The Flash has had a troubled journey to get to the screen. There have been incidents with its lead actor, forcing the film to be delayed in its release and questions about the performance at the box office because of audience reactions to those events. It’s also one of the last films made before DC became put in charge by filmmaker James Gunn, which led to concerns that the film would not be released. Thankfully, it has, and if you can remove yourself from the cancel culture attitude towards its star, this is an enjoyable trip into time travel and one of the best DC movies of recent years.

Barry Allen, also known as The Flash, the speedy member of the Justice League, has discovered that he can run so fast he can go back in time. Warned by Bruce Wayne that even the slightest change in time could cause any number of issues, Barry wants to help his father, who languishes in jail for the murder of Barry’s mother. Determined to alter the event slightly, he finds himself thrown out of the timeline, where he encounters his 18-year-old self that, causes a ripple through that alternate time.

Directed by Andy Muschietti, who had a previous hit with the It films, sets the tone out immediately with an impressive opening set piece, in which The Flash tries to save a group of babies from a collapsing hospital. This is not a bleak Justice League sequel but a bright and amusing superhero movie with something surprising: a heart. Muschietti is as interested in character development as he is in the usual smashing and crashing you get from most of these movies.

Barry is a damaged young man trying to deal with being around the likes of Batman and Superman, still discovering things about himself and his powers, and more importantly, desperate to get his father out of prison for the crime he never committed. When he finds that he can change history, Barry doesn’t think twice about the complications his action could cause. However, even with the dark issue of the murder of his mother, the fun still can be had when Barry meets himself before he has his powers and how his action changes the world.

Musceitti keeps the pacing going, even if the film is slightly too long, and keets the attention with plenty of Easter eggs for fans of past DC movies and pop culture references to enjoy. There’s a neat Back To The Future reference that those in the know like. The film’s real ace is returning an old favourite to a role that I never thought we would ever see a return.

Michael Keaton, for many, is and will always be the best Batman. With only two movies as the character in Tim Burton’s films, he set his mark on the role. Returning to the surface in this just makes you smile (and this is no spoiler, as he appears in the trailer). He has a real twinkle in his eye when donning the suit, and seeing his version of the classic hero kicking and punching the bad guys is like going back to 1989 when we first saw him as the character. He hasn’t lost any of his charms.

Ezra Miller is a talented and charismatic screen presence. He made his mark in the disturbing We Need To Talk About Kevin, and here, they are as delightful as the Barrys, moving effortlessly between both personas and making you care for the character. Yet some will find watching an actor with such a troubled past, including violence, possible burglar, and cult formation. They have apologised, and the film has been approved by James Gunn. Yet it could bring the movie down with such a person attached. Or audiences may be forgiving enough to enjoy what is a good performance.

The Flash isn’t perfect, but it is far more entertaining than you imagine. It has heart, deals with the subject matter of grief maturely, and has so many cameos to make you smile and, in one case, laugh out loud. It is too long, and the final act, which goes down the route of all superhero movies, does become tiresome. Yet, having Keaton on board and Miller’s winning lead, it’s a decent blockbuster.

4 out of 5

Director: Andy Muschietti

Starring: Ezra Miller, Michael Keaton, Sasha Calle, Michael Shannon, Ron Livingston, Ben Affleck, Jeremy Irons.

Written by Christina Hodson and (story) Joby Harold

Running Time: 144 mins

Cert: 12A

Release date: 16th June 2023