The DC movies have been a punching bag almost from day one when DC decided to make an interconnected movie world like Marvel. Marvel planned everything out meticulously whereas DC seemed to not care about taking it slow and steady. There are a lot of problems fans could cite in the movies, but that is a whole article altogether.
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Not every DC movie was bad as most can agree the firstShazamandWonder Womanare fun. The good news is thatThe Flashis also a good DC movie on multiple levels. How does it improve on the past’s faults?
Warning! Spoilers ahead.
8A Mini Justice League Movie
Justice Leagueas a movieis kind of a mess seeing as there are two versions of it and they contradict each other. That movie is about getting the band together, and once they are a team, it is a bit chaotic. It’s great to seeThe Flashopen with a mini-sequel showcasing the Justice League working as it should.
The Flash runs to Gotham to help Batman out and even Wonder Woman makes a brief appearance. It is a better representation of the team’s dynamic than the entirety of any version ofJustice League.
7Batman Wears Blue
Since his first film incarnation with Michael Keaton,Batman has beenshown in black. No film versions have ever depicted Batman in any of his other colors. One of the more famous color schemes that dates back to his origins is gray and blue which Batman wears inThe Flash.
It’s nice to see the DC-connected movies finally showcase a color other than black. It’s a small victory for Batman fans who love to see his goofier, alter colors.
6Sets Up The Multiverse
The multiverse, as a concept, is white hot right now thanks to all of Marvel’s stuff,Everything Everywhere All At Once, and many more examples. It’s great that DC has finally caught up to the rest of the world by introducing multiverses intoThe Flash, which it has mostly avoided.
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The plot centers around the titular character going back in time to prevent his mother’s death which opens up the multiverse. The greatest thing about this aspect is thatThe Flashhelps celebrate multiple DC adaptations. For example, there are so many nods to the various film and TVversions of Superman.
5Embracing The Weird
The multiverse is not the only thingThe Flashdeserves praise for. Its ability to embrace the weird goes far beyond the existence of other universes more so than the other DC movies. For example, a number of movies are referenced with replacements to the actors such as Eric Stoltz getting the part of Marty McFly inBack to the Futureinstead of Michael J. Fox.
In actual reality, that almost happened and there is footage out there with Stoltz. Another fun Easter Egg references the lost Superman moviewherein Nicolas Cagewas going to play him.
4Unafraid Of Child Violence
It’s not very often that kids are put in actual danger in a movie. If they are, the danger is minimal and they make it out ok. There are examples, recent ones in fact, wherein kids are just as likely to die as adults likeEvil Dead Rise. In the DC movies, that’s not so much a thing untilThe Flashwhich goes over the top to the point of angering some folks.
There is an early scene wherein babies are literally raining down from the sky. The Flash saves them all, thankfully, and even stuffs one in a microwave to prevent damage. It’s a weird scene to be sure and of course, the movie wasn’t going to kill a dozen babies. It’s still good the movie went for the fake-out though.
3Straight Up Funny
One of thestrengths of the MCUis that their movies are genuinely and effortlessly funny. DC tried numerous times to inject humor into their films likeJustice Leaguewhich didn’t work. Jason Momoa’s portrayal of Aquaman is charming beyond all reason in his solo movie but the humor in that film also felt forced. The only exception that felt natural before this was the firstShazam.
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Now, a few years later,The Flashhas toppedShazam’scomedy with great laugh-out-loud lines and zany scenarios. Barry finding out there is another Barry coming home from college is one fine example.
2Real Emotions
Comedy is not the only thing this movie gets right. It has genuine emotions in it, which could make anyone in the audience cry for various reasons. The love between Barry and his parents, especially his mom, is one of those strong bonds. When he has to say goodbye to her as a stranger, in the end, is one great example.
Then there is the scene wherein Barry is willing to put his life on the line to become The Flash again. He doesn’t want the powers for the thrill of it. He wants them to save the world and Supergirl can appreciate that sacrifice.Shazam, again, did have some good emotional beats too but not as powerful as this.
1Superheroes Do Need Food
Fans of superhero movies often ask odd questions. For example, they can wonder when superheroes eat or go to the bathroom. Well, unlikemost superhero movies,The Flashhas many scenes with Barry eating to replenish his calorie count.
He eats a wild amount of food to get enough energy to zip around the world from candy to burritos to mounds of spaghetti. It’s his curse and his weakness and not a lot of DC movies in particular like to showcase the faults of heroes.
