After helping Batman (Ben Affleck) stop a bank robbery, Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) revisits his childhood home where he has flashbacks of his parents Nora and Henry, before Nora was murdered. Henry was accused of the crime and thrown into prison. Overwhelmed by his emotions, Barry travels back to the day of Nora’s death and prevents it from happening. This opens up its own can of worms. Now, not only does he get transported to another timeline, but he also gets to meet a teenage version of himself. Also, General Zod (Michael Shannon) lands on Earth and begins terraforming the planet for his own needs. Sadly, in this timeline there is no Superman to stop him. He seeks out this timeline’s Batman (Michael Keaton) and asks for his help. Batman tells him that there are reports of a superhero being held captive in Siberia. They go on a rescue mission, but they discover that it is not Superman but his cousin Kara Zor-El (Sasha Calle) who was imprisoned there. Thankfully, Kara has the same powers as Superman, although she is not as eager to save humanity. She later agrees to help them. It takes Barry a while to learn that he shouldn’t have messed with the timeline and that he should attempt to undo the Flashpoint Paradox he created and leave things as they were before. Whether he is able to set things right or complicate the waters further is the crux of the film.
The film’s legacy will be forever tarnished by the controversy surrounding its lead actor Ezra Miller. He has reportedly been charged with harassment, and also accused of grooming and molesting a minor. Charges of theft and trespassing have also reportedly been filed against them. Due to this, a section of fans became angry with the film and refused to watch the film. All the more a pity, because Miller portrayed both personalities equally well. You feel as if you are watching not the same actor but two different people playing both roles. It’s a film about love, loss and growing up and both the younger and older versions show different reactions to situations. While the younger Barry is more brash and has a motormouth, the older Barry is more calm and not as reckless. Both share almost equal screen time and are constantly in the same frame, so it will not be easy for them to shoot the scene.
Apart from Miller, the other star who impresses is Sasha Calle, who makes an amazing Supergirl and makes you root for her character. He has a bright future in the DC universe and no one would mind seeing a movie with his character playing a central role. Michael Keaton returning as Batman is pure fan fantasy come true. He brings a certain gravitas to the role and tells you why he was so loved as the Caped Crusader in Tim Burton’s Batman (1989), the success of which gave birth to the modern DC cinematic universe. Fans are going to have a great day seeing cameos from past and present stars of the DC franchise. Adding anything else would be like spoiling it.
Needless to say, the film’s special effects are on point. Be it the hospital rescue sequence with the flying babies, Supergirl’s introductory scene, the Flashpoint sequence or the climax involving multiple worlds, everything has been imaginatively crafted. The VFX seamlessly integrates with the story and nothing looks gimmicky.
This is one of the best DC movies that hits the mark in every department, be it humor, drama or computer imagery. There are reports that if the sequel is ever made, Ezra Miller will not be cast. However one can safely say that he has made this character his own and replacing him will be a tough task.