The Flash

For a movie about a character noteworthy for his speed, The Flash is best when it moves in relative slow motion.

This ambitious if convoluted origin story is both playful and thrilling as it takes the more-is-more approach so common in the contemporary glut of superhero sagas. It’s got time travel, cloning, the multiverse, new friends, old villains, and much more.

Yet for the most part, the film strikes a successful balance between its fan service obligations and links to other films in its extended universe while forging a path of its own with surprising emotional depth.

As the film opens, Barry Allen (Ezra Miller), a.k.a. The Flash. has begrudgingly accepted his role as the “janitor” for the Justice League, whose heroism and powers are overshadowed by his mentor, Batman (Ben Affleck), and others.

As a side benefit to his superhuman speed, The Flash discovers he can travel back to his teenage years and potentially save his beloved mother (Maribel Verdu) from an untimely demise. But that backfires when he encounters his old self, who is naturally curious about what he’s become.

Before he can make corrections, Barry encounters the evil General Zod (Michael Shannon), leading the dual Barrys to seek help from a reclusive old Batman (Michael Keaton) and an imprisoned Supergirl (Sasha Calle) in a desperate attempt to save the past without altering the future.

Overlooking some bizarre off-screen scandals, Miller gives a terrific performance in essentially a dual role, modulating the physical demands of the role with a fine sense of comedic timing while still probing the character’s past trauma and lingering vulnerability.

As directed by Andy Muschietti (It), the film can be overwhelming by design, overflowing with visual spectacle and splashy effects in its high-octane action sequences. There’s plenty of nostalgia, too, as it expands into a rather gratuitous tribute to the various Justice League cinematic incarnations of the last half-century, accompanied by the requisite high-profile cameos.

Still, the film is more successful in the rare introspective moments when it connects Barry’s past with his present, and conveys genuine sympathy for his plight and his purpose.

Of course, it all funnels into an elaborate climactic showdown with the fate of the world in the balance, which seems a little pointless when the combatants are essentially invincible. However, at least the film enables The Flash to move from perpetual sidekick into the spotlight.

Rated PG-13, 144 minutes.