The Flash : Worlds Collide (2023)

This promises to be a rarity, a DC Superhero movie that’s actually quite good! We’ll see!

Certainly, potentially, there’s a lot to like about it based on the various threads online and for those of a certain age, it even stars Michael Keaton recreating his role as the Caped Crusader from his first foray into the role in 1989. It seems that every Superhero movie these days wants to base it on the ‘multiverse’ and this one is no different. Hence, there’s another Batman too, Ben Affleck (who first starred in the poorly received Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice in 2016) and maybe others too! But as you saw, this one’s called The Flash. So, why many Batmans?

Here’s why!

Worlds collide when the Flash uses his superpowers to travel back in time to change the events of the past. However, when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, he becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation. With no other superheroes to turn to, the Flash looks to coax a very different Batman out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian albeit not the one he’s looking for. Holy Duplicates! Looks like there’s another SuperGirl too!

If you go into this thinking, it’ll be a super-serious movie about a super-serious topic multiverses/alternate timelines etc, you’ll be disappointed. For the most part, it’s a semi-comedic piece in tone (in a good way) with most of the humor resulting from two characters from different multiverses occupying the same timeline. Yet, somehow, it blends this lighter note with those super-serious themes with ease.

Recent embellishments in the well-worn time travel trope have introduced the notion that certain points in time are fixed and cannot be altered meaning that even if you travel back in time specifically to make the change it won’t work!. The movie uses this as the thrust for the story, leading to some BIG surprises that you won’t see coming.

Strap yourself in for the opening scene where the pace is relentless and there are some superb special effects on show! It then settles down into a gentler pace as the story. If you’re not familiar with the history of The Flash and how he came to be, then don’t worry, as in part, these outing acts as a part-origin story. In fact, the back-story is the whole raison d’être and becomes more significant as the final Act approaches. Fans of Superman, Batman and other DC staples will feel they’re getting value for money with this one. We also have Wonder woman, Aqua-man, SuperGirl and even faithful butler, Alfred, all playing a part to lesser and greater degrees. At the film’s climax, you might like to test your knowledge of actors who have played Superman & Batman over the years. For me, that was the best part!

In fact, you’ll see one incarnation (originally by Director, Tim Burton) that has NEVER been seen at the cinema before because the film was canned and never released! I think that was around 2013, called ‘Batman Lives‘. Talk about ‘Attention to detail’ and pleasing the super-fans! Talking of multiple super-heroes, there’s a major bombshell in the final scenes that will have you reaching for a strong cup of coffee.

Worth staying for the now-standard mid and end-credit scenes? There’s no MID-credit scene meaning that for the faithful, you WILL have to see that list of five gazillion ‘digital artists’ that made the film possible before the END-credit scene rolls. I may have to re watch it again on YouTube or read about what the ‘experts’ say, but it played more like a scene that was ultimately considered unnecessary, rather than one that whets your appetite for a future outing.

In summary, there is plenty to like about this movie (apart from the one or two ‘bargain-basement CGI effects). Great attention has been given to not over-complicating the whole multiverse thing making this easily accessible to fans and casual viewers alike. For super-fans, the resolution to a key part of The Flash’s backstory is a clever piece, tying together two scenes that are pivotal in the overall narrative. You might ‘believe a man can fly‘but I never would have believed that ‘where tins of tomatoes are displayed’ can make such a difference to people’s lives (and I’m an ex-retailer!).