The Flash — A Review

10th March, 2024: the introduction.

Right … it’s not often I have dinner at my sister’s … but I did.

And, frankly?

I’ve got back home early enough to make a cuppa … and start watching a movie.

I’ve been in a strange mood, recently … and fancied watching something that wasn’t my usual thing.

Frankly?

I fancied The Flash: as I not usually one for super hero films.

I’m be blunt: it looks interesting.

Either way?

I’ll have this review finished by Wednesday.

~≈🦸🏻‍♀️≈~

11th March, 2024: The Flash.

The Flash opens by showing us Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) queueing up at his local sandwich shop: so he can get breakfast on the way to work.

He’s impatient: a feeling that’s not helped by the talkative barista serving him … nor by the sudden call he gets from Bruce Wayne’s butler, Alfred (Jeremy Irons).

Alfred is passing on a message from the boss: the Batman (Ben Affleck) wants the Flash to rescue patients from a collapsing hospital … whilst the Bat, himself, stops some dastardly thieves getting away with some dangerous chemicals.

The aging hero ends up catching the thieves … with the help of both Barry and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot).

Things get worse for Barry when he gets to work.

His boss, David (Sanjeev Bhaskar), isn’t happy Barry’s late, again.

His friends, Patty and Albert (Saoirse-Monica Jackson and Rudy Mancuso), are giving him aggravation.

And, to top it all off?

His high school crush, Iris (Kiersey Clemons), is now a journalist asking awkward questions of Barry’s employers.

And, when she realises Barry works there … ?

Asks awkward questions of him.

Including how he felt about his father’s upcoming appeal … for the murder of his mother … 

Do you get the feeling that Barry is having a bad day?

~≈🦸🏻‍♀️≈~

11th March, 2024: The Elephant.

Now … what did I make of The Flash … ?

Do I think it’s good, bad or indifferent?

Do I think there’s possible problems?

I don’t know for sure: but think there’s an elephant in the room, one we need to get out of the way.

Let’s talk about Ezra Miller, shall we?

I know that Ezra’s one of a handful of people to have changed their pronouns: in Ezra’s case from ‘he/him’ to ‘they/them’.

That always sounds strange to me: unsurprisingly, I think, given the town I grew up in is fairly socially conservative.

Brentwood doesn’t exactly have a Pride parade, every June.

I always try to make sure I use someone’s preferred, current, pronouns — that’s always struck me as polite, if nothing else — but the practise is one I’m still getting used to.

But?

But most of the very few people I know have done this have usually done so through various social media profile changes … and usually seem … 

They usually seem sane.

That’s not the best way of putting it, is it?

Let me say, instead, that those who have made the announcement, and kept to it — Eddie Izzard springs to mind — have always seemed to be in good mental health.

Or, at the very least, extremely rational: even though I know there’s probably a lot going for someone in those shoes, a lot that we don’t see.

They present well, as one mental health worker I knew, put it.

Ezra Miller, though … ?

From the little I know of Ezra, I am very aware they have had a lot of legal issues, over the past few years: documented by Rolling Stone, among many others.

The man sounds unwell: and potentially dangerous.

So … ?

I’m wondering if that pronoun change is a result of a rational, considered decision … or a symptom, however minor, of something else.

Ezra has stated they’re seeking mental health help.

Which is all to the good.

But I couldn’t tell you if their bad behaviour is a symptom of bad mental health, or if their bad mental health is a result of bad behaviour.

Either way?

The fact they’re having issues doesn’t reflect on their performance in The Flash: in playing three different, distinct, versions of the same character, they do a very good job.

But … ?

I don’t know what’s going to happen with other DC movies, if Miller has to be hospitalised or do gaol time.

That will impact future movies that feature his character: as well as they, themselves.

~≈🦸🏻‍♀️≈~

13th March, 2024: More Thoughts.

Let’s move on to the lighter questions, shall we?

What did I think of the film?

The story?

And of the rest of characters?

The story, itself, is relatively familiar.

It’s a straight — ish — retelling of 2013’s Man of Steel: with the doomed Superman replaced by a mixture of Miller’s Flash, Michael Keaton’s version of Batman and Sasha Calle’s androgynous take on Supergirl.

Effectively?   Re-telling the story of Zod’s invasion of Earth, with different players.

And, although we could argue this is re-treading old ground … ?

The film tries to keep the Zod story to a minimum: focusing instead on Allen’s relationship with both ‘his’ Batman (Ben Affleck), and this new Batman (Michael Keaton) … 

And on Barry’s attempt to prevent the death of his mother, and his father’s imprisonment.

All this … whilst introducing us to a new version of Supergirl: played by Sasha Calle.

Just as a couple of thoughts, here?

As a minor point, Sasha Calle is quite a good looking young woman: which is possibly not the reason the film makers hired her.

She seems to have built up a string of awards in her soap career.

And is very striking looking as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl.

Nothing like the traditional depictions of Supergirl: short black hair, rather than the usual long blonde locks, an all-in-one super-suit, rather than the more traditional girly cheerleader outfit … 

Giving us an altogether more androgynous look for this particular version of the character.

Given that — in the alternative DC universe that The Flash is set in — Superman doesn’t exist?

I’m wondering if she’s this film’s version of Superman, rather than Supergirl?

We can possibly speculate for hours!

Either way, her version of the character is one I’d like to see more of.

~≈🦸🏻‍♀️≈~

13th March, 2024: Final Thoughts.

OK: just as my final thoughts on The Flash: and to raise a couple of other points.

One word Barry uses — to describe most of the super heroes in the DC Extended Universe — is ‘metahumans’.

It’s the DCEU’s equivalent to Marvel’s ‘mutants’.

And a word I’m familiar with: I last came across it in FASA’s Shadowrun game.

It’s the game’s generic term for elves, orcs, trolls and dwarves.

And — apparently — first coined by George R. R. Martin for a roleplaying game he worked on.

I mention it, partly to tell you where I first came across the term.

Partly to show off.

But also — mostly — to tell you it’s a word that’s been around for a while.

As another point … ?

It’s nice to see Micheal Keaton back as Batman: even if it is, seemingly, just for this one movie.

OK, we mention retreads, earlier.

But, for me, it’s nice to see my generation’s Batman donning the cape: even if he is repeating some lines … and not using the car!

According to at least one piece on his 1989 appearance?   Apparently, the ears on his Bat-suit kept getting caught in the door of the Batmobile.

Ears aside, it’s a welcome return.

As a last minor point … ?

At the start of the film, we’re shown the Batman, preventing the theft of some industrial chemicals: and — later in the film — we’re shown a certain laughing bag.

I have a feeling that means the DCEU’s best known chemist will turn up, again.

And finally … ?

Was The Flash a good film?

I don’t know.

But it is both entertaining, watchable, and — given its one-hundred-and-forty-four minute length? — very well paced.

The Flash.

★★★☆