A comics scholar could have a field day trying to dissect all that’s wrong with “The Flash.”
Overreaching, overly comical and entirely overdone, it tries to capture what DC Comics hopes to do with its franchises over the next period of years. It’s a lot to unpack and, at times, more than a little scattered.
What does work is Ezra Miller as Barry Allen, the kid in the suit. This isn’t a typical nobler-than-thou superhero. Like Spider-Man, he’s a kid trying to make sense of the worlds he inhabits. Early on, we discover two Barrys, who get a chance to play off each other and give Miller an amazing acting opportunity. For the most part, it’s not wasted. Miller does right by the roles and has fun in the process.
Where “The Flash” bogs down is when it digs into the “multi-verse” concept that Spider-Man embraces. Like Spidey, there are many Flashes in the universe. There are also many Batmen, Supermen, Robins – you name ‘em – and they have a way of dropping by here.
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The one that matters, though, is Michael Keaton’s Batman. He’s still in that dank old mansion but now he’s like Howard Hughes, rambling about without purpose. Barry pulls him back in and soon they’re fighting Zod (Michael Shannon), who never gets more than a couple of bad special effects moments. The ability to “turn back time” (as Cher would sing) becomes a real issue and brings up the idea of what that could mean.
It all sounds impressive but it’s really just comic book filler. Those special-effects fights (which use lots of lights to convey Barry’s speed) don’t really add to the narrative. They’re there to make this seem like it’s more than it is.
Keaton’s participation is interesting, particularly since his Batman gets powers we don’t remember. His toys are here, too, even though this seems like more Batman than we really needed.
Director Andy Muschietti tries to switch between dark drama and goofy comedy repeatedly. It works when Miller is caught in embarrassing situations. It doesn’t when Barry is expected to save the world. There’s a building attack that involves babies flying out of the windows. While it might make a good bit for effects experts, it’s just a little too questionable for a film like this. When he puts one of the newborns in a microwave oven, all sorts of thoughts come to mind.
That back and forth makes you wonder what “The Flash” wants to accomplish. A television series did a great job telling the story. This tries too hard to rethink it. While tabloid attention probably made producers question Miller as their casting choice, it’s the only solid “yes” the film has to offer. Filled with nuance and, yes, two characterizations, the actor is more talented than most cast in comic book films. That elevation, however, gets dragged down when Muschietti pulls a “Space Jam: A New Legacy” and includes characters Warner Bros. has in its archive. One’s a tearjerker; others are excessive.
When the film comes to its point (Barry’s dad has been charged with his mom’s murder), it tries too hard to impress its multi-verse view. What we leave with is this: If producers don’t like an actor in a role (or if he or she becomes too difficult or expensive), they’ve got the ability to recast. No one, apparently, is safe.
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