazzle an audience to watch this in the theater. This is a film that hopes nostalgia will bring a crowd in and overshadow controversies surrounding the production. If you are on the fence about seeing this on the big screen, save your money. Unless you want to see Michael Keaton in IMAX, the visuals are just not worth it.