“The Flash”

(Action, Science-Fiction: 2 hours, 24 minutes)

Starring: Ezra Miller, Michael Keaton and Sasha Calle

Director: Andy Muschietti

Rated: PG-13 (Sequences of violence and action, strong language and nudity)

Movie Review: “The Flash” is an enjoyable action movie that is as energetic as its titular character. This is thanks to a nifty story. The best the movie offers is Ezra Miller. He ably carries this movie as its lead actor. He makes an engaging superhero.

Barry Allen (Miller) uses his super speed as The Flash to change the past to save his mother who died when he was a child. His attempt to change the past alters the future. His temporal incursion creates a world without superheroes. When a formidable foe arrives on Earth, Barry races to restore the timeline to preserve the future.

Science-fiction is beginning to depend on time travel and manipulations of a conceived multiverse far too often in movies and television. Those elements are becoming the deus ex machina of modern story-telling — a needed mechanism to propel or remedy a narrative. However, “The Flash” uses it in a clever way to make the main character’s motives personable.

Writers Christina Hodson and Joby Harold craft a nifty story while making sure Barry Allen and his alter ego, The Flash, remain the focus. The story may be complicated for non-superhero fans who do not know of The Flash, others should enjoy this action-packed movie. “The Flash” contains comedy also. That and the action make this an entertaining story about a young man trying to save his mother and by default his father.

Director Andy Muschietti keeps the story moving at a nice pace while maintaining an emotive element to Barry as his story develops. The action is also abundant.

Meanwhile, Ezra Miller is superb as The Flash. He is comical yet dramatic as needed. He plays this duality with zeal. He makes one want to see more of Barry Allen/The Flash on the big screen.

Miller is a talented individual in several areas. As an actor, he impressed audiences in “We Need to Talk About Kevin” (2011) and dazzled people even more in “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” (2012). He is one of moviedom’s better actors. He proves he can carry a movie as its lead.

Plus, Michael Keaton and Sasha Calle join Miller. They add to the movie’s overall plot and enhance the story. Both are nice additions, although heavy computer-generated imagery drowns their and others’ performances frequently.

“The Flash” has a human element that works well to boast the story. It also has numerous action scenes that entertain mightily. Plus, this movie has several surprising elements that keep it suspenseful throughout, including some cameo appearances that will delight superhero aficionados.

Grade: B (Continuous flashes of genius and surprises throughout.)

Playing at Valdosta Stadium Cinemas

“The Blackening”

(Comedy/Horror: 1 hour, 36 minutes)

Starring: Antoinette Robertson, Dewayne Perkins, Grace Byers and Sinqua Walls

Director: Tim Story

Rated: R (Pervasive language throughout. Violence and drug use)

Movie Review: The tagline for this movie is “We all can’t die first.” The phrase refers to a horror trope of Black characters dying first in the genre. “The Blackening” contains numerous horror tropes from its first scene while only being moderately funny. The best comes from its social commentary.

Nine Black friends meet at a secluded house for the weekend. They celebrate during the Juneteenth weekend when a killer traps them in a house and forces them to play a game with racist undertones.

Some of its best moments are present in the previews which detract from the comedy when seen in the movie. Otherwise, it does not compare with African American horror movies such as “Get Out” (2017) and the comedy of “Scary Movie” (2000).

Still, it is never boring even when unconvincing, yet a predictable ending is detectable for viewers not distracted by the weak comedy. Much like Tim Story’s other movies, such as “Shaft” (2019) and “Ride Along” (2014), interesting people exist in so-so convincing predicaments that are ripe for commentary about modern America.

Some interesting social commentary is present about race and sexuality in America. This script by writers Tracy Oliver and Dewayne Perkins, who plays one of the nine friends, has its moments. After a formulaic beginning, the movie becomes something interesting. Then, the movie becomes into repetitive comical bits and unrealistic moments that are puzzling.

This movie presents the characters with a certain realness to everyday life. These people in some form appear like someone you know. The problem is “The Blackening” bombards audiences with jokes and stereotypes about Black American culture too cyclically throughout. However, that appears that is the point producers want to make.

Grade: C+ (It is interesting enough to not be a total blackout.)

Playing at Valdosta Stadium Cinemas

“Elemental”

(Animation/Family/Adventure: 1 hour, 42 minutes)

Starring: Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie and Wendi McLendon-Covey

Director: Peter Sohn

Rated: PG (Moments of peril, thematic elements and brief language)

Movie Review: “Elemental” is really an animated romance movie but it is also an immigrant story about diversity and acceptance. A message of tolerance becomes an agreeable adventure for elements that are not supposed to mix.

It follows Ember (Lewis), who is a young woman made of fire, and Wade (Athie), a water being, as they meet in Element City. It is a place where residents are air, earth, fire and water beings living together peacefully.

However, fire people receive unfair treatment because the city was not made for them as one tertiary character indicates. Others in Element City consider fire people dangerous and they are. Fire burns. Of course, the major rule for residents of the metropolis is the elements do not mix. This does not work for Ember and Wade, as they have a romantic attraction for each other.

The other elements discriminate against fire people. Ember and her parents are foreigners to Element City. Citizens discriminate against them frequently from subtle to direct racism. The movie handles this with children in mind, even if the adult themes in the background make the characters less dynamic as entertainment compared to others by Pixar.

That noted, Ember and Wade have an endearing friendship. Their partnership turns into an adventure as they must work together to save their city. Their companionship makes this movie a romance as well as anything else.

Their adventure together is interesting, even if the nature of the beings consisting of air, earth, fire and water is a puzzling concept. This is an animated movie, so the world does not have to conform to the natural world. Thus, audiences should just enjoy the antics of characters and the bold visuals gracing the screen.

Grade: B- (Elementary, it works as a nice entertainment for families.)

Playing at Valdosta Stadium Cinemas