“The Flash” is finally making its way to the big screen after nearly a decade of development, writer and director reshuffles, and a number of troubling claims involving its star, Ezra Miller.
The film sees Miller reprise their role as Barry Allen/The Flash, as he travels back in time to stop his mother’s murder, only to change the present day as a result of his actions. Not only that, but he has to get help from none other than Michael Keaton’s Batman, and Sasha Calle’s Supergirl.
Warner Bros. showed the movie to critics at CinemaCon on Tuesday, and it was met with a number of glowing reactions online.
Many reviewers on Twitter said that the film’s heart and humor work well, and also praised Miller’s performance as two different versions of the Scarlet Speedster.
Collider’s Steve Weintraub called the movie “fantastic,” while also saying that Miller has made “a lot of mistakes.”
Insider’s own Jason Guerrasio pointed out that it’s “not the best superhero movie ever made,” but called it “impressive” with “lots of emotion.”
Hollywood Critics Awards founder Scott Menzel had the opposite reaction by saying it is “one of the best superhero movies of all time.”
And Gizmodo’s Germain Lussier compared it to “Back to the Future” and “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”
“If anything, it might be a tad too ambitious but it’s also just incredibly satisfying, heartwarming & fun,” wrote Lussier.
Fandango’s Erik Davis hinted that fans will love the Easter eggs.
ComicBook.com’s Brandon Davis called the film “super inventive.”
And Fandom’s Eric Goldman said it has “creative” scenes that aren’t in “a million other superhero movies.”
“The Flash” has had a difficult journey to the big screen, as it was first announced back in 2014 as part of Zack Snyder’s roadmap for the DC Extended Universe, alongside the likes of the now-canceled “Cyborg” and “Green Lantern” movies.
Originally dated for release on March 23, 2018, the movie has been moved multiple times from July to June 2022, and then November 2022. It will finally arrive in theaters on June 16.
Miller has made the headlines numerous times over the last few years amid a string of concerning incidents in Iceland and Hawaii, where they were arrested twice, and they also pleaded not guilty to felony burglary charges in Vermont. Protective orders were granted against the star, as allegations of grooming were made against them.
In August 2022, Miller made a statement apologizing for their actions and explained that they had started “ongoing treatment” for their “complex mental health issues.”
They said: “Having recently gone through a time of intense crisis, I now understand that I am suffering complex mental health issues and have begun ongoing treatment. I want to apologize to everyone that I have alarmed and upset with my past behavior. I am committed to doing the necessary work to get back to a healthy, safe and productive stage in my life.”
Per Entertainment Weekly, director Andy Muschietti took part in a Q&A on the Warner Bros. lot after a separate screening of the film on Monday night and briefly touched on the controversy surrounding Miller.
“They’re taking the steps to recovery. Ezra is dealing with mental health issues, but they’re well. We talked to them not too long ago, and they’re very committed to getting better,” said Muschietti.