The Flash

Expectations for The Flash are sky-high and, to some extent, out of control. DC itself, Warner Bros. Discovery and the millions of fans around the world crave a solid hit, a sign in the sky that better times are ahead after an uncertain decade, and so the film is charged with not only tying a neat bow on the so-called "Snyderverse" we now leave behind, which is surprisingly sad for some, but also in welcoming us to a new, fresh future.

"Seal the past, welcome the future, tell a singular and satisfying story, and do it without being too drawn out - please". Okay, so an impossible task.

No doubt there will still be some who, after leaving the darkness of the cinema, will feel The Flash succeeded more with some of the tasks on the aforementioned checklist than others, but what was clear to me after watching Andy Muschietti's blockbuster a few weeks ago is that The Flash comes so close to nailing it all at once that you almost have to love it for that reason alone. Almost.

Okay, so Barry Allen has become more established as The Flash, and has explored the so-called "Speed Force" further since the events of Justice League. In fact, as was also hinted at in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, he can now virtually time travel and convinces himself, despite words of warning from Bruce Wayne (played for the very last time by Ben Affleck - RIP Batfleck) that changing the past can have terrible consequences for the present, that he can save his mother who was tragically killed many years ago.

And it all turns into a real continuity mess, as he manages not only to change the past, but to mess up multiple universes. That's how he ends up in a dimension or timeline where Michael Keaton is Batman and Superman is Supergirl. It all quickly becomes a large, but relatively accurately told pear-shaped mess of overlapping narrative strands that, through what looks like a lot of screen testing, is advanced enough to keep you engaged without turning into a load of rubbish that can only be saved by boring, sluggish exposition.

No, The Flash actually works from a narrative standpoint, telling an engaging story about finding peace in the scars you accumulate as the years go by. Not every single one of these intimate scenes works. The relationship between Barry and his mother is never really strong enough to carry the whole film, mostly due to a rather essential lack of chemistry between lead actor Ezra Miller and the mother played by Maribel Verdú, and also Iris West played by Kiersey Clemons is not particularly exciting.

But there's a way around that, because guess what? The Flash is one of the funniest superhero films ever made - period. Ezra Miller delivers a Deadpool-like performance, with the actor primarily playing opposite another version of themselves, and it's masterful in the most awkward and self-conscious way. Jokes come at you in torrents, hitting you with an almost Mad Max-like pace, and it works almost all the way through. The pace is fast, the shifts are distinct and drastic, and once the film is in motion, there is a solid connective tissue between comedy, fan service and action. It's a pretty unflinchingly honest popcorn film that almost contrasts with the broader MCU trend.

It also means that The Flash doesn't spend nearly as much time establishing a 'new' DC cinematic universe as many thought. Sure, it touches on the multiverse more than other projects do, and there are fun throwbacks and cameo appearances here and there (including one from Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Nicolas f**king Cage himself), but the film is more intent on saying goodbye to the continuity we know and telling a cool, well-crafted and almost standalone story.

Make no mistake, Michael Keaton kicks ass, Michael Shannon is still cool as General Zod and Sasha Calle works well as Supergirl, or Kara Zor-El, but it's Miller, it's the comedy and it's the pacing that saves the day.

You can actually watch The Flash without having seen anything else from DC, and likewise, this seems to be a pretty pivotal turning point in tone and quality. It's also pretty easy to recommend. Director Andy Muschietti was faced with an impossible task and he pulled it off.