"The Flash" (Rated T)
Cast: Ezra Miller, Michael Keaton, Ben Affleck, Michael Shannon, Sasha Calle
Genre: Action/Fantasy
Where to watch: In theaters
Dwight's Rating: out of 4
Had this been released four or five years ago, many would be proclaiming it one of the greatest movies ever in the superhero genre.
But just as a movie named "The Flash" would suggest, timing is everything.
And especially in the last half-decade or so, it seems the film industry - and perhaps even the world - has become obsessed with parallel universes a.k.a. the multiverse.
It really kicked off with 2018's animated "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse", and was explored even further, to the delight of fans, in 2021's live-action "Spider-Man: No Way Home".
And Marvel - which tries to milk every drop of anything out of a stone - also gave us "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness". And while it's unclear what the point was of this year's "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania", it did seem to dabble in a multiverse of madness of its own.
Then, there's the reigning Oscar champ, "Everything Everywhere All at Once", proving that the multiverse has gone mainstream, and no longer the stuff of solely nerds or the inebriated in the wee-hours of the morning.
Plus, television shows like "Doctor Who" and "Rick and Morty" have been exploring all of this for decades, even before Miles Morales as Spider-Man.
But don't mistake prevalence for watered-down. As "Everything Everywhere All at Once" showed, these are often mind-blowing high-concept affairs, perhaps with this month's brain-stretching sequel to the Miles Morales saga, the masterpiece "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse", representing the zenith of this whole emerging genre so far.
So, yes, after all of that, the concepts in "The Flash" aren't quite as fresh as those involved in the project probably think or would have hoped. But there are some unique elements here, with time-travel aspects a la "Back to the Future", with a "Freaky Friday" meets "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" mixed in with multiverse-hopping in a "Spider-Man: No Way Home" wrapper. Can you handle all of that?
Worlds collide when the Flash (Ezra Miller) uses his superpowers to travel back in time to change the events of the past. However, when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, he becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod (Michael Shannon) has returned, threatening annihilation. With no other superheroes to turn to, the Flash looks to coax a very different Batman out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian (Sasha Calle) - albeit not the one he's looking for.
That very different Batman is Michael Keaton - yes, from the 1989 "Batman", who essentially kicked off the renewed interest in comic-book superhero films, which now have a stranglehold on the movie industry.
What was once a once-in-a-while phenomenon is today a once or twice-a-month offering, with seemingly more superhero flicks released than comedies. Even other action movie characters regularly perform superhero feats and seem impervious to gunshots and explosions.
Anyway, Keaton is still regarded in many circles as the best-ever Batman. And it's a thrill to see him back in the role. But Ben Affleck, another popular Caped Crusader portrayer - and the "current one" (not including the rebooted prequel one - keep up!) - is here, too. And there are others. Along with many other superheroes of all kinds from throughout the history of DC and Warner Bros.
How it's all tied together is remarkable. And if "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" and "Spider-Man: No Way Home" hadn't kind of done it first, one might say it is pure genius.
Nevertheless, "The Flash" is still rollicking good time. Miller, despite his personal and private life challenges, is fantastic here. His Flash is the closest thing DC has to Marvel's lovable Spider-Man. He's funny, and believable when dealing with anguish.
At its root, the story is heartwarming. The action is compelling. Some of the multiverse-hopping and time travel animation and CGI can seem overwrought, but there is decent balance here. The nostalgia and nods to the great legacy of DC Comics make this a must-see, with wonderful surprises from cameos from living and deceased superstars, with only a very small handful curiously missing.
So, no, as we are here right now in this universe of 2023, "The Flash" can't match the novelty of live-action and especially animated versions of "Spider-Man". But this represents a highwater mark for movies with DC characters, and a film that deserves much better than the lackluster response moviegoers have been giving it in its two weeks in theaters.
If only the Flash could travel back in time and release this picture a few years ago!
• Dwight Strachan is the host/producer of "Morning Blend" on Guardian Radio and station manager. He is a television producer and writer, and an avid TV history and film buff. Email dwight@nasguard.com and follow him on twitter @morningblend969.
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