One would assume having Michael Keaton reprise his role as Batman in a Flash film would entail an amazing experience for the audience. Not to mention that The Flash is one of the few films that has a speedster as its protagonist, which directly increases the expectations of what the visual and action scenes may be like.
Young Barry Is The Bane Of The Flash
Every fan of the character knows that the fastest man alive is also the most talkative in the justice league. When it comes to the case of 18-year-old Barry Allen, the charm and wit that the streak is commonly depicted with are quickly destroyed.
Young Barry does not give any scene some room to breathe. His constant jabbering is not only annoying, but it is also one of the main reasons that make him one of the biggest obstacles that our main Barry has to deal with.
Let’s not forget to mention that this 18-year-old version of Barry, meaning a version of Barry who has just stepped into adulthood, acts more immaturely than many 16-year-olds would. He is not full of life, he is full of excitement, ignorance, stubbornness, and annoyance.
The spoiled brat who had never faced loss in his life is shown to have little to no care about what it means to have powers, let alone what it means to be a hero. Many may assume that is how a young Barry who has had both of his parents for the entirety of his life would behave like.
However, it is shown on multiple occasions that Barry Allen had always had the heart of a selfless hero, even before he had gotten struck by the speed force inducing lightning. Making this young version of Barry the worst character to ever exist in a Flash movie.
Iris West Remains To Be Useless
Adding a romantic interest in this movie was as valuable as wearing safety goggles in a warzone. Iris West’s character was an absolute waste. Not only does she appear for maybe three to four scenes, but she also has no real impact on the story whatsoever. At least the CW Flash’s Iris had some side plot going on every season that managed to progress the plot.
This version of Iris West does not contribute to the least. She only acts as a soft introduction as a reporter and a potential love interest of Barry Allen. Due to how the film decided to use her character, she is almost as useless as an extra roaming in the background of this “groundbreaking superhero film”.
Speed Force Depiction
The depiction of the speed force has always been a difficult challenge for creators. As the concept is more theoretical and does not have much of a visual representation. The CW Flash made a brilliant move on their part by personifying it as it not only saves on exposition, it also saves on the budget which the company is famous for cutting.
The Flash made the speed force into some sort of a joke. Even the Teen Titans animated series made a smart decision of just not mentioning the existence of a speed force. Within the film, the speed force provides no protection to the objects or the people that the Flash may carry with him. Nor does the speed force show how the lightning that the speedsters create represents their mastery over their speed.
Not to mention that the speed force is shown to be DIRECTLY related to how hungry is the Flash in the film. The same speed force that was responsible for disintegrating the Flash in the comics due to him running tirelessly at an increasing pace with each second.
Failure to the Fans and The Common Audience
The Flash is an utter failure to the fans and the common audience the moment James Gunn promised the film would be “f*cking amazing”-
“Can I say one more thing? The Flash is f*cking amazing. Like it’s one of the best superhero movies I’ve ever seen. [Director] Andy Muschietti did an amazing job.” – James Gunn about The Flash
The film raised expectations for so many only for it to turn out to be one of the biggest clickbaits in film history. Reviewers who may have been influenced into rating this film anything above a 7/10 do not have any defense as false advertising can only take you so far. But honesty can take you to infinity and beyond!
Also Read: The Flash Honest Review
