Andy Muschietti (It, It Chapter Two) directs this time-traveling sci-fi adventure about Barry Allen, aka The Flash (Ezra Miller), who uses his blinding speed to travel into the past in an attempt to save his mother and father; however, when he interacts with the past, he changes the future in unexpected and troubling ways. (144 min.)

• Photo Courtesy Of Warner Bros. And DC Comics
• MILLER TIME Ezra Miller stars as Barry Allen, also known as The Flash, a superhero with super speed, in The Flash, screening in local theaters.

Glen I haven't been following the legal troubles surfacing about Ezra Miller (who uses they/them pronouns), but apparently they've got some behavioral problems. Those travails notwithstanding, Miller seems perfect for the role of Barry Allen, a shy, emotionally damaged kid who through happenstance acquired superhuman speed. Barry can vibrate himself through solid walls, fly through the air with his propulsive power, and run so fast he can alter time itself. The last power is what gets him into trouble. You see, Barry's mother, Nora (Maribel Verdú), was murdered, and his father, Henry (Ron Livingston), was wrongly convicted of the crime and is now imprisoned. In effect, Barry lost both his parents, but when he discovers he can travel back in time, he sets out to save his mother ... over and over again with unfortunate results. The middle of the film lags, but the opening set piece is fantastic, and it picks up at the end as Barry tries to undo his previous meddling and simultaneously fight General Zod (Michael Shannon), who's come to terraform the Earth and kill everyone on it.

Anna I too was unaware of Miller's bad behavior until after watching this film, so I at least got to enjoy their performance. Miller fits the character of Barry nicely, and it's fun to see the college freshman pre-powers version of the character interact with the older, more world-wise Barry. It's a relatable conundrum—despite warnings from Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) that changing the course of time could yield disastrous results, Barry can't resist trying to make one small adjustment that will ultimately save his mother's life. Who wouldn't do anything to prevent the death of a loved one? This alteration means that when he meets 18-year-old Barry, he's meeting a version of himself that had a mother growing up and a father who didn't go to prison, and who has no idea how privileged that life is. Barry's older version is jealous, and it shows.

Glen The various versions of reality that turn up with every change are both fun and repetitive, but it also gives the story a chance to nod back to other DC work. Both Michael Keaton and George Clooney turn up in alternative timelines as Batman, and via archive footage, so does Adam West—as well as George Reeves and Christopher Reeve as Superman, and Helen Slater as Supergirl. Even Nicolas Cage turns up as Superman. Despite the lag in the middle, the film was entertaining and filled with laughs, but for me, the highlight was the "baby shower" scene, when Barry had to rescue a bunch of infants (and a maternity nurse and dog) from falling off a collapsing hospital high-rise. That was an amazing moment and the very best thing about this new foray into the DC Comics universe.

Anna The film definitely suffers from getting a bit repetitive and boring in the middle, but luckily we don't spend too much time fussing over details. The "baby shower" scene was definitely a highlight, as was watching how insufferable Barry found his 18-year-old alternate-universe counterpart to be. While The Flash has a high rating on Rotten Tomatoes, I've heard grumblings from fans that it falls flat. As a casual watcher of superhero flicks, I didn't mind it. It managed to pull off some pretty epic action scenes, and it actually delivered some funny lines. Barry's goofball character who takes himself way too seriously is a good set-up for some fun. You may as well catch a matinee if you have any interest in this film; it is best viewed on the big screen. Δ

Senior Staff Writer Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Split Screen. Glen compiles listings. Comment at [email protected].