Movie Review: ‘The Flash’ might not live up to the hype, but it’s still loads of fun

By Connor Webber

Worlds collide when the Flash uses his superpowers to travel back in time and change the events of the past.

It seems like no other film has had a more challenging path to release than “The Flash.” We won’t dive into why (those articles are not hard to find), but when I finally sat down to see this film, I wasn’t sure how to feel. I was excited because I knew what comic line the film was adapted from, but I was also very worried based on the DC track record and the film’s trouble-ridden production. I’m now happy to say “The Flash” is good. It’s not the greatest comic book movie of all time (as we’ve heard), but it is the best DCEU movie.

It begins and ends with director Andy Muschietti. It’s very obvious the love and understanding Muschietti has for the character of Barry Allen (played by Exra Miller), and within the first ten minutes, it was clear “The Flash” was in good hands. The scale of this film is larger than I anticipated. In some stories, directors forget about character depth and try to go big with the fan-service moments, but Muschietti handles this beautifully. Believe me when I say this film will make you cheer and will make you cry. One of the most admirable aspects of “The Flash” is the heart behind it. Like The Flash comic line, “Flashpoint,” this story is emotionally driven, and the way Muschietti was able to hone into the relationship between Barry Allen and his mom was amazing.

The score by Benjamin Wallfisch is epic. Because the score was so grand, at points I felt as if I wasn’t prepared for the film in the right way – almost like I should have gone into the film with the excitement of it being my most-anticipated movie of all time (it wasn’t). But once the score is released, I’m sure I will find myself listening to it.

Probably the most exciting part of the film is the return of Michael Keaton as Batman and boy, let me tell you, his return to the cowl does not disappoint. The sounds of the original 1989 “Batman” score – on top of Keaton saying, “I’m Batman” – make this film worth the price of admission alone. It was also nice to see the return of Ben Affleck’s Batman (though not as much).

Another highlight for me was the introduction of Sasha Calle as Supergirl. Sasha embodied a character we haven’t seen in quite some time to perfection.

My only gripe with “The Flash” is that it began to lose me in the third act. A very well-paced film ends up exploding seemingly all at once and there was way too much happening simultaneously. Without spoiling, I’ll say it also seemed as if some studio choices were made toward the end of the film. I’m sure those decisions will create viral headlines when the movie releases, but in the end, I feel it hurts the film more than benefits it.

“The Flash” will wow many fans (and it has a lot to like), but I’m worried with the massive hype it has built up for itself, most moviegoers will be disappointed.

DC In the Parks

If you’re looking to come face-to-face with some of your favorite DC heroes, Six Flags has over ten parks that include attractions based on popular DC characters. Some of the most notable attractions include Batman: The Ride, Wonder Woman: Flight of Courage, and Justice League: Battle for Metropolis.

Warner Brothers has also recently opened multiple parks overseas, including Warner Brothers World Abu Dhabi and Parque Warner Madrid. 

“The Flash,” is rated PG-13 and hits theaters worldwide on June 16, 2023. There is one post-credit scene.