The Flash First Reviews: Packed with Nostalgia and a Scene-Stealing Michael Keaton

The Flash First Reviews: Packed with Nostalgia and a Scene-Stealing Michael Keaton

While it has seemed slow to arrive, The Flash is quick to get audiences going, according to the first reviews of the new DC comic book movie. Starring Ezra Miller as the titular superhero, previously seen as an eager team player in the DCEU movie Justice League , The Flash is also a time-travel movie and a multiverse smorgasbord of nostalgia and cameos, including a well-publicized return from Michael Keaton as Batman. Many of the reviews also point out that the movie does start out really well and is likable enough throughout but becomes too much in the second half,...

While it has seemed slow to arrive, The Flash is quick to get audiences going, according to the first reviews of the new DC comic book movie. Starring Ezra Miller as the titular superhero, previously seen as an eager team player in the DCEU movie Justice League , The Flash is also a time-travel movie and a multiverse smorgasbord of nostalgia and cameos, including a well-publicized return from Michael Keaton as Batman. Many of the reviews also point out that the movie does start out really well and is likable enough throughout but becomes too much in the second half, with too much going on and too many characters to follow. Here’s what critics are saying about The Flash: Does it live up to expectations? “The Flash may not be the greatest comic book movie ever made, but it comes damn close.” – Pete Hammond, Deadline Hollywood Daily “The Flash doesn’t reinvent the superhero genre by any means, but it’s still one of the most consistently entertaining entries in the genre in years.” – Daniel Howat, Next Best Picture “It’s certainly an above-average entry.” – David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter “The good barely outweighs the bad here, at least enough for me to give The Flash a marginal recommendation.” – Matt Singer, ScreenCrush “One of the most spectacular and frustrating mixed bags of the superhero blockbuster era, The Flash is simultaneously thoughtful and clueless, challenging and pandering.” – Matt Zoller-Seitz, RogerEbert.com (Photo by Warner Bros.) How does it rank among DC movies? “One of the best DC Comics movies out there.” – Travis Hopson, Punch Drunk Critics “At its core, The Flash is a film that exudes the aura of the past, channeling its predecessors, Superman ’78 and Batman ’89.” – David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel “One of the best DC Extended Universe films.” – Brandon Zachary, CBR.com “The Flash is, by far, the best movie to come out of this modern, post-Nolan Warners/DC collaboration.” – David Fear, Rolling Stone “The Flash is the first DC movie to somewhat emulate the early films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, something DC has been chasing for a very long time.” – Daniel Howat, Next Best Picture “I would hesitate to even put this film on the same level as others in the increasingly-tired genre that both Marvel and DC have run into the ground.” – Pete Hammond, Deadline Hollywood Daily “It does not work as a pseudo-finale to the DCEU, which it seemed to have been pigeonholed into becoming pending the upcoming reboot.” – Sheraz Farooqi, CinemaDebate How is Ezra Miller’s performance? “Miller excels in their performance as the dual Barry Allen/The Flash.” – Carla Hay, Culture Mix “Miller, putting a spin of effrontery on every line, is the perfect actor to play this corkscrew superhero.” – Owen Gleiberman, Variety “Miller does an impressive job making the two Barrys into distinct people; the illusion is so convincing that you sometimes forget that a lot of this movie is just one actor talking to themselves.” – Matt Singer, ScreenCrush “The troubled star turns out to be the film’s chief asset, bringing humor, heart, and a vulnerability not often seen in big-screen superheroes.” – David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter “Simply put, better casting you could not imagine. Whatever the well-publicized personal-life troubles the actor has had simply do not matter here; Miller is the real deal and a superhero superstar is born.” – Pete Hammond, Deadline Hollywood Daily (Photo by Warner Bros.) What about Michael Keaton? “The highlight is Michael Keaton, who fully embraces a tired and almost stir-crazy Dark Knight to deliver a performance that’s impossible to not appreciate.” – Brandon Zachary, CBR.com “He very much steals the show at times, proving that he has still got it.” – Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky “It’s a performance to go nuts for.” – David Gonzalez, The Cinematic...