The Flash

I usually write my reviews in real time while I am watching my screeners. That way I can make nots as I go along and expand on  my ideas when I edit the final product. But this time for some reason I just watched the film straight through without even looking at my Blogger. I think it was because the film was such a perfect letter to superheroes and superhero adventures. It should be the model for the future. Based on the ideas in the FLASHPINT PARADOX, I was impressed by a time travel movie that pulls no punches but remains completely remains accessible to newbies.

The movie expertly told the time travel story that demonstrates what REALLY takes place when the hero tries to cure his guilt or pain by using time travel. We all know that when you do that you never fix your own past because that is impossible. You just create another world  that branches off from your original planet by creating an alternate one with a whole new history. That is the concept of the Multiverse. 

In this world Barry is a member of the Justice League (with Ben Affleck as Batman) who basically tells the Flash that while he is fast enough to travel through time that he must not try to save his murdered Mother because that one event could destroy more than it saves. However Barry doesn't believe this because he still hasn't learned the lesson about the dangers of time travel The movie moves in the direction where he inevitably realizes the truth and does it in such a perfectly written way. The film is all about his maturing and accepting his pain as a strength and not a weakness. It's also a thinking man's superhero movie and not the drivel by committee that BEAST WARS was last week.

From the trailer you learn that the Batman of this new world where Barry's Mom is alive has a Batman of it's own but this is the Michael Keaton version of the character and he is fantastic as an old Bruce Wayne who has retired from fighting crime and has to be convinced to rejoin the fight when General Zod arrives on the new Earth and finds that there is no Superman for him to fight. This world also doesn't have a Cyborg, Wonder Woman or Aquaman but does have it's own Barry who is days from achieving Flash powers for himself. 

The performance By Ezra Miller is spectacular as he plans Barry as a mature person and a young kid. You believe it's not the same actor but two very different people. All the actors from the new Supergirl are also terrific. I wish if superhero movies won awards that they would consider The Flash next awards season but that will never happen.

The story and the CGI are spectacular and for once the movie doesn't end is some lopsided battle between our heroes and thousands of creatures - only deady Kryptonians with the power of Superman The fiom is full of little Easter Eggs that reward those who know thei comic books and superhero movies. It would be a war crime for me to tell you what they are but they all gave me a big smile on my face.

This is one to see in the theatre before all it's gems are revealed to you and spoil the whole experience. I really liked it. Maybe the best movie I have seen this year. Don't miss this one.