HCA Gradebook: “The Flash”

Movie: The Flash
Plot: Worlds collide in The Flash when Barry uses his superpowers to travel back in time in order to change the events of the past. But when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation, and there are no Super Heroes to turn to. That is, unless Barry can coax a very different Batman out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian… albeit not the one he’s looking for. Ultimately, to save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry’s only hope is to race for his life. But will making the ultimate sacrifice be enough to reset the universe?
Cast: Ezra Miller, Sasha Calle, Michael Shannon, Ron Livingston, Maribel Verdú, Kiersey Clemons, Antje Traue, and Michael Keaton.
Director: Andy Muschietti
Release Date: June 16, 2023
Studio: Warner Bros Pictures
Number of Graders: 40
Overall Grade: B-

Jami Philbrick says, “The Flash is a masterpiece and the movie DC fans have been waiting for! Director Andy Muschietti brilliantly adapts the ‘Flashpoint’ storyline from the comics, while Ezra Miller and Michael Keaton give powerful performances.”
Grade: A+

Byron Burton says, “The Flash rides high on Christina Hodson’s screenplay, dwarfing her Birds of Prey contribution to DC film lore. The comedic beats are pitch perfect and the emotional threads are carefully orchestrated and dispersed throughout the film, particularly in the climax. Brilliant performance from the film’s leads as well as the supporting parental roles elevate the raw emotion to incredible heights. 

After several lackluster offerings in the comic book genre since Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: No Way Home wowed audiences, this film is a welcome answer to superhero fatigue and lazy writing. The major flaw of the film is its CGI battle scenes which are vapid compared to the intriguing sci-fi elements and personal relationships explored in Andy Muschietti’s inaugural run in the DC world. A small issue when faced with recent DC duds Shazam: Fury of the Gods and Black Adam.”
Grade: A+

Caillou Pettis says, “While the CGI in some scenes falls short, the film’s engaging narrative and strong performances make The Flash a must-watch for superhero enthusiasts and fans of the DC universe.”
Grade: A

Scott Menzel says, “The Flash is the type of superhero film that I wish there were more of. The film perfectly blends comedy, drama, and action. Ezra Miller is terrific playing dual Barry Allens while newcomer Sasha Calle wows as Supergirl. Michael Keaton brings the nostalgia and showcases once again why he is the best Batman of all-time. Oh, and bring the tissues because the ending will have you wiping away tears.”
Grade: A

Zachary Pope says, “I LOVED The Flash defying all odds the film is incredible. Purely special in so many ways. Incredible performances, incredible action scenes, an incredibly emotional tale that at the center of its story is Barry Allen. This is a what if Tim Burton Directed A Flash film.”
Grade: A-

James White says, “By some distance the most enjoyable DCEU movie for many a year and a welcome addition to the current craving for multiverse adventures. Ezra Miller does their best work as Barry Allen (acting alongside themself for most of the movie), while Michael Keaton proves he’s still among the best of the Batmen. Director Andy Muschietti handles the tough juggling act of spectacle, humour and emotion, and all combine for a satisfying moviegoing experience. My only real issues? A waste of Michael Shannon, some dodgy, rubbery effects here and there and a score that sounds like it borrowed The Matrix and crammed in a chunk of Danny Elfman’s (albeit welcome) Batman theme.”
Grade: A-

Chelsea Schwartz says, “Knowing Michael Keaton would be reprising his role as Batman set the bar very high for this film, and The Flash did not disappoint. Ezra Miller has incredible comedic timing, and their performance depicting two very different versions of Barry blew me away. Keaton seamlessly stepped back into the role of Batman and the multiverse story line perfectly sets up a new chapter for the DC universe.”
Grade: A-

Kit Bowen says, “The Flash fully lived up to the hype and should be a great way to jump start the new DCU regime. The action sequences and special effects are bloated at times, but the cameos and “Flash” -verse make it a worthy watch. Yet, it’s Ezra Miller’s movie from start to finish. They totally embody the character and have an innate sense in making Barry Allen a well-rounded character, full of nerdy goofiness and pathos. Although Miller’s personal issues might still be a hinderance to further Flash installments, I can’t see the franchise moving forward without him.”
Grade: A-

Stacey Yvonne says, “The Flash is probably the best of the franchise so far, especially as it ushers in the Elseworlds and multiverse. Oddly enough the weak link was the Zod storyline which literally could have been anyone (yes I know it refers to an earlier movie, but it’s also an altverse.)”
Grade: B+

Zaki Hasan says, “A solid curtain call for the DC movie-verse of the last 10 yrs. Some lovely action and introspection for the two Batmen, intertwined with a Flash story that’s engaging and emotional. Keaton is great, and Ezra Miller is very good. Some quibbles about certain dodgy CGI elements notwithstanding, the movie takes some big creative swings that, coupled with the smaller moments, make it more rewarding as a result. I like where it ends and am intrigued to see where things go next in the new DCU.”
Grade: B+

Paul McGuire Grimes says, “The Flash is a solid DC film that reminds audiences of the fun that can be had with these characters. The stakes are high and it’s not afraid to remind everyone that there are consequences for our actions.”
Grade: B+

David Chen says, “An action-packed, crowd-pleasing, and ultimately moving story about one man’s quest to undo an unthinkable tragedy: the ending of Man of Steel. In all seriousness, this movie is a lot of fun and nails the central premise. But it doesn’t make great use of Michael Keaton and eventually gets a bit too bogged down in fan service and cameos to truly be great.”
Grade: B+

Connor Petrey says, “While controversy may surround the title online, if you’re able to separate yourself from the madness, then The Flash is one of the first DC films in the recent main timeline that’s genuinely worth getting out to the theater and witnessing on the biggest screen possible (with a full crowd if possible).”
Grade: B+

Lupe Rodriguez Haas says, “The Flash director Andy Muschietti delivers a grounded film filled with nostalgia and throwbacks to previous films. The Flash is the most satisfying film to date from the DCEU in the past decade.”
Grade: B+

David Gonzalez says, “What if Back to the Future Part II met the DC Universe? Director Andy Muschietti’s The Flash answers that question with a nostalgic journey filled with stunning action, emotional stakes, heart, humor, and universe-bending time travel.”
Grade: B+

Ricky Valero says, “I had moderate expectations for the film, but when I walked out of this theater, I told myself, Flash is Ezra Miller, and Ezra Miller is the Flash. Miller simply blew me away with their work in the role that stood out even at times when the film struggled with its own internal structure. Looking back at the history of actors and actresses playing in these comic book movies, they either have IT or they don’t, and Miller has IT.”
Grade: B

Maggie Lovitt says, “The Flash reminds us why Michael Keaton might be the greatest Batman ever. If I were grading The Flash for Michael Keaton, and Michael Keaton alone, it would be one of the easiest A+s of my life, however, there’s much more to assess than just his Batman’s return.”
Grade: B

Nicholas Spake says, “It’s almost unfair that The Flash is coming out two weeks after another multiverse superhero movie featuring a character draped in red. The Flash doesn’t reach the skyscraper-size heights of Across the Spider-Verse, although it runs circles around some of the soon-to-be-defunct DCEU’s other efforts. Andy Muschietti’s film has glimpses of greatness, but for every dynamite scene, there’s an idea that falls short of its potential. The Flash won’t rejuvenate interest in the multiverse like Spider-Verse or Everything Everywhere All at Once did. Even if it’s not a trailblazer, The Flash is fun and breezy enough to squeeze a few more miles out of the multiverse premise. Given the complicated production history, the fact that the film made it to the finish line warrants a victory lap.”
Grade: B

Joel Amos says, “While The Flash is a complete and utter improvement in DC/WB entertainment after Black Adam, it still hasn’t punched the audience with emotive power like the first Wonder Woman achieved in 2017. The Andy Muschietti (It) film maintains that manic modus operandi of his previous works, and has effortlessly moved its landscape from horror to superhero. The problem is that the film gets bogged down in time travel storylines that feel like they could go on forever until Barry: aka The Flash (Ezra Miller) figures out what happens until he finds a piece of home. 

There are great set pieces. It’s just The Flash gets weighed down by it’s own ambitious exploits. Given the state of affairs at WB:DC, who knows it this is a Flash in the pan or the beginning of something beautiful.”
Grade: B

Aaron Neuwirth says, “While fun, this attempt to build meaning around the latest superhero story to tackle loss and what comes with great power (hint: it’s responsibility) makes the overarching narrative feel a bit middling, no matter how many gimmicks this movie has to offer.”
Grade: B

Nancy Tapia says, “I was taken by a Flash rollercoaster for the duration of the film. I shed a few tears for Michael Keaton who makes a great highlight in bringing back the old Batman vibe that has been missed. Ezra although played an annoying character at times, you grow to like him too. Sasha Calle is like the new Michelle Rodriguez, but with a cape.”
Grade: B

Abbie Bernstein says, “More of The Flash’s pleasure comes from a number of good-sport cameos, and one that may make viewers tear up. But the time mechanics are so entirely geared to serving the scenes the filmmakers want to do that our suspension of disbelief starts to sag. While nobody wants long-winded exposition, some discussion of how multiple timelines do or do not reconcile with the notion of a multiverse would have been helpful.

As it is, Barry, Barry, and their friends are fine company, but The Flash would have been better if its rules were more solid.”
Grade: B

Tony Toscano says, “The Flash is what fans of the DC universe deserve, a fun, action packed superhero movie with a lot of surprises. Check it out in selected theaters. It gets a B.”
Grade: B

Peggy Marie says, “Prefacing this with I rarely if ever, cry at a movie. I just cried at the end of The Flash for reasons I can’t say because it would be a spoiler. The movie is filled with loads of good and maybe to some, bad spoilers – I liked a lot of it, sadly my least fav part was Zod (still adore you Michael Shannon). If you can separate the art from the actor – you’re in for a good ride.”
Grade: B

Dan Murrell says, “Pandemic delays, offscreen drama, and the creative turnover at DC have placed undue importance on this film’s shoulders. I found it to be neither a turning point in the DC Universe, nor ‘the greatest comic book movie ever made.’ Instead, it’s a perfectly fine, rather standard superhero action film, with some good jokes and solid versions of established characters. Ezra Miller’s real-life actions have overshadowed their work in this film, which is solid, but Michael Keaton’s return as Batman is welcome and Sasha Calle’s debut as Supergirl provides a great version of the character. However, the DC characters from the past are mostly window dressing for a standard story that’s competently executed. The Flash neither delivers on the hype nor disappoints. It’s just another movie.”
Grade: B-

Alex Billington says, “I was entertained. Sort of. It’s oddly both a good movie and a bad movie at the same time. I enjoyed all the Barry Allen antics, Ezra Miller’s performances are excellent (really), it’s amusing overall. But it’s still a huge mess. I wasn’t satisfied with any of the Batman stuff, despite Michael Keaton being back. He’s as disinterested as the character… Everything else is clunky, the multiverse concept is undercooked and falls flat by the end. It’s so clear WB spent years trying to tweak this & fix it and make it sellable somehow. Aside from the strange VFX, the rest of it was fine. I wish it was better – not nearly as memorable or as epic as I was hoping. Too much of a Man of Steel rehash – but with the Flash in it as the main character this time. I don’t even want to rewatch it again anytime soon.”
Grade: B-

Michael Lee says, “The Flash is a solid superhero flick that breaks the DCEU mold with its sunny and humorous script. While the fan service is fun, it’s a bit overwhelming and takes away from the heart of the film. But Michael Keaton’s return is like seeing an old friend. And Sasha Calle soars.”
Grade: B-

Anthony Digioia says, “The Flash is a crowd-pleasing comic book adventure that effectively balances nostalgia, fan service, and story telling with the large-scale action set pieces to take the viewer on a ride filled with humor, touches of emotion, and genuine spots of excitement. Miller delivers a charming dual-role. Keaton shines behind the cowl, and despite this movies issues, its positives are strong enough to still have a great time.”
Grade: B-

Mike Manalo says, “For as bad as this movie’s VFX look, as annoying as Ezra Miller’s terrible interpretation of Barry Allen is, and for as questionable as the directorial choices are, the action and emotion, as well as the strong performances of Keaton and Calles, make the movie actually pretty entertaining for most of its runtime. It’s just unfortunate that we have to sit through a really rough first act to get there. There’s a good movie somewhere in this CG mess of confused ideas, cringe moments, and overacting. Enough to keep someone engaged for 2.5 hours. But overall, the highest compliment I can give this one is it’s the third best superhero movie of the summer (out of three).”
Grade: C+

Rachel Wagner says, “In the end, the emotion of The Flash wins the day and certainly people who have more nostalgia for the Keaton Batman films will probably enjoy it more than I did.”
Grade: C+

Francisco Cangiano says, “The Flash is undeniably entertaining. Full of humor, great action sequences, good dose of nostalgia and with a sweet (emotional) story at its core. It’s messy, but still very fun. And that includes some visual effects that leave a lot to be desired.”
Grade: C+

Scott Mendelson says, “The first act is solid (the curtain raiser is an all-timer) but The Flash gets bogged down in exposition and retroactive origin rehashes, with (eventually) empty spectacle that aggressively reminds you of the (comparatively superior) movie that got WB into this mess ten years ago.”
Grade: C

Matt Neglia says, “The Flash is one of the stronger offerings from DC but definitely not the greatest superhero movie ever as some claimed. An artificial looking movie (the CGI doubles are atrocious) that was occasionally fun & emotional. I enjoyed Barry’s personal journey more than the parade of cameos & time traveling spaghetti mumbo jumbo. It’s to see Michael Keaton back but Sasha Calle stole the show as Supergirl.”
Grade: C

Rick Bentley says, “Director Andy Muschietti does little to make the front half of the film interesting other than to try to explain the always complicated rules of time travel. Writer Christina Hodson gave him little to use as she manages to take the already irritating Barry Allen and make him even more painful to watch.”
Grade: C

Rachel Leishman says, “There are simply too many multiverse stories out there, and The Flash falls victim to being the lesser of the Flashpoint stories. A movie that thrives on the nostalgia bait laid out with Michael Keaton’s return as Bruce Wayne, it’s frankly a mid-level watch after seeing something like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. And maybe the near-hysteric level of unnecessary hype ruined my viewing experience of it, so temper your expectations and you might have more fun.”
Grade: C

Nate Adams says, “Tough break for DC’s summer tentpole, and soft reboot of their beleaguered cinematic universe, The Flash, as it opens in the shadow of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, an animated film that dealt with many of the same multiverse story beats though executed them in far more creative methods and had a stunning visual palette. The Flash is none of those things, a CGI muck fest built on force nostalgia and revisionist history (seriously, some of the cameos represent the worst type of fan service). It didn’t have to be this way. For the first 45-minutes, the Andy Muschietti directed film offers a refreshing change of pace from the usual live action superhero slog by interweaving a soothing Back to the Future formula by way of Spider-Man: No Way Home storyline while also doubling as a heartfelt origin tale about a kid struggling with his past, present, and future. After that, it becomes just another monotonous DC world building adventure that quickly retcons past events and turns what was an endearing story into a complicated, head scratching one.”
Grade: C-

Don Shanahan says, “This movie was better off not slamming the accelerator through its narrative entanglements to the next action showdown. Miller and company are best in The Flash when they are not doing something super and addressing the bigger themes about their conditions and consequences. You feel the movie’s melodrama hit most not when it zips by you with a rush of hot air but in stillness when it wrestles with its proverbial speed demons.”
Grade: D+

Jonathan Fujii says, “A colossal mess. I sat back and watch it devolve into one of the most dull and poorly executed movies of the year.”
Grade: D

Ashley Saunders says, “Ultimately, The Flash attempts at peddling in nostalgia failed. In my best imitation of ‘Simpsons already did it,’ Marvel and Sony already did it. Marvel Studios and Sony expertly handled balancing nostalgia and fan-service in No Way Home to elevate the film. Then there was Across the Spider-Verse, which leveled up from that to show everyone how it’s done when combining a multimedia legacy of beloved characters. Then there is DC, disappointing its fans and itself as it once again tries to play catch up. It’s not even worth going into how the fight with Zod was basically Man of Steel 1.5. In that case Zack Snyder already did it and it was better. My hope is that James Gunn rights the ship because I would love to see a cohesive universe that utilizes the DC characters in a way fitting of their storied legacies. Until then, fans are better off rewatching the old Batman movies and the DC Flash show starring the superior Barry Allen, Grant Gustin.”
Grade: F

Rama Tampubolon says, “[SPOILER ALERT] Take away the nostalgic elements & the CG bombardment, all you’re left with The Flash movie was a moronic bumbling buddy comedy.

And as someone who grew up idolizing the late great Christopher Reeve, I found the digital resurrection of him in this film to be an abomination. Worst. DC. Movie. Ever.”
Grade: F