The superhero movie as a concept’s been through some ups and downs in the last few years. The ups are really good (especially if you’re Spider-Man) and the downs are a study in whatnotto do in this genre (especially if you’re Spider-Man’s villains).The Flashfalls into the latter category, as it didn’t justreceive scathing reviews, but it was also amajor box office bomb. DirectorAndy Muschiettirecently unpacked his feelings onThe Flash’s less than optimal reception, and his response was… baffling, to say the least. “The Flashfailed, among all the other reasons, because it wasn’t a movie that appealed to all four quadrants. It failed at that,” he said, while also claiming that the Flashwasn’t really popular among moviegoers.
Fans online have taken umbrage with Muschietti’s claims, especially sinceFlash was the subject of a long-running TV seriesand managed to shine in other adaptations likeJustice League Unlimited. But there are other reasons as to why audiences and critics didn’t click withThe Flash, and it’s not the “four quadrants,” but a number of other factors —especiallyEzra Miller, who played Barry Allen.
Ezra Miller’s Performance As Barry Allen Wasn’t Endearing to Audiences
The biggest issue surroundingThe Flashis Miller’s performance. Simply put,their take on Barry Allen is annoying. Barry is repeatedly twitchy, motor-mouthed, and acts less like a superhero and more like a ten-year-old experiencing an everlasting sugar rush.The Flashcranks it up to eleven when Barry time travels to stop his mother’s murder and runs into his younger self, who ends up getting superpowersand is even worse, as he acts more like a stoner than a superhero. CriticZach Andersonput it best in his review for theDaily Utah Chronicle: “When one out of two main protagonists makes me want to swallow a Batarang every time he’s on screen, you’re probably doing something wrong.”
‘The Flash’ Focused More on Cameos Than Its Title Character
The main story ofThe Flashinvolves both versions of Barry trying to return the timeline to normal when the older one learns that altering his mother’s death led to the Justice League never forming and an invasion from General Zod (Michael Shannon) being imminent. They wind up recruiting Batman (Michael Keaton) and Kara Zor-El (Sasha Calle) to help them, and in a pivotal scene, Barry witnesses countless worlds that include aSuperman played byNicolas Cage!
But these cameos took away from the Flash as a character. There weren’t any appearances from hismassive roster of villains, and the bulk of the story pulled from theFlashpointminiseries, which had been done in other adaptations. To top it all off, the end sequence featuredghoulish CGI recreationsofChristopher Reeve,Adam West,andHelen Slater, all of which felt less like they played into the film’s story and more like a reminder of DC’s glory days.
Believe it or not, there was a time whenThe Flashcould have been a very different film.Chris LordandPhil Millerwere first approached to develop a treatment in 2015, withSeth Grahame-Smithlater circling the director’s chair (though he officially departeda year later). Other directors, includingRick Famuwiya,John Francis Daley,andJonathan Goldsteinall boarded, thendeparted directorial duties. At one point, Miller approached comic book legendGrant Morrison(All-Star Superman) to co-write a script that Morrison described as “pure Flash” before Muschietti andChristina Hodsonboarded the final product. The long development, along with the constantly shifting release date, hints at a lack of confidence in a character whose history could provide a wealth of stories.
Was Christopher Reeve REALLY Almost Replaced as Superman by… Tony Danza?
This long-standing rumor has finally been addressed.
There was also the fact that the DC film universe was set to reboot. WithJames GunnandPeter Safranboarding DC Studios, fans saw little point in getting hyped forThe Flashwhen it was part of a soon-to-be defunct cinematic universe. Add in the fact that other DC films, particularlyBlack Adam, bombed at the box office, and the writing was on the wall. The “four quadrants” didn’t doomThe Flash, but rather,lack of faith in the character did. Whoever tackles the Flash next should definitely come with passion and a new story to reignite the Scarlet Speedster’s legacy.
The Flashis available to watch on Max in the U.S.
Watch on Max
Barry Allen uses his super speed to change the past, but his attempt to save his family creates a world without super heroes, forcing him to race for his life to save the future.
