Ten years ago, Zach Snyder directed Man of Steel (2013). He and the executives at what's now known as Warner Bros. Discovery conceived a series of films that would be an alternative to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Snyder and company wanted to cash in on the success of The Avengers (2012) by fast-tracking its own super-hero team up. The subsequent Justice League (2017) didn't exactly rise to the levels set by the MCU, but it did introduce this version of the titular character.
Ezra Miller (Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them and The Perks of Being a Wallflower) stars as Barry Allen, a forensic investigator who works for the police department in Central City. He can move faster than the speed of light, using an energy known as the Speed Force. Not much was known about Barry in Justice League. The only thing that was revealed is that he's a single child whose father was in prison for murdering Barry's mother. Yet, Barry believes his father is not guilty and Barry joined the police department in order to prove his father's innocence.
When Barry realizes that not only can he run fast, phase through solid objects and shoot lightning bolts out his fingers but that he can also travel through time, he decides to go into the past and stop his mother from being killed. Through his time traveling, he discovers the multiverse or alternate universes, different timelines where certain things are changed. The MCU and the Spider-Man films by Sony Pictures have already introduced the concept of the multiverse, so not much explaining is needed. Yet, this film comes up with a clever way of doing so utilizing spaghetti.
Michael Keaton (Spotlight and Birdman) co-stars as Bruce Wayne aka Batman. In the 2017 film, Ben Affleck played Batman, but, as Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) proved, actors who have played the same super-hero in the past are eligible to play it again. Keaton played Batman back in 1989 in the hit film directed by Tim Burton. Just as Spider-Man: No Way Home banked on people's nostalgia for those previous actors, so is this film hoping to bank on the same. Keaton does bring that nostalgia and gravitas. I'm not sure his role here hits on an emotional level as Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire did in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
The emotional beats are supposed to be reserved for Barry's relationship with his mother. In a sense, it's meant to mimic the dynamic in Back to the Future (1985), a film that is directly referenced numerous times here. The problem is that that 1985 classic had way more scenes between the protagonist, Marty McFly and his mother. Marty's mother is a consistent character throughout that narrative. Here, Barry's mother, Nora Allen, played by Maribel Verdú, is only in two scenes, not enough to make us care about her.
Barry's father, Henry Allen, played by Ron Livingston, is wrongly convicted for killing Nora. Barry knows his dad didn't do it. Barry's goal is to appeal his dad's conviction, get it overturned and see his father released from prison. There's an inherent question then of who actually murdered Nora. It's an obvious follow-up question. If Henry didn't kill Nora, then who did? Unfortunately, this film has no interest in answering that question whatsoever. It doesn't even think to ask.
In Batman (1989), Bruce's parents, including his mother, are killed. By the end, that film answers the question of who the actual murderer is. In The Batman (2022), the version where Robert Pattinson played Bruce Wayne, that film also answers the question of who actually murdered Bruce's parents. Yet, this film can't be bothered to answer that same question for its protagonist. It felt odd. It also felt like a failing of this film to devote more time to Barry's relationship with his mother or the lack thereof.
The main thing on this film's mind is Barry's relationship to a younger, alternative version of himself, a 18-year-old college student, also played by Ezra Miller. Miller gives an incredible double performance, portraying both the younger and older versions of Barry in very distinct and engaging fashion. If one has heard of the legal troubles plaguing Miller and Miller's mental health issues, and is put off by them, this film is a double dose of Miller, so it'll be no help.
If one can overcome Miller's personal troubles, the film does underscore the point that not everybody can be saved, even if you have amazing powers to traverse time and space. The related point is that people die and you eventually have to come to terms with that. It's a powerful point, but, because the film doesn't build the emotional connection between Barry and his mother, the person who "has to die," then that point falls flat. It's a good point to make intellectually and is effective on that level. It simply would have been better if that emotional connection with his mother was better explored. In terms of a concept, the MCU did it better. If one has seen the MCU animated series What If...? (2021), the fourth episode involving Doctor Strange already examined that exact concept better.
As an action-adventure-comedy film, a blockbuster piece of entertainment, it makes the grade. It's a cool slice of popcorn mover for those itching for something to pass time during the summer. The action sequences didn't utterly impress me. It's difficult for this film to top the Quicksilver scenes in X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) or X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), particularly the scene set to the Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams." The action gets a little Looney Tunes and it's funny for the most part, but rather underwhelming.
Rated PG-13 for violence, action, some strong language and partial nudity.
Running Time: 2 hrs. and 24 mins.
In theaters.
