Thanks to Warner Bros. Pictures, we had a chance to review “The Flash” Blu-ray combo pack with our very own copy! Below is our description and analysis of the product.
Be sure to pick up your copy on 8/29/2023!
Burbank, CA, July 12, 2023 – Prepare for the time bending adventure of a lifetime when “The Flash” arrives for purchase Digitally at home on July 18. The film is directed by Andy Muschietti with Ezra Miller reprising their role as The Flash/Barry Allen in the DC Super Hero’s first-ever standalone feature film. The film will also be available to purchase on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD on August 29.
- On July 18, “The Flash” will be available for early Premium Digital Ownership at home for $24.99 and for 48-hour rental via PVOD for $19.99 SRP on participating digital platforms where you purchase movies, including Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Vudu, and more.
- On August 29, “The Flash” will be available to own on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD. “The Flash” will also continue to be available to own in high definition and standard definition from participating digital retailers.
“The Flash” ensemble also includes rising star Sasha Calle, Michael Shannon, Ron Livingston, Maribel Verdu, Kiersey Clemons, Antje Traue, and Michael Keaton. “The Flash” is produced by Barbera Muschietti and Michael Disco. The screenplay is by Christina Hodson, with a screen story by John Francis Daley and Joby Harold, based on the characters from DC. The executive producers are Toby Emmerich, Walter Hamada, Galen Vaisman, and Marianne Jenkins.
Synopsis:
Worlds collide in “The Flash” when Barry uses his super powers 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 where General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation, and there are no Super Heros 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 he knows, Barry’s only hope is to race for his life. But will making the ultimate sacrifice be enough to reset the universe?
Additionally, on July 18 “The Flash” will be available as a Web3 Movie Experience, a multimedia NFT allowing fans to own and engage with the 2023 DC Super Hero film in an exciting way. Through dynamic menu options based locations from the film, owners can watch the film in 4K UHD on desktop, mobile, tablet or TV, access special features, collect standard or motion key art, discover digital easter eggs, uncover hidden AR collectibles, and more. The Flash Web3 Movie Experience will be available for purchase at https://web3.wb.com.
Also included with “The Flash” purchase on digital is the six-part original scripted podcast “The Flash: Escape the Midnight Circus.” An original, standalone audio series, the podcast features Max Greenfield (TV’s “New Girl”) as the voice of The Flash/Barry Allen. The podcast is also available to follow on Apple Podcasts at https://apple.co/theflashpodcast.
HNS Review: The Flash is one of the most fun DC movies in years. It crafts a high stakes story for our hero and forces him to deal with the ramifications of altering the past. Ezra Miller turns in a nice dual performance as both Barrys while getting a nice character arc by the conclusion. The story is packed with action, humor, and heart. As a Batman fan, seeing both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton grace the screen as the Caped Crusader was worth the price of admission alone. Keaton didn’t miss a beat, getting some cool fight scenes and an updated suit. While some of the CGI could have been tidied up, The Flash is a worthwhile DC adventure and sets up a bright future for films to come.
About the Product: The product features both a Blu-ray and digital code. This makes it handy for users on the go as they can watch at home and remotely. The package comes with a sleeve featuring one of the theatrical posters, highlighting The Flash, Batman, and Supergirl. The Warner Bros. 100-year anniversary is highlighted at the top of the case too.
About the Special Features:
Making The Flash: Worlds Collide – This section was a real treat to unpack for a DC fan like myself. Pandemic effects seemed to have a large effect on the film’s production, adding to the already dense task of making a film like this. Retaining employees was difficult during the shooting schedule due to schedule changes and unpredictable circumstances. Seeing The Flash’s running process on wires and treadmill was very cool. Miller’s double performing as the other Barry is in nearly every scene of the movie. The Batcave was the most extensive/largest ever built, which was so cool to observe as a Batman diehard. They built an entire Batcave just for the film. A large crew used to shoot the Batcave scenes as numerous angles and technical aspects needed to be perfected. Seeing how giddy the crew were observing Michael Keaton back as Batman was great. I would have been the same way! It’s nice even seeing professionals let their fandom show.
The Flash suit was made of lights and flexible material. I enjoyed seeing how the team behind costume designed crafted a suit that was practical and looked cool. This was fitting for a hero of his magnitude. Director Andy Muschietti set up a small role for himself in the film, posing as the hot dog man at the courthouse. Even Miller’s double got to play a reporter as the film was concluding. Observing how the batwing scenes were shot was a treat. The crew edited the wings and flying sequences heavily while using a moveable seat section for Keaton and Miller. Keaton’s fight scenes were very cool to get a look at. He received a huge Batman cake on last day of shooting which was shared with the crew.
Barry’s childhood home scenes were shot in the UK due to COVID restrictions. The homes were all built for the purpose of filming these scenes as the land the crew used was mainly empty tree-filled areas beforehand. Most of it was shot at night but a large light was used to transition from daylight to night quickly. This was cool because I thought the scene used CGI to achieve this. Shooting the goodbye scene to Barry’s mother was emotional for entire crew. I can understand why because saying farewell to a parent when you know their fate would be devastating.
Multiple locations were used for the Wayne Manor scene which was interesting. I didn’t catch this in the film so props to the editing team for disguising it. I enjoyed seeing that the Batman chase scene was filmed with regular people acting as bystanders. Affleck and the stuntmen rode the bike throughout the streets of Glasgow for the street sequences, but the larger turns were performed in the studio in front of a green screen.
When young Barry finds out he has powers, Miller had to perform the scene at 4 AM with wires and flickering lights behind him. This was difficult to shoot because the crew had a limited window to get the scene right. Ben Affleck and Gal Gadot brought a reunion for these DC characters which was fun to see one last time. Affleck even used his directorial skills to help craft the scene. The hospital scene also took lots of set building and preparation. Since this sequence used a lot of CGI, props and set designs had to be on point to make sure this was achieved.
Flashpoint: Introducing the DC Multiverse – Something I didn’t know was that The Flash was trailblazer for the multiverse idea. He was really the first comic character to run with it (no pun intended). Andy Muschietti wanted to emphasize that time was all around us in this story, but not like a wormhole. The filmmakers wanted to create a unique version of time travel that was different than other multiverse movies. Barry’s speed was a topic that was discussed heavily, breaking him into a different realm where life is laid out before him. This made for a unique take on the “Chronobowl” and how time is laid out before us. Lots of 3D effects and data heavy technology was used to create this vision.
Let’s Get Nuts: Batman Returns, Again! – Keaton returning as Batman was big reason the Muschietti’s wanted to do this movie. They liked Keaton’s sarcastic nature as a coping mechanism of trauma. The idea of his lone wolf Batman being thrown into the world of teamwork was interesting. I enjoyed this new arc as it deepened the backstory of his Batman. Something not in the film (which I wish had been) was why Keaton’s Batman retired. Apparently, he went against his moral code and killed a criminal in front of his child. He couldn’t cope with his actions and hasn’t forgiven himself. By helping Barry, he gets a sense of redemption, forgiving himself in the process.
The new bat suit design was inspired by the classic one but wanted an evolution, allowing Keaton to be nimbler and move around better. I’m glad they did this because his old suit really hindered Batman’s ability to fight well. Keaton was emotional putting on suit 30 years later. He wanted to get pictures in the suit for his grandson to capture the first moment being back. The crew were impressed with Keaton’s fitness and commitment to jumping back into the Batman role as he did most of his choreography himself. Getting Keaton’s nostalgic lines right was also important to impress the fanbase.
The Bat Chase – A gritty, brutal chase that thrilled the fans was the goal when filming this sequence. Batman’s motorcycle was built like a tank, but also needed the ability to move well/lightly. The crew had to shoot scenes with explosions at an airfield in the UK due to the dangerous nature of them. When the truck was toppling over, the crew had to make sure it fell with a driver inside. Then the explosion had to take place safely. The entire sequence took two weeks to shoot. Muschietti wanted to make the action scene fast paced and well planned to keep it interesting. I loved the scene’s fast past nature and riveting part where Batman was being dragged by his grapple on the truck.
Saving Supeprgirl – Another set that had to build was Supergirl’s prison at the Russian base, taking inspiration from a military prison. Sunlight as a visual cue to show that Supergirl is gaining strength, highlighting her similarities to Superman on earth. Sasha Calle trained extensively for her fight scenes and did most of her own stunts. She was definitely committed to this role.
Battling Zod – Zod’s scene didn’t use green screen in the background. Capturing light during the scene in the proper setting was key to develop the desert setting. The VFX team had to digitally create lots of tanks and Kryptonians around the actors to create the military style battle sequence. Actors on set had to be cued to where certain things would be to make the sequence come to fruition. I imagine this was an extremely tricky scene to craft as it was very CGI heavy. Seeing some of the computer technology to make Keaton’s fight with the goon was cool too.
Fighting Dark Flash – Muschietti wanted Dark Flash’s look to signify that he’s been traveling for years and years, obsessed with the idea of reversing time properly. Ezra Miller had to perform three different versions of Barry to make this scene happen. Volume Capture (new technology) was used to bridge motion with computer effects while the actors performed. This made it easier to filter miller’s face on the body double. Muschietti hoped it was seamless where audience wouldn’t recognize it. I don’t think this was completely successful during this scene. Aspect of it were super cool but the technology could be sharpened up in the future.
Supergirl: The Last Daughter of Krypton – DC wanted to shake things up with some innovation by creating something similar to Superman. However, they wanted to make this character unique by having her own background and ideology. Supergirl is meant to be hopeful for young girls. The fanbase enjoyed having a female hero amongst the popular male characters in the DC Comics. Superman relates more to humans since he grew up in Kansas while Supergirl relates more to Krypton since she spent most of her life there. Her character has evolved in film over the years, spawning different iterations with tweaks to her backstory. Supergirl became very courageous and was deemed the heart of the Crisis on Infinite Earth story. Newer versions portrayed her more feisty and tempered, testing Superman more often. She has a complex moral code where Superman is the tried and true hero. Supergirl in The Flash is jaded and compound, going for a different look in the movie than any version before.
Deleted Scenes – This was a fun section. I enjoyed seeing the extended Bat chase scene through the farmer’s market. Seeing older Barry pretend to be younger Barry while carrying his laundry was funny. The deleted Wayne Manor scene offered a humorous bend to their entrance as he dresses up in one of Brue’s old knight costumes. Another scene in Wayne manor shows an extended conversation between Bruce and Barry and how he initially rejects his request for help. Young Barry has a deleted scene where he runs around the Bat Cave, but I’m glad it was cut because the VFX were too cartoonish. The Bat Wing scene in this section explained why Keaton’s Batman retired. I wish they kept this version because it would have added more nuance to Keaton’s backstory. A cut extension was in the Russian facility where Barry makes fun of Supergirl’s suit. Probably good it was cut. We also find young Barry finding Supergirl attractive while being vulnerable and awkward in front of older Barry. The electrocution scene was altered in this cut, but I preferred the theatrical version.
THE FLASH: ESCAPE THE MIDNIGHT CIRCUS Trailer – Short trailer for the full story. The trailer uses voice to highlight the actor’s voices describing what will happen during the episode.
THE FLASH: ESCAPE THE MIDNIGHT CIRCUS – The entire six-episode podcast series is featured. Fun for Flash/DC fans as each episode is around twenty minutes. I was surprised this was included in the special features as it is a lot of free material included with the purchase.
THE FLASH In Session: ESCAPE THE MIDNIGHT CIRCUS – Description on how Flash worries if he’s getting too cocky in his current status. Voice actor Max Greenfield explained his take on the Flash story and how it was crafted uniquely.
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