‘The Flash’ review: Bad CGI, plot holes and Ezra Miller controversy overshadow latest DC film

The film takes place after the events of 2017’s Justice League. After preventing a bank robbery in Gotham City, The Flash (real name Barry Allen, played by Miller, who in real life uses they/them pronouns) visits his childhood home. Filled with nostalgia, he recounts his life with his parents before his mother was murdered and his father was wrongfully imprisoned for the crime.

Overcome by emotion, he uses the Speed Force – a powerful cosmic energy source that gives The Flash his superspeed – to travel back in time and stop his mother’s death. In a confusing series of events, he is knocked out of the Speed Force by another speedster, sending him to an alternate 2013 where his mother is still alive. Although he is happy to have his mother back, Allen quickly learns the dangers of time travel, its effects on the multiverse and why he shouldn’t mess with the past.

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The film attempts to explain the timeline using pasta as a metaphor, which doesn’t have the same impact and clarity as a more simple or factual explanation. This is one example of the movie trying to please both fans and casual viewers: it wanted to explain time travel to people unfamiliar with the concept but didn’t want to bore hardcore DC fans. This attempt to keep both groups entertained ultimately falls flat like the others.

Regardless of the legal troubles hovering above them like a dark cloud, Ezra Miller’s performance as The Flash/Barry Allen is convincing and endearing and shows their acting skills. They can balance funny moments, including cramming food into their mouth while saving people (and a dog) from a hospital, with emotional scenes, such as one that shows Allen embracing his mother.

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We also see two Batmans in this film, played by Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck. Affleck plays an old and retired version of the hero in an alternate universe, while Keaton stars as Barry Allen’s version of Batman. Though Affleck recently played the caped crusader in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad, both released in 2016, and the Justice League film, Keaton’s last appearance as Batman was in 1992. It was a treat to see two versions of the character, especially since we last saw Keaton in the role around 30 years ago.

Sasha Calle shines as Supergirl in the film. The Daytime Emmy Award-nominated actress excelled in the role, although many feel she was underutilised; sometimes she seems crucial to advancing the plot, and sometimes she feels like a side character at best. Many of the movie’s shortcomings could result from the multiple directorial changes the film went through before finally settling on Andy Muschietti, director of the horror flicks It, It Chapter Two and Mama, as well as its delayed production during the Covid-19 pandemic.

For DC to compete with Marvel after the release of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, the visual effects had to be on point throughout the movie – and unfortunately, they weren’t. While the CGI was bad throughout the film, the scenes taking place in different dimensions are particularly bad.

Ultimately, The Flash was stuck between a rock and a hard place as it struggled to appeal to a wide audience and handle the controversy surrounding its star. Lighthearted comedy and emotionally charged moments bridge the gap between demographics, but it still suffers from major plot holes – such as how Allen can regain his powers without recreating the specific environment in which he gained them in the first place. Ultimately, the visual effects and confusing storyline undermine the story, but the film remains enjoyable if you do not look at its flaws for too long.