Tag Archives: Batman

The Flash

We need to talk about Ezra. Is Ezra Miller a big enough star to open and carry a big budget movie? Obviously, the answer is no. Because the makers of The Flash have brought along Michael Keaton as Batman to do a significant amount of the film’s heavy lifting.

Regarding Miller: Despite the creepiness of some of his prior movie roles and despite his real life misbehaviors, his talent is undeniable and his charm and humor shine through in his portrayal of Barry Allen AKA The Flash.

(I will, in this review of the new movie The Flash, refer to Ezra Miller as “he/him” because using a plural pronoun for one single person is confusing to me and to others. If you have a problem with that, just hit delete and move along.)

The film itself has, despite its flaws, enough story and special effects to attract fans who may be suffering from the widely-reported superhero fatigue among the movie-going public. It’s a fun ride! A bit too long—another movie with a climactic battle scene that goes on and on. And then on some more.

Time travel is a key element of The Flash. But what happens when The Flash goes back in time and encounters his younger self? They exist together in that time/space. It makes for some complications, of course. And some funny business. And some useful teamwork.

The opening episode of The Flash may generate a sickening 9/11 flashback for some folks with the image of newborn babies and a nurse falling from a collapsing building. (Spoiler: they don’t die, thanks to The Flash.) Yes, it’s a fantasy movie and, yes, that horrible day was nearly twenty-two years ago, but still…

There’s a decent amount of fan service with references to other DC superheroes. And a Shawshank reference, intentional or not, when a character walks through a wall decorated with a poster of a female movie star. 

The initial encounter by the two Barrys of the gone-to-seed version of Bruce Wayne is among the film’s highlights. Some of Keaton’s finest acting in a well-written scene.

Along with Miller and Keaton, The Flash features Michael Shannon as General Zod who comes to earth from Krypton with evil intents. Sasha Calle is Kara Zor-El AKA Supergirl. And Kiersey Clemons charms as Iris West, Barry’s sort-of girlfriend. 

The big question this movie asks—and the box office will answer—is this: Are The Flash and the film’s star Ezra Miller strong enough to anchor a franchise within the DC Extended Universe? Or will The Flash be relegated to occasional appearances in Justice League ensemble movies? To be determined. 

The Flash is rated PG-13. Directed by Andy Muschietti.

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The Dark Knight Rises

This is one of the all-time great films. The story, the screenplay, the soundtrack, the acting, the directing, the stunts, the effects—all winners!

It’s the story and its telling that give TDKR a specialness that the other Christopher Nolan Bat movies didn’t have. The others had bombast and standout performances, but TDKR has more heart and soul. Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman is heroic, to be sure, but is presented here as more human and more vulnerable (in numerous ways). His transition from a limping, Howard Hughes type recluse back to Bat mode sets the film in motion.

Nolan and Nolan (director and co-writer Christopher and his co-writer brother Jonathan) give memorable lines to several of the key players. Michael Caine as Alfred is in tears as he advises Wayne not to go back into the Bat suit. Joseph Gordon-Levitt as police officer John Blake, a longtime Wayne admirer, tells Wayne his emotional story of life in an orphanage. Gary Oldman as Commissioner Gordon hesitates to tell the truth about Batman, lest he mar the legacy of Harvey Dent.

The ladies are better in this Bat movie. Anne Hathaway as Selina Kay/Catwoman is a beguiling mix of evil and good. Plus, she looks terrific in the leather jumpsuit. Marion Cotillard as Wayne Enterprises board member Miranda Tate shares a romantic interlude with Bruce Wayne and is a key character in significant plot points.

Tom Hardy is evil incarnate as Bane, the terrorist who brings fear and havoc to Gotham. His mask and haunting voice bring to mind classic bad guy Darth Vader. Bane’s violent acts will prompt recollections of NYC’s 9/11 terrorist attacks. His band of thugs commandeers certain defense assets to do harm to Gotham and its defenders.

If this is a movie you plan to see, get into your movie house sooner rather than later. TDKR has content you want to enjoy on the big screen (IMAX, preferably) instead of a small screen. This review contains no spoilers, but others will. Be careful monitoring online forums and social media feeds, so as not to be burned by those who tell too much.

“The Dark Knight Rises” has iconic scenes and dialogue that will endure in my personal movie memory scrapbook for a long time. Expect multiple awards nominations and wins at year’s end. The movie adds another notch to Christopher Nolan’s reputation as one of our great movie storytellers. Like his “Inception,” TDKR is a movie to be enjoyed many times over. But don’t wait for the DVD or Blu-Ray. Witness true greatness at a theater near you ASAP.

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