The Flash (2023)

The Flash (2023), directed by Andy Muschietti, is a multiverse-hopping superhero film based on the DC Comics character Barry Allen. It blends action, humor, emotional storytelling, and nostalgia—especially for longtime DC fans. Loosely inspired by the Flashpoint comic storyline, this film explores what happens when one man runs so fast he breaks reality itself.

Detailed Summary

Barry’s Grief and the First Spark

The story opens with Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) balancing his life as a forensic scientist and the Flash. Still devastated by the wrongful imprisonment of his father, Henry Allen, and the murder of his mother, Barry is emotionally exhausted. After a chaotic sandwich-related delay leads him into a Justice League-style rescue operation, he discovers something new: by running fast enough, he can move backward through time.

Barry realizes he might be able to prevent his mother’s death, and thus, change his father’s fate. Despite warnings from Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) about the dangers of time travel, Barry travels to the past and inserts a can of tomatoes into his mother’s shopping cart—ensuring she never has to leave the house where she was murdered.

Multiversal Mayhem

Returning to the present, Barry realizes he has changed more than he intended. This is a different universe, one where there are no metahumans, no Justice League, and no Superman. He also meets his younger self—18-year-old Barry, who’s just received his powers.

Soon, they discover that General Zod (Michael Shannon) is about to invade Earth, just as in Man of Steel. But this time, there is no Superman to stop him. The Barrys team up to find Batman for help. Instead of Affleck’s Bruce Wayne, they find Michael Keaton’s version, long retired but still formidable.

The New Trinity: Barry, Barry, and Batman

They convince Keaton’s Batman to help them locate Kal-El. Instead, they find Kara Zor-El (Sasha Calle), Superman’s cousin, being held in a Siberian black site. After an intense breakout, Kara joins the fight—but is unsure whether she wants to defend a planet that imprisoned her.

As Zod’s invasion begins, the team confronts him in a brutal showdown. Kara and Keaton’s Batman both die in battle. Young Barry keeps going back in time to try to save them, creating more timelines, worsening the situation, and ultimately becoming obsessed. He morphs into a darker version of himself—a scarred, broken Dark Flash, trapped in a loop of failure for decades.

Movie Ending

The older Barry finally realizes that some events are fixed points in time. He confronts Dark Flash, who is revealed to be his future self, mutated and consumed by obsession. In an act of painful acceptance, Barry lets his mother die. In an emotional goodbye, he removes the tomatoes from her cart and watches from the shadows as she unknowingly says goodbye forever.

He returns to what seems like the original timeline but makes one small adjustment—moving the tomato cans to a higher shelf—so security footage now shows his father looking up at a camera, thereby giving him a chance at exoneration.

Just when Barry thinks things are normal again, he gets a call from Bruce Wayne. A luxury car pulls up—but it’s George Clooney’s Bruce Wayne, not Affleck. The timeline is still altered.

This cliffhanger ending suggests Barry is not back in his original universe, and the multiverse is far from fixed.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

Yes. There is one post-credits scene:

• Post-Credits Scene: Barry and Arthur Curry (Aquaman, played by Jason Momoa) stumble drunkenly out of a bar. Barry tries to explain the concept of multiverses and time travel, but Arthur is more interested in finishing his beer and sleeping in a puddle. It’s a comedic beat that doesn’t set up future films directly but gives one final nod to the existing DCEU.

Type of Movie

The Flash is a superhero film, combining elements of science fiction, action, comedy, and drama, with a strong emphasis on multiverse storytelling. It fits within the broader framework of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) but plays with continuity in a way that allows for soft reboots and reinterpretations.

Cast

• Ezra Miller as Barry Allen / The Flash (both versions)
• Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne / Batman
• Sasha Calle as Kara Zor-El / Supergirl
• Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne / Batman (original timeline)
• Michael Shannon as General Zod
• Ron Livingston as Henry Allen
• Maribel Verdú as Nora Allen
• Kiersey Clemons as Iris West
• George Clooney as Bruce Wayne (cameo)
• Nicolas Cage as Superman (cameo in multiverse montage)

Film Music and Composer

The film’s score was composed by Benjamin Wallfisch, who previously worked with Muschietti on It. The music blends heroic themes with emotional, nostalgic tones, often referencing classic DC motifs—including a reworking of Danny Elfman’s iconic Batman theme from 1989.

Filming Locations

• Glasgow, Scotland doubled as Gotham City.
• London and other parts of the UK were used for various urban and governmental scenes.
• Sound stages at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in England were used for key set pieces.

These locations provided architectural flexibility and allowed for visual nods to earlier Batman films and the broader DCEU.

Awards and Nominations

As of now, The Flash received mixed reviews and was not a major awards contender, though it was recognized in some technical categories:

• Nominated for Best Visual Effects by certain critics’ circles.
• Michael Keaton’s return drew attention but was not formally awarded.

Behind the Scenes Insights

• The film was in development hell for nearly a decade, going through multiple directors and scripts.
• Ezra Miller shot scenes as two Barrys interacting, often requiring complex visual effects and body doubles.
• Michael Keaton reprising Batman after 30 years was kept under wraps for months.
• Nicolas Cage’s cameo as Superman was a meta-reference to the unmade Superman Lives, originally planned in the 1990s.

Inspirations and References

• Based primarily on DC’s Flashpoint comic arc by Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert, though it takes considerable liberties.
• Visual and tonal references to Back to the Future, Man of Steel, and Tim Burton’s Batman films.
• The multiverse scene references multiple DC adaptations, including the CW Flash, Christopher Reeve’s Superman, Adam West’s Batman, and even the animated universe.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

• A different ending was reportedly filmed where Henry Cavill’s Superman and Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman appeared to establish continuity, but it was scrapped due to DCEU restructuring.
• A deleted subplot would have shown more of Supergirl’s origin, expanding her relationship with Barry.
• There was also talk of an alternate ending that would’ve solidified a new Justice League, but it was deemed too premature.

Book Adaptations and Differences

There’s no direct novel that the film is based on, but its core idea comes from Flashpoint, where Barry saving his mom creates a dark alternate timeline. In the comic:

• Bruce Wayne is dead, and Thomas Wayne is Batman.
• Wonder Woman and Aquaman are at war.
• Superman is a frail, imprisoned lab experiment.

The film simplifies this by using cinematic characters, particularly Keaton’s Batman and Supergirl, to tell a more compact version of the story.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

• Barry entering the Speed Force for the first time, running through a “Chronobowl” that visualizes time like a 360-degree theater.
• The double Barry lightning strike that gives the younger version his powers.
• Michael Keaton saying “I’m Batman” before dropping into action.
• Kara’s rage-fueled confrontation with Zod.
• Barry’s emotional farewell to his mother in the supermarket.

Iconic Quotes

• “You ever want to go back in time and fix one little thing? But maybe that one little thing changes everything?”
• “You have fancy friends. I’m Batman.” – Keaton
• “You can’t save everyone. You have to let go.” – Original Barry to his younger self

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

• Barry’s college dorm has Back to the Future posters, foreshadowing time travel.
• Young Barry’s roommate is implied to be Albert Desmond, a DC villain known as Dr. Alchemy.
• The multiverse collapse features cameos of Christopher Reeve’s Superman, Helen Slater’s Supergirl, and George Reeves.
• Nicolas Cage fighting a giant spider is a real nod to Superman Lives, a film that never happened.
• Danny Elfman’s 1989 Batman theme plays when Keaton dons the suit.

Trivia

• Ezra Miller plays three versions of Barry in one film.
• Michael Keaton’s Batman suit was redesigned for mobility, solving a major issue from his earlier films.
• Sasha Calle is the first Latina Supergirl on screen.
• The “Chronobowl” time-travel sequences used scan-tech to recreate deceased or retired actors, leading to controversy.
• The film was heavily promoted as a reset point for the DCEU, though plans changed post-release.

Why Watch?

The Flash is a wild multiversal ride that combines fan service, emotional storytelling, and retro superhero nostalgia. It’s worth watching for:

• Michael Keaton’s long-awaited Batman return
• The emotional weight of Barry’s family story
• Creative time-travel mechanics
• The introduction of a powerful new Supergirl

Even with flaws, it’s a must-see for DC fans and anyone curious about where superhero storytelling can go next.

Director’s Other Movies

• It (2017)
• It Chapter Two (2019)
• Mama (2013)

Recommended Films for Fans

• Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
• Man of Steel (2013)
• Batman (1989)
• Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013)