The All Things Flash Thread. - Part 2

[Milk Tray Guy]

That's my Batman!

Is he very heavily featured, or more of a side character?

 

[NongEyeGong]

The biggest one being wrong is...THIS IS A FRIGGIN FLASH FILM!

This.

It is very much a Flash movie first and foremost featuring some familiar faces. Barry is firmly in the spotlight in this flick so die-hard Flash fans don't have to worry about it shifting into becoming a Batman flick.

Also, were you too at the Bradenton showing?

 

[dhandler01]

This.

It is very much a Flash movie first and foremost featuring some familiar faces. Barry is firmly in the spotlight in this flick so die-hard Flash fans don't have to worry about it shifting into becoming a Batman flick.

Also, were you too at the Bradenton showing?

I was in Minnesota

 

[dhandler01]

Is he very heavily featured, or more of a side character?

He is in less than expected, but way more than enough. He has an arc.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

He is in less than expected, but way more than enough. He has an arc.

Gotcha! Glad you had a good time

 

[NongEyeGong]

Also, I'd like to give a shout out to Maribel Verdú as Nora Allen. I called my mom to tell her I love her immediately after I walked out of the theater.

 

[dhandler01]

Also, I'd like to give a shout out to Maribel Verdú as Nora Allen. I called my mom to tell her I love her immediately after I walked out of the theater.

Absolutely!

 

[Herolee10]

This.

It is very much a Flash movie first and foremost featuring some familiar faces. Barry is firmly in the spotlight in this flick so die-hard Flash fans don't have to worry about it shifting into becoming a Batman flick.

Also, were you too at the Bradenton showing?

I don't think I have to use a spoiler tag for this, but it's still weird to call this a Flash film at times when it doesn't have a Flash villain.

 

[dhandler01]

I don't think I have to use a spoiler tag for this, but it's still weird to call this a Flash film at times when it doesn't have a Flash villain.

Spoiler

it kind of does[/QUOTE]

 

[NongEyeGong]

I don't think I have to use a spoiler tag for this, but it's still weird to call this a Flash film at times when it doesn't have a Flash villain.

Definitely a fair bit of criticism, you're not wrong there. I'm actually a wee bit relieved that they didn't put any of the Rogues in there because there would just be so, so, so much going on on top of what's already going on in the flick.

 

[kguillou]

I will say more later but let me just say. .I get why everyone is raving and has been for a while about this film. Everyone is good in it and I do mean EVERYONE! If Ezra want such an awful person he would be great going forward. (Though he would be a better Bart)

Muschetti does more right with just the first ten minutes than almost the entirety of the DCEU was able to do. The comedy was pure (not forced) and the speed effects were on point. I would pay for a Muschetti team film!

Keaton...my god. He is just so...damned...good.

I won't spoil anything except to say the general rumors (the ones that get repeated the most) are sometimes right, sometimes way off, and sometimes out of context. The biggest one being wrong is...THIS IS A FRIGGIN FLASH FILM!

Lawd yes, this is all I needed to hear. Glad you enjoyed it!!!

Would you call this the best DCEU film?

 

[dhandler01]

Lawd yes, this is all I needed to hear. Glad you enjoyed it!!!

Would you call this the best DCEU film?

Yes because the third act holds up.

 

[Herolee10]

https://**************.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=cover,width=670,quality=75/https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fwx1LXVWIAEjZNu?format=jpg&name=4096x4096

 

[dhandler01]

Ok now it is time for my full (non spoiler) review...if I feel anything I say is anywhere close to a spoiler I will put it in tags but I don't think I will need to

The Flash is the Best DCEU Film and it is not Even Close

Originally I was going to go with my usual "Good, Bad, Ugly" style format but I honestly am still too hyped up to really denigrate the film much. It pushes the line at some points, almost going where a lot of these films go and crushing under the weight of everything it is trying to do. I was waiting for it, anticipating it, even kind of thought I saw it coming but it never quite does it! The narrative holds, the story holds and the characters pop. It is all the best aspects of all the DCEU films (Wonder Woman's Heart, Aquaman's 4 color fun and MOS' action) only it puts them all together in a buffet of just pure comic book greatness! It does a great job of being both accessible to people who have no clue about the stories it references (and oh my the references!) and those of us who can say "hey I remember that it happened in this comic which I have in my long box downstairs!" Some things change but nothing that makes any of this unpalatable if you happen to like any of those stories.

Now it should be noted here: they go out of their way to say this is not the complete film. The film ends rather abruptly and while it leads to some conclusions as to where the time line stands, it leaves us hanging to the point that when the screen goes black and the film is over (we had no credits even let alone extra scenes) we were all shocked and a bit confused. There is something there that we can't see this far out...and it is driving me bananas! I cannot wait to see what happens after Barry's last line!

The best way to describe the film is that, much like Shazam was "Big with Superheroes" this film was "Back to the Future With Superheroes"! (there is a LOT of BTTF references especially nerdy ones for people like me who love that film and know too much about it!) The film is naturally funny (not forced tension breakers or dirty jokes) and heartwarming and it handles the ridiculousness of timelines and the multiverse and paradoxes in much the same way BTTF does. (though it does go one step further...BTTF talks about it but never has it happen) What is nice is that the needed exposition is not just kind of hamfisted in there, it is actually pretty well explained by a character as a means of sort of introducing them. It is pretty cool and is at least partially based on something that occurred in one of my favorite comic runs. (I cant tell you what the run is it will give the explanation and how it plays in later) It certainly plays better than the BS they used to explain it in Endgame...

The characters are great. Ezra is a very fun and likeable Barry. (also a very annoying and funny Alt-Barry) I think they would be better as Bart personally because that is more how they play the character but I can see why WBD weathered the (totally justified!) bleepstorm that was Ezra and their awfulness because they really shine here. It is too bad, there is a lot to work with...but they are too toxic and obviously too awful. Batfleck is pretty much redeemed (one "bad" I guess is we now see how Snyder squandered what could have been a very cool Batman) even though he is only in about 10 minutes of the film (which was better than all of the Snyder films combined...films I like BTW) and he and Ezra work well together. Barry's parents are just so well cast and acted especially his mother. She is wonderful! Sasha Calle as Kara is a real treat! I really dug her performance!

But...the real scene stealer is friggin Michael Keaton! (and whoever was in his batsuit in fight scenes!) My god, I know nostalgia is everywhere and some find it lame but if you love Batman '89 at ALL you are going think this is great. I know people think this is his movie, and well, it isn't. He is in just the right amount of film and Keaton eats every inch of scene he can and makes you smile like a child! And while yes it is great when he is Batman, his scenes as Bruce as just so...perfect. I could see Tim Burton being a part of those scenes because it feels like a natural extension of those films much the way Batman Beyond felt like a natural progression from the Conroy series. Keaton just has something that none of the other Batmen have ever had...I can't explain it but it is the ability to be crazy and sane in the same shot. To have him sitting in a sweater having a heart to heart but knowing that right beneath the surface is the man who challenged the Joker to get nuts. Bale, Batfleck, Pattinson they can all do some aspects great...Keaton is the only one I could buy as really being both Bruce and Batman. Plus, he has all those wonderful toys! (the new Batwing is just so awesome!) And the cave...my inner child was feasting!

I want to say so much more, but honestly I don't even want to inadvertently spoil anything. So many treats, so many callbacks and references and Easter Eggs...its a love letter to the DC Universe in all of its glory and potential. Even if you dislike the film, I guarantee you will find something in it that will make you smile. Muschietti directs the hell out of this film and his love for the history of this universe is front and center on his sleeve. (literally the opening DC Films logo intro in and of itself is the first clue) Hell just the difference in the way he directs the Black Zero Event shows how much he gets these heroes and these stories. I would watch any film he shows this much love for!

I would give the film a 9, but only because I didn't get to see the true ending. I will see it opening weekend again. Oh and we saw it in IMAX and I highly recommend you do too!

 

[Scarlet Spider]

Great stuff guys.

So hyped to see my childhood Batman again. So happy they got it right.

 

[Gothamsknight]

I'm so hyped!!! Just a few more weeks to go.

 

[kguillou]

@dhandler01 ’s review is all i needed to hear. I’m ready!

@dhandler01 just one final simple question. In your opinion does this movie work as a fitting conclusion of the DCEU? I feel like thats kind of how they’re positing this movie. Granted in your review you said version of the film you saw had no ending so that may be hard to answer for you.

 

[J.Drangal]

Glad you liked it @dhandler01 !

Your feedback hypes me. I've seen/read some of Muschietti's statements, and while the trailer doesn't exactly show a cinematic sensibility that I love when it comes to superheroes, it seems like he's genuinely involved in the film. In any case, it's certain that he wanted to do his best with everything about Keaton (which he was already referring to discreetly in his "It").

There are a few rumors about this but, visual choices aside, do you think the director could truly be used by Gunn to create a more "popular" Batman than Reeves is doing?
It does seem like the template is there (teamwork, vehicles, etc.) but maybe he just wanted to play with that particular Batman...


EDIT: Just saw the new trailer which contains a lot of new images... I'm so, so iffy on the visuals, especially everything related to that fight against Zod...

 

[AntonGobbs89]

I think tix are going on sale today. I already saw an ad for it on Fandango. Which, if that’s the case, I think WB has been very smart about how they’ve been marketing this film. They did the screenings yesterday hoping the WOM would get everyone hyped enough to buy tickets today.

 

[dhandler01]

@dhandler01 ’s review is all i needed to hear. I’m ready!

@dhandler01 just one final simple question. In your opinion does this movie work as a fitting conclusion of the DCEU? I feel like thats kind of how they’re positing this movie. Granted in your review you said version of the film you saw had no ending so that may be hard to answer for you.

Honestly no because you will want more.

Just in case:

Spoiler

Which is why I am not sure this is a swan song of the DCEU. Unless the missing footage is Barry watching the world completely change around him (which would be cool) a new universe coming will feel a bit jarring. It would be like if Days of Future's Past was the final X-Men film and a new team showed up 2 years later.

It is set up that it could be if the film failed. But it is also left that this could be the jumping off point for the NuDCU. It works better than it did in the comics that is for sure. Gunn has a lot of wiggle room since only Barry is shown with Iris at the end.

@J.Drangal

As someone who hates bad CGI and green screen as much as you do, I honestly wasn't bothered all that much. A few things here and there but for the most part I think the movie looks great.

As for tickets...WB made sure to have the theaters take pictures of all the full theaters, they are going to make a push. I think this movie will be a crowd pleaser.

 

[antsman41]

The only thing I neeeeeeeeeeeeeed to know before watching it - is the Batmobile (Burton's not that atrocious Snyder debacle) ever driven?

 

[dhandler01]

The only thing I neeeeeeeeeeeeeed to know before watching it - is the Batmobile (Burton's not that atrocious Snyder debacle) ever driven?

Spoiler

no just a ton of Batwing stuff sorry

 

[antsman41]

Spoiler

no just a ton of Batwing stuff sorry

 

[dhandler01]

 

[The Shape]

Feels like the longest wait ever for this film. Tickets on sale today?