The Flash (2023) [4K Ultra HD]

Director: Andy Muschietti

Cast: Ezra Miller, Sasha Calle, Michael Keaton

Release Date: August 29, 2023

A Review By: Kevin Lovell

Film Rating: 9/10
Disc Rating: 9.5/10

Synopsis:

Worlds collide in “The Flash” when Barry uses his superpowers to travel back in time in order to change the events of the past. But when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation, and there are no Super Heroes to turn to. That is, unless Barry can coax a very different Batman out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian… albeit not the one he’s looking for. Ultimately, to save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry’s only hope is to race for his life. But will making the ultimate sacrifice be enough to reset the universe?

Please Note: Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray I reviewed in this Post. The opinions I share are my own.

‘The Flash’ rejoins Barry Allen (Miller) who has started adapting to his heroic life as The Flash and even enjoys being on call to help the Justice League when needed; often working with Batman (Affleck) and other key members when a little fast help is necessary. After receiving another heartbreaking update about his father’s appeal, Barry ends up travelling back in time and making what he believes to be one small adjustment which miraculously results in both of his parents being alive, happy and together. But when he’s knocked out of the speed force and ends up trapped in the past, he is forced to hesitantly join forces with a younger version of himself and an entirely different Batman (Keaton), plus a few others including a rescued Supergirl (Calle) who they uncover expecting to be Superman. Now this unlikely team will have to give their all to try and realign the timeline while also tackling a returned General Zod (Shannon) in a time where everything they thought they knew is now longer the case.

Directed by Andy Muschietti (IT 2017, Mama) from a screenplay by Christina Hodson (Bumblebee, Birds of Prey) and a screen story by John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein and Joby Harold, Muschietti does a fantastic job at the helm of ‘The Flash’ guiding along the massively enjoyable ride with heart, humor and style. The film’s cast includes Ezra Miller (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them), Sasha Calle (TV’s The Young and the Restless), Michael Shannon (Man of Steel), Ron Livingston (The Conjuring), Maribel Verdú (Raymond & Ray), Kiersey Clemons (Antebellum), Antje Traue (TV’s Dark), Ben Affleck (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice), Gal Gadot (Justice League) and Michael Keaton (Batman Returns) with the majority contributing solid or at the very least capable performances overall in each of their respective roles.

‘The Flash’ is a thrilling, touching and massively enjoyable ride that’s brimming with heart, action and humor around every turn. One of the better superhero films in recent memory and one that embraces the out of this world elements while always keeping its heart in reality, it zips through its duration serving up one thrilling, visually stunning and emotionally moving segment after another with nary a dull moment to be had amid its nearly two and a half hour runtime. It may suffer slightly from some questionable CGI usage at times throughout, but it makes up for it by soaring in nearly every other department. It manages to repeatedly find clever ways to twist up this DC world as we know it including (but also certainly not limited to) bringing back Michael Keaton as Batman after multiple decades, while also throwing various other twists, turns and exciting surprises at us along the way, all the while never forgetting the heart and emotion at its core which is one of the film’s most rewarding aspects.

Ezra Miller does a tremendous job in the role(s) of Barry and they offer a moving and expressive performance in the lead(s) which helps to keep the film moving along and occasionally tugging at our emotions. Miller’s performance is only greatly boosted by a stellar supporting cast including many new and returning stars to the world that rarely disappoint. ‘The Flash’ definitely isn’t a film that any dedicated DC Comics fan will want to miss out on, so go and get your hands on a copy whenever possible and prepare to be blown away by this outstanding cinematic entry that only exceeds expectations, especially after so many years of suffering production hiccups as well as changing filmmaker hands multiple times.

Overall, ‘The Flash’ is a spectacular comic adventure that’s as action-packed, thrilling and surprising as it is beautiful and moving, delivering a nearly perfect ride from start to finish that’s not to be missed. ‘The Flash’ is definitely highly recommended, especially for those that are fans of the DC Extended Universe that began with ‘Man of Steel’ and explodes into delightful chaos in the best way possible here. It’s a marvelous film that hits almost every note and nod splendidly and is most definitely worth taking the time to check out if you were looking forward to it in the slightest yet haven’t had the opportunity to do so. This one shouldn’t have any trouble proving worthy of a rental either and for those of you that might still be hesitant to spend the money but have a Max account, Max subscribers are able to stream the film at no additional cost as of the time of this writing.

VIDEO:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of ‘The Flash’ features a full 2160p Ultra High Definition presentation with Dolby Vision and HDR-10, presented in its original 1.90:1 Aspect Ratio. The video presentation looks great as a whole and provides a clean, sharp and well detailed presentation from start to finish that’s absent of any notable issues or glitches to be uncovered along the way. It shows sharp detail and clarity on nearly everything appearing onscreen from the fast moving action sequences to character faces, clothing and the various backgrounds which all look gorgeous. The Dolby Vision addition only complements it along the way and shows tremendous, accurate coloring noticeable on the costumes, vehicles and landscapes, all splendidly balanced by deep, problem free black levels that don’t disappoint. Overall, this is a pretty wonderful Ultra High Definition video presentation that should thrill fans and newcomers alike.

AUDIO:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release features a Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 channel compatible) soundtrack. Please note that this review pertains solely to the Dolby TrueHD 7.1 audio presentation. This multichannel soundtrack dazzles from start to finish and serves up a clean, crisp and hard hitting audio presentation throughout. It constantly takes advantage of all seven available channels in order to send heroes and villains zipping throughout the various speakers, along with vehicles, action and nature effects, plus a great deal more, while always making certain that any dialogue or other audio elements that might be occurring simultaneously remain clean and fully audible every step of the way. Overall, this is a spectacular Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 compatible) soundtrack that consistently impresses and should have fans and first time viewers more than satisfied.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of ‘The Flash’ is jam-packed with hours of bonus content that fans of the film and character should appreciate. Included on the release are some ‘Deleted Scenes’ from the film (running approximately 14 minutes in length altogether), along with numerous Behind the Scenes Featurettes that explore the legacy of the characters and bringing the film to life, featuring interviews/comments with the cast and crew, plus behind the scenes footage and much more. They include ‘Making The Flash: World’s Collide’ (running approximately 37 minutes), ‘Flashpoint: Introducing the DC Multiverse’ (approximately 6 minutes), ‘Let’s Get Nuts: Batman Returns, Again!’ (8 minutes), ‘The Bat Chase’ (7 minutes), ‘Saving Supergirl’ (7 minutes), ‘Battling Zod’ (5 minutes), ‘Fighting Dark Flash’ (7 minutes), plus ‘The Flash: The Saga of the Scarlet Speedster’ (38 minutes) and ‘Supergirl: The Last Daughter of Krypton’ (16 minutes). Also included on the release is the six-part scripted audio series ‘The Flash: Escape From the Midnight Circus’ (approximately 94 minutes altogether), along with the Trailer for the audio series (1 minute) and a behind the scenes look at bringing the audio series to life (2 minutes).

*Please note: The above images are taken from the Digital/Streaming release of the film and are not reflective of the actual 4K Ultra HD release or its quality. A standard Blu-ray copy of the film was not included in the release that could be used for screenshots therefore the above images were utilized. All content and images from the film are the property of Warner Bros. Discovery, DC Comics and any other respective owners.

–

Film Rating: 9/10
Disc Rating: 9.5/10

–

‘The Flash’ is Now Available to Own on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD & Digital from DC Comics & Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment

–

*Screen-Connections.com is an Amazon Associate that earns from qualifying purchases