The Flash takes the DC universe towards a positive future
After a few disappointing films in the franchise, DC's The Flash provides a surprisingly heartfelt and entertaining story which eloquently portrays its themes of grief and acceptance amidst yet another multiversal adventure, with lots of fan service and nostalgia sprinkled in between.
The Flash follows Barry Allen as he uses his super-speed to travel back in time to save his mother from being murdered, inadvertently creating an alternate timeline with no Justice League. Barry must deal with the consequences of changing reality as he teams up with a younger version of himself, a very different Batman, and Supergirl to stop an impending doom.
While the film's overall plot treads on many tropes of the superhero genre, it excels not only at giving satisfying character growth to the titular character but also in its execution of emotional and heartfelt moments. At its core, it is a journey about a grief-stricken hero who learns to accept his tragedy and instead of dwelling in the past, moves on towards a hopeful tomorrow.
Ezra Miller does a fantastic job in their portrayal of the Flash, portraying not one but two different versions of the character. Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton as their respective versions of Batman are great too, with both relating to Barry over the loss of parents. Sasha Calle's Supergirl, unfortunately, received the short end of the stick, as she comes off more like a plot device than a fully fleshed-out character.
The Flash is the second superhero film dealing with the multiverse concept to be released in June 2023, following Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse which came out two weeks prior. The films share similar themes like adding a personal stake to the multiversal threat, dealing with the concept of preventing traumatic events, and containing lots of nostalgic references.
The Flash provides for fans of DC Comics what 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home did for Marvel fans – an exciting superhero movie with callbacks and tributes to past films. However, unlike the latter, The Flash does not entirely rely on nostalgia bait to gain the audience's interest. It provides its own fresh take on the multiverse and the nostalgic callbacks do not overshadow the titular hero's journey as intrusively as it did with Spider-Man: No Way Home's young Peter Parker.
A part worth criticising in this film is its CGI and special effects. Certain CGI scenes in the film look a bit off and unfinished. While the director claims that it was an intended stylistic choice, these scenes might be bothersome to some viewers. In hindsight, there are some really great visual effects scenes, but apart from those few scenes, the overall visual style of the film is quite bland.
Another problem with The Flash is that you need some knowledge of certain previous DC films to fully grasp certain plot points, but that hindrance is akin to pretty much most superhero films these days.
The Flash effectively reboots the existing DC Extended Universe which started with 2013's Man of Steel, and ushers in a new era for DC movies. Despite its flaws, The Flash is a fun and compelling superhero movie which should not be overlooked.
Sabil spends most of his time trying to stay as hopeful as possible. You can contact him at sabilsadat616@gmail.com