The Flash, directed by Andy Muschietti; written by Christina Hodson. Starring Ezra Miller, Sasha Calle and Michael Keaton. USA, 144 minutes, IIA. Opened June 15. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Warner Bros’ latest attempt to build its own Marvel Cinematic Universe-styled, world-dominating superhero franchise — with Marvel up at over $29.5 billion in global box-office receipts so far — has been an affair fraught with modest hits (Wonder Woman proved a winner in 2017), massive misses (2022’s Black Adam) and a lot of indifference. It’s strange that DC — which arguably owns the bigger, better, more recognizable properties — has been unable to leverage Batman, Superman, the Green Lantern or Wonder Woman, among others, for consistent results, if not good ones. 

So here DC is again, finally releasing the last vestiges of the previous studio regimes’ plans for the DC Extended Universe — ahead of Superman: Legacy (2025), guided by writer-director James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy, 2014-23). The Flash has been hit with its share of controversy, chiefly surrounding star Ezra Miller’s various bar fights, break-ins and alleged grooming of adolescents. It doesn’t help that Warner chose to forge ahead with a film fronted by a white man with legal troubles while shelving the Afro-Latina-led Batgirl. All of this makes the film a lightning rod (no pun intended) for critics’ sharpened knives. 

But the strange thing is, amid all the drama, The Flash is OK. Based on the popular comic-book series Flashpoint, writer Christina Hodson and director Andy Muschietti’s superhero adventure is well-paced (even at nearly two and a half hours), action-packed, frequently funny, and one of the best DC films yet. That may be damning it with faint praise — the DC bar is set pretty low — but despite some weak CGI and familiar tropes, The Flash is good summertime entertainment, at least until the sloppy third act.

The Flash, directed by Andy Muschietti; written by Christina Hodson. Starring Ezra Miller, Sasha Calle and Michael Keaton. USA, 144 minutes, IIA. Opened June 15. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

The story pivots on Barry Allen’s (Miller) unwise decision to travel back through time to the events at the inflection point after which his life was (he believes) irreparably destroyed: his mother’s murder and his father’s conviction for it. Despite dire warnings from Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) about messing with timelines, he goes back, and finds himself stranded in another reality alongside a happier, goofier version of himself. The intricacies of the narrative remove Clark Kent/Superman from the world, make the invading General Zod even more dangerous, and compel the dual Barry Allens to seek out the alternate world’s mostly retired Batman, played by Michael Keaton for the first time since he starred in Tim Burton’s Batman Returns in 1992.

There’s a great deal to like about The Flash, and despite their troubled behavior of late, Miller brings a light, modern neurosis to Barry that makes him quite charming. On top of that, they’re able to make Barry’s pain relatable and real. The affectations Miller chose for Other Barry, sadly, are more grating, and personal tolerance for that brand of obnoxious “comedy” will dictate how funny one finds it. Keaton is suitably jaded, and 1980s-’90s Batman fans will find his performance something of a warm blanket: familiar and cozy. But it’s Sasha Calle as Superman’s cousin, Kara Zor-El, that injects the film with real drama, and it’s a shame Hodson and Muschietti didn’t give her more to do.

As much as everyone is talking about Miller’s issues, just as much ink has been spilled discussing the “secret cameos” and “surprise stingers” that Warner has bent over backwards to keep hidden in preview screenings. We don’t know what they are: They turned the film off before the credits. What can be reported, however, is that none of those Easter eggs and fan service (and there’s a lot of it in The Flash) matter all that much when they’re barely visible. In a film that opens with great promise — the hospital rescue scene is truly awesome — it’s baffling that the central clash of worlds is so murky, undefined and shoddy. That’s what Warner should have hidden from critics.