The Scarlet Speedster Comes to Terms with His Past Oh, the poor DC Cinematic Universe. It has just turned ten years old, and it feels like only the lazy haven’t criticized it by now. A strong start with Zack Snyder’s "Man of Steel", a promising sequel, and the team-up spectacle "Justice League" — a fan dream that ultimately went off the rails. By 2023, audiences were left with the long-awaited (though not really) finale of the Snyderverse and a subsequent reboot following Andy Muschietti’s "The Flash". It’s well known that the film went through several rewrites and reworks—things were added, things were removed. So it’s no surprise that the movie reached its release surrounded by caution and a long list of potential problems. On top of that, trying to attract audiences after already announcing a full reboot of the shared superhero universe seemed doomed from the start, and the box office numbers confirmed it. With a budget of around $200 million, the film barely made a little over that amount worldwide, turning it into a commercial failure. It looks bleak—but everyone can decide for themselves. For me personally, this is a one-time watch. Just once—but even so, it left a generally positive impression in a few areas. The most important of them is the central theme of Barry Allen, the film’s main character: a man trying to turn back time and save his mother, who died many years ago. This is one of the core storylines of the Flash as a character, so it makes sense to focus on it in a solo movie. Even if the execution is rather questionable, the film succeeds in conveying Barry’s longing for his lost mother. This grief defines him, making him insecure, a bit twitchy, awkward, funny, even slightly creepy—but still kind-hearted. After gaining his powers, he becomes determined to fix everything at any cost. The feelings of loss and guilt are conveyed quite effectively. Ezra Miller’s performance shines in certain moments, and the final reunion with Barry’s mother is genuinely moving. The filmmakers clearly treated the mother-and-son relationship with care, and for me, it’s portrayed in a very touching way. Otherwise, the film tries to stand alongside other big DC superhero blockbusters, but there’s a constant sense that everything happening on screen feels oddly small-scale, lacking the epic scope we saw in Snyder’s films, "Wonder Woman", or "Aquaman". Despite the long runtime, which should have allowed for proper character development, that depth never really materializes. It’s hard to connect with Supergirl’s story, and even Michael Keaton’s Batman—iconic in Tim Burton’s films—doesn’t leave a particularly strong impression here. Yes, there’s plenty of fan service: comic book fans will enjoy the many cameos. But for viewers who aren’t deeply invested in the lore, this only creates more questions. In my opinion, the film should have avoided that by clearly explaining who’s who and what’s going on. The visuals raise plenty of concerns, especially closer to the finale. I’ve heard the creators say that many choices were intentional, meant to reflect how "the Flash" perceives the world at super speed. Still, I’m more inclined to believe that the team simply struggled with delivering high-quality CGI—which, in 2023, is honestly a bit embarrassing. Overall, the feelings after watching the film are mixed. Some jokes work, others fall flat. The plot twists don’t provoke strong emotions. As a standalone movie, it’s probably fine, but it’s unlikely I’d want to revisit it. Its main strength, for me once again, is the theme of a son and his mother, and Barry’s attempt to save the world after losing his family. When faced with a crucial choice, this young man grows into someone responsible, ready to make an adult decision, fully aware of the consequences. 7 out of 10