Movie Review – The Flash

I wasn’t looking forward to this movie and to be honest, I really didn’t want to like it. The DC Extended Universe has been a hot mess and now James Gunn is coming in and burning it all down. It’s unclear how much, if any, of the current DCEU will carry over to the new DCU (DC Universe).

 

Here are just a few of our plans. Up, up, and away! #DCStudios #DCU @DCComics pic.twitter.com/8XNDNLUEPq

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) January 31, 2023

I watched James Gunn’s explanation, and it’s still clear as mud. My take, just take the current slate of DC movies as one-offs and enjoy them for what they are and don’t expect to ever see them continued.

So this movie is pretty much a one-and-done for The Flash and I figured it was mostly just going to be a waste of time. But then something strange happened: I started liking the movie.

Now, to be clear, it’s not awesome, but it does a better job than most. It has a lot, I mean a LOT, in common with Spider-Man: No Way Home. Much of the charm of this movie is in the synthesis with old Batman movies. Viewers who have watched all of the DC movies going back to the original Michael Keaton Batman will enjoy getting a heavy dose of nostalgia. If you’re unfamiliar with the past Batman movies then your mileage may vary.

I’ll save the spoilers for the end of this review, in case you haven’t seen the movie yet, but pretty much every story choice they made in this movie hit the mark.

A Tempting Villain

It isn’t unique, but rare that a superhero movie like this doesn’t really have a villain. If there is a villain in this movie, then I’d say it’s temptation and not an actual character. The multiverse is really starting to infect everything these days. Spider-Man has one, both in the MCU and animated series, obviously the MCU has a multiverse and now DC does as well.

The rules of a multiverse may vary from one franchise to another, but I seems generally true that every possible outcome happens in some universe. That idea was briefly examined in Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Strange pointed out to Wanda that she should take solace in that in some universe she is a happy mother, even if she can’t be that person. I would enjoy a story exploring the existential crisis of motivation for a character who realizes that if all possible outcomes happen in one multiverse or another then what does it matter if they struggle in this particular universe? Only to be told by the wizard-character that they struggle against the inevitable in every universe because their character never gives up.

Grade: B

About The Peetimes: I have 4 Peetimes for this movie, but the last one is an emergency Peetime with a lot of action. The 3rd Peetime is best. It’s a long travel/infiltration scene with no action until the Peetime is over.

There are extra scenes during, or after, the end credits of The Flash.

Rated:	(PG-13) Partial Nudity | Action | Sequences of Violence | Some Strong Language
Genres:	Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Starring:	Sasha Calle, Ben Affleck, Ezra Miller
Director:	Andy Muschietti
Writer(s):	Christina Hodson, Joby Harold
Language:	English
Country:	United States

Plot
The plot is unknown. Feature film based on the comic book superhero, The Flash.

[category ][status draft] [tags movie review,Action, Adventure, Fantasy]