‘The Flash’ first reactions: ‘Tremendous,’ ‘believe the hype,’ and ‘one of the best’ superhero movies ever
Don’t expect the hype for “The Flash” to slow down.
Following months of breathless advanced praise for the film from folks like DC Films boss James Gunn, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, and potentially even Tom Cruise, journalists and junketeers got to see the first public screening of the superhero film and added their huzzahs to the din of excitement.
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On Tuesday night at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, Warner Bros. debuted “The Flash” for theater owners and select media. According to Variety, “the finished product elicited plenty of cheers, laughs and maybe a few tears in the room at Caesars Palace.”
Indeed, the first wave of reaction tweets expressed wide-eyed awe and astonishment. Here’s one example from Fandango’s Erik Davis: “Forget DC, it is without a doubt among the best superhero films ever made. An all-timer. Inventive storytelling, FANTASTIC action sequences, great cast. SO MANY nerdy details. I’m in tears at the end. Everything you want from a superhero film & more.”
DC’s #TheFlash is TREMENDOUS! Forget DC, it is without a doubt among the best superhero films ever made. An all-timer. Inventive storytelling, FANTASTIC action sequences, great cast. SO MANY nerdy details. I’m in tears at the end. Everything you want from a superhero film & more pic.twitter.com/xYSn0zuXMm
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) April 26, 2023
Here’s another take: “‘The Flash’ is hands down one of the best superhero films of all time.”
The Flash is hands down one of the best superhero films of all time. No joke, The Flash is the ultimate movie going experience as it has a little bit of everything! Action, emotion, heart, humor and plenty of nostalgia. Ezra Miller is phenomenal as dual Barry Allens. Michael… pic.twitter.com/F7SHA30vZM
— Scott Menzel (@ScottDMenzel) April 26, 2023
Those reactions sound similar to what Gunn and Zaslav had to say about their project. “It’s one of the best superhero movies I’ve ever seen. [Director] Andy Muschietti did an amazing job,” Gunn, the “Guardians of the Galaxy” filmmaker who took over as the creative leader for DC properties, said earlier this year.
On Tuesday during the Warner Bros. presentation, Zaslav relayed that he had watched “The Flash” three times already and called it one of the best superhero movies he’s ever seen.
Even Cruise apparently fell under its spell. Back in March, The Hollywood Reporter revealed Cruise had allegedly asked to see “The Flash” and “loved it so much that he cold-called the movie’s director, Andy Muschietti, to rave about it.”
All of that is good news for theater owners and Warner Bros. itself. “The Flash” was besieged by controversy due to star Ezra Miller’s legal problems and problematic behavior. Miller, who uses they/them pronouns, said in a statement last year they were going to seek treatment for what they called “complex mental health issues.” In January of this year, Miller pleaded guilty to misdemeanor unlawful trespass for an incident that happened in 2022. They are now serving a one-year probation.
“The Flash” stars Miller and a host of recognizable DC faces, including Michael Keaton as Batman, Ben Affleck as Batman, Michael Shannon as General Zod, and more. The film is due in theaters on June 16, so let these tweets serve as an appetizer for what’s to come.
THE FLASH: far more madcap than I expected. Really nailed what reading a 5-issue crossover comic book is like. Tons of Ezra Miller being zany and time paradox stuff. Nerds will lose their minds at the ending. And beginning and middle. Comics!
— Jordan Hoffman (@jhoffman) April 26, 2023
Just saw the first ever public screening of The Flash at CinemaCon. It is a dazzling trip thru time as the DC universe indeed flashes before our eyes. Not just a great new addition to DC but a wild and surprising tribute to what came before. A triumph for Ezra and Keatons return.
— Pete Hammond (@DeadlinePete) April 26, 2023
BELIEVE THE HYPE! Christopher Nolan movies aside, #TheFlashMovie is the GREATEST DC movie of the last 30 years that belongs in the same conversation as SUPERMAN 78 and BATMAN 89. The movie breaks incredible new ground in superhero cinema & honors DC lore of years past. #TheFlash pic.twitter.com/zGkhpfjlsl
— Umberto Gonzalez (@elmayimbe) April 26, 2023
#TheFlash is massively entertaining! Extraordinarily funny, but still has solid emotional stakes. It’s one of the better multiverse movies out there.
Tons of fun surprises. A genuinely superb superhero movie – one of the best in a long time! Very, very satisfying. #CinemaCon pic.twitter.com/zRa1Xzl79l
— Daniel Howat (@howatdk) April 26, 2023
Guys. Here to say it’s not hype. THE FLASH destroys expectations and at the same times mends all bridges. Lightning in a bottle. And as great as Keaton is…Ezra is even better.
— Exhibitor Relations Co. (@ERCboxoffice) April 26, 2023
Yeah, #TheFlash is legit great! It delivers some notably thrilling, fun and creative moments I felt I hadn’t seen in a million other superhero movies. It had me smiling from the Warner Bros. logo at the top and I even dug stuff inspired by movies I wasn’t into. pic.twitter.com/B5vFyFBBcl
— Eric Goldman (@TheEricGoldman) April 26, 2023
Nostalgic. HILARIOUS. With tons of heart and two outstanding performances by Ezra Miller. I honestly can’t believe #TheFlash actually exists. It’s magical. It presses every button. I’ll see it 1,000 times. pic.twitter.com/hhT6dXz6PO
— Sean O'Connell (@Sean_OConnell) April 26, 2023
#TheFlash is fantastic. I know Ezra Miller has made a lot of mistakes but they are soooooo good in this movie. Loved Keaton, the action, humor and emotion. Andy Muschietti has crafted something special. Thumbs way up.
WB didn’t show the after the credits scenes. pic.twitter.com/J8KsdrKVwz
— Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) April 26, 2023
Caught an unfinished cut of #TheFlash and dug it quite a bit! Especially how the narrative challenges Barry to confront who he is, who he could have become, and how one’s influenced by the people in (or not in) their life.
It’s a successful mix of heartfelt coming-of-age… pic.twitter.com/CB7mTDEZXC
— Perri Nemiroff (@PNemiroff) April 26, 2023
Damn, #TheFlash is good! It’s super inventive both visually and in concept. The dynamic of two Barry Allen’s is crazy well done.
Emotions hit me intensely hard, solid surprises, and it got me wanting to watch again and really eager to see how they follow it. Well done. pic.twitter.com/7QqiHVNAJy
— BD (@BrandonDavisBD) April 26, 2023
#TheFlash is def not the best superhero movie ever made, so let’s get that out of the way, but it’s an impressive DC movie with lots of emotion and loads of surprises #CinemaCon pic.twitter.com/gVM7orXPdj
— Jason Guerrasio (@JasonGuerrasio) April 26, 2023
Yup. #TheFlash is as good as rumored. It’s Back to the Future meets Spider-Man: No Way Home with all the humor & heart of the former and action and surprises of the latter. If anything, it might be a tad too ambitious but it’s also just incredibly satisfying, heartwarming & fun. pic.twitter.com/Yysb9mjiAm
— Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) April 26, 2023
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