Review: The Flash
The Flash is another instalment in the DC Extended Universe that stars Ezra Miller as Barry Allen. Tim Robey, the film critic from The Telegraph, has given the film a score of 2 out of 5, stating that it is the most bewildering superhero film yet. The critic questions the sanity of everyone involved in the movie because of its ugly effects, bizarre cameos and another multiverse that we have already seen in many other superhero films.
Doubts surrounding the film and plot summary
Before its release, there were doubts about whether The Flash would make it to the cinemas due to bad publicity surrounding Ezra Miller’s chaotic behaviour off-set, such as getting arrested for disorderly conduct and undergoing mental health treatment. The studio gave Miller the benefit of the doubt, which might be their most costly mistake. The Flash starts with an eye-scarring set-piece that includes a sequence known as “the baby shower.” The high-rise collapse scene causes the contents of a neo-natal ward, including a half-dozen newborns, to fall out of a lofty window, and it is Barry Allen’s (Ezra Miller) task to race over and save them in slow motion.
Ugly effects and Multiverses
The Flash is a film that relies heavily on Ezra Miller sprinting about, which might not be enjoyable to watch, and whether multiverses seem cool anymore a year after over-exposure. Barry’s backstory is that his mother was stabbed to death by an intruder when he was a teenager. In a bid to create a new timeline fork, he finds himself running into his past self, so 75% of the film is the double Miller show with many confusing visual effects and weird sexual tensions.
Disappointing Cameos and Fan Service
The other ripples in the space-time continuum act as merciful distractions from the monotonous film, and it relies too heavily on in-jokes that might not resonate with anyone not anticipating a reimagining of the DC Universe through this film. The cameos, including Michael Keaton as Batman, Sasha Calle as Supergirl, and Michael Shannon as General Zod, were not enough to save the film from being incoherent and confusing.
Conclusion
The Flash might not be worth the cinema experience for anyone who has already seen multiple superhero films, and its confusing plot and dependence on Ezra Miller might be too overwhelming for anyone who isn’t a fan of The Flash comics. The film is a missed opportunity for the DC Extended Universe to reset and move forward as the parade of in-jokes makes it a scratched record rather than a reset.
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