Acest câștigător DCU promite un timp bun și dă rezultate

It has been nine years since Hollywood bosses cast Ezra Miller as Flash. After appearances in several films in the DCU, the character’s own film finally lands in theaters.

Originally planned to hit the big screen in 2018, having passed through the hands of multiple writers and directors, endured numerous release date changes, and controversies surrounding the lead actor, the journey has been a long and far from easy one.

The final hurdle for Flash will be overcoming the wake left by the lackluster receptions, both critical and financial, received by the most recent DCU releases, Negru Adam și Shazam! Furia Zeilor. It’s understandable that, for various reasons, some might have lost faith and be opting to sidestep this latest addition to this cinematic universe; however, Flash is one of its strongest entries and should, even with some flaws, be considered a jewel in the DCU crown.

Nu numai că Flash serve as a great point on the timeline for underwhelmed audiences to get back on board, but it’s also ideal for those who have been reticent or dismissive of the DCU to dip their toes in for the first time. While the plot is convoluted and deals with multiverses and complex theories involving time and space, the narrative execution is so solid that you can walk into this knowing nothing about the characters and the times or worlds they inhabit and still be wildly entertained. Flash deftly navigates fan service and exposition for the uninitiated, never being too clever for its own good with deep dive word salad or keeping it so simple that hardcore fans will feel like things have been dumbed down. The trailers promised a good time, and Flash has delivered.

While layered, the film’s storyline, inspired by the punctul de aprindere comics series, is not unnecessarily complex. Miller’s Barry Allen, aka Flash, tries to use his super speed to change the past and save his family; however, his plans go wrong, and Allen finds himself in an alternative reality with a younger version of himself, no Superman, a different Batman (brilliantly played once again by Michael Keaton), and Michael Shannon’s vengeful General Zod wreaking havoc.

Miller is on double duty and manages to nail both performances. Director Andy Muschietti, perhaps best known for the IT movies, gets two very different versions of Barry Allen, one we are familiar with and a younger one who has echoes of everything from Emo Philips and Pauly Shore to Keanu Reeves’ Ted Theodore Logan in the exuberant big brother-little brother mechanic. They gel beautifully when it could have been jarring, annoying, and an awkward dynamic, and the connection develops nicely as the movie tears along. Allen’s relationship with his mother is also handled perfectly, adding humanity and vulnerability that elevate and add authentic texture to the film.

New to the fold is Sasha Calle as Kara Zor-El, or Supergirl as she is better known. Her performance is pure fire and an absolute highlight of the movie. It’s a real shame that this might be the only time we get to see her don the iconic S-chested costume, but she owns every second of it, fitting the role like a hand in a glove. Audiences are left wanting more in the best possible way. Keaton’s return as Bruce Wayne and Batman is triumphant. It’s the first time he has donned the cowl since Batman Returns 31 years ago. Knocking it out of the park once again, the actor’s performance in a role he was born to play is a real treat he appears to relish.

Understandably, fan service elements have been woven throughout Flash, with Keaton’s return as the Caped Crusader the substantial tip of the robust iceberg. While some spoilers have already found their way into the public domain, they’ll be avoided here because they are best experienced fresh. They’re pretty emotional on multiple occasions, even for the casual fan. Rest assured, anyone who has grown up with an association and affinity with an iteration of Flash‘s principal characters will be in for a treat.

All too often, a film like Flash relies on the action and the spectacle or the hope that the fans will lap up whatever they are served, but the writing here is spot on. With some of the best characterization and self-awareness of the DCU films, the comedy is mainly on the nose, and the emotion feels genuine and has an impact. Even in the action sequences, it resists leaning into ham or tropes but still delivers what is needed to hit hard when needed, puts a tongue in a cheek when required, and elicits whoops and hollers to order. One scene, in particular, involves classic 80s movies such as Înapoi în viitor, Top Gun, și Footloose, as they are in the alternative timeline that is perfectly written and delivered. It is comedy gold and reminiscent of Abbott and Costello’s famous ‘Who’s on First?’ routine.

Coupled with innovative and energized cinematography, breathtaking set design like the Batcave, and epic, engaging, and edge-of-your-seat action sequences, Flash is a winner. However, like any superhero, this movie has an Achilles heel, and that is some of the CGI, which, at times, is so distractingly bad that it takes you out of the film entirely, especially regarding faces. Some moments are reminiscent of Nintendo 64 game graphics from the 90s. It’s not the first time that the DCU has dropped that ball in this area, with Henry Cavill’s Super mouth in Liga Justitiei being one example that still haunts dreams. Other than this grating element, The Flash is a textbook example of how to do this kind of movie. It feels contemporary but classic at the same time. Where Flash almost stumbled was getting the comedic tone right, but after a shaky and slightly uneven start, it quickly finds its rhythm and sticks the landing with aplomb, hitting beat after beat right on target. It’s something that becomes another of the film’s big pluses.

As a film, for Flash to do anything less than solid box office would be a real shame. It’s an example of the genre that is best experienced in theaters and has something for everyone. Not since Wonder Woman or Shazam! has a DCU delivered such a thoroughly engaging and enjoyable wild ride. Worth waiting for, Flash is also worth your time and money.