Where I Watched It: MAX

English Audio Description?: Yes

now that the maligned Flash project is on MAX, we can all make up our own opinions. Good news for the filmmakers in that I won’t be commenting on what I understand to be not very impressive visual effects. I also believe that despite how you feel about one person in a film, there are hundreds of people trying to make this art, and we need to be able to separate ourselves sometimes. So, Ezra is getting a clean slate for the purposes of this review. I also am a nerd, and this is a comic book film.

The DC universe put a lot on the shoulders of Barry Allen. Really, he doesn’t get his own movie, because he is being used as a tool to expand DC’s version of the Multiverse. Since Ezra has appeared in previous DC films, they also don’t really get an origin story.

The short form version of the plot revolves around Barry’s longtime desire to prove his father is innocent of his mother’s murder,and when he realizes he can run back in time, he chooses to despite how that might alter the future. It’s a selfish choice, but really it’s an incredibly human one. I think there are so many people out there whose lives have been dramatically altered by one moment, that they could choose that one switch to flip if they had the ability. judging Barry for this choice is almost like judging yourself. Even the person who lives the most “no regrets” mentality probably still lost someone too soon.

But, Barry ends up getting trapped in a parallel version of his life, where he interacts with a younger version of himself that doesn’t have powers yet, realizing how annoying he must have been to the grown ups of the Justice League. This alternate reality also seems to be missing any other meta humans, except there is one old friend. Bruce Wayne. Except in this universe, he’s michael Keaton, not Ben Affleck (who appears in the beginning).

What I liked about this movie was that it had a lot of energy to it, it was well paced, and Ezra gave a great performance as Barry. Oddly, I think I still prefer Grant Gustin, but that’s because he’s had more time to flesh his version out. I also enjoyed Michael keaton’s return, and where his character has ended up. We are very much in this weird place where we keep bringing back old heroes to see them at the end of their life for some reason. From Rocky in Creed, to Maverick and iceman in Top Gun Maverick, to the original Ghostbusters in Afterlife, and most recently indiana Jones, as well as all the elderly folk populating the Star Wars series, it’s getting to be a bit much. However, Batman’s whole thing was always this secluded life. So it isn’t hard to imagine that this actually is his future. Life didn’t throw him curveballs, this is his real trajectory. You can even feel Affleck’s version running close to this as well, since he only really has the aging Alfred.

They play with cameo’s quite nicely here, and the audio description is quick to point out those Easter eggs by naming the actor playing that version of the character. I don’t want to spoil them all, but I ahve to spoil one.

What I didn’t like. George Reeves. The brief inclusion of his version of Superman is morbid and ill advised. This is an actor who couldn’t get cast as anything but Superman, and finally took his own life while also battling addiction. his real life story casts a shadow over his inclusion, because there isn’t a fiber in my being that says he would have agreed to this, especially since actors in his day didn’t have to think about being brought into a film with visual effects the way we have them now. I don’t mind the others, as their connection to the hero isn’t so dark, but George should ahve been left to rest.

Also, Supergirl seems to only be here because it’s an alternate universe, and Barry thinks there aren’t any meta’s. Her character is pointless and underdeveloped. Also underdeveloped, and oddly written, is the relationship between Barry and iris (Kiersey Clemons). It raised questions about where Barry went to live when his Dad went to jail and his mom was murdered.

Lastly, I’m 100% all about diversity, but the actress playing Barry’s mom is unintelligible. Her accent is so thick, she ruins the emotional impact of the scene Barry has with seeing her for the first time. Sure, by all means, change that character up from your average white lady, but at least pick an actress who doesn’t mumble.

The audio description here was definitely challenged by what’s happening on screen. Not only are the action sequences complex, but there are frequently two Barrry’s on screen,. It’s hard to tell if we missed anything, because sometimes the film is moving so fast, we might have missed a cameo without even knowing it. It’s not a perfect film by any means, but it’s one that despite its flaws, I enjoyed more than i should have.

There seems to be this anti-fan service movement out there, which i don’t understand. I’m a fan, so service me. If the story is broad and appealing, you will bring in a wider audience, and if the film is good, it will be a hit. But if the fans of the source material hate what you did with it, you are dead in the water.

My grade might seem higher than it deserves, and I acknowledge that. I’m very picky, and there were things I really didn’t like. But something about the energy, the story told, Ezra’s electric performance, the return of Keaton, and putting this hero finally at the center of his own film that engaged me in this journey. I think it deserved to make more than it actually did at the box office, but I can also see why this wasn’t a 300M hit.

Final Grade: B+