Robert Elder

So, I took my son to this with the hopes of having an energized, fun talk afterwards and potentially building excitement for the next installment. This left us both wanting for words. The initial kickoff of the movie was eh, ok. Painful CGI with what, all we can guess, was heavy use of AI for image generation and animation. It reminded me of something I would have written out in a few sentences and let the AI generate, which is not what I would have expected from the time and budget allowed for this film. Among the best parts of the movie, in my opinion, was Ezra having a conversation with Ben Affleck regarding the poor choice of time travel. I don't know that I have other positive noteworthy points, which is really disappointing. The depiction of the multiverse was poorly conceived and seemed like simply a mess of garbled nonsense in a coliseum of, well, garbled nonsense. It was painful to watch and was very contrived and forced. Although thought may have gone into the development, it truly fell woefully short of its target. The "comedic" moments were forced and more based on crude humor and not something that really sticks with you. Throughout the term of the movie, only one instance gave a chuckle to the theater of people we shared this experience with. Now to the actor(s). Ezra is a skilled actor, of that I've no doubt. Unfortunately, I don't personally feel that this is the role for him. To say his awkwardness is awkward is an understatement. One of DC/WB's problems is finding the right personalities for the job. This is simply another example of that clear gap. A strong suggestion would be to pull in Grant Guston (The Flash) and Candice Patton (Iris West) into their already familiar roles. I understand that Kiersey hasn't had a real opportunity to establish herself in her role, and that giving her a chance to show her skills is important, but there needs to be that umbilical cord between the show and the movies. This would help significantly with story continuity, helping build the cross-viewership that is so needed. Next - Ben Affleck. Of the Batman figures that presented themselves in the coarse of this movie, I personally feel he best fit. I do understand and respect those that came before (I.e. Michael Keaton), but Ben presents a more consistent and even-headed model for the role, especially given the challenge of keeping Ezra's character in check. Batman being displayed as a less than stable character was not a great choice. As this post and review has been strung out long enough, I'll summarize: DC/WB needs to really step back and think about what they are attempting to build, and not gerryrig what has come before (I.e. Marvel) into their work. There are some items that they should carry (actor consistency), but leave others alone (the cut scene was too similar to Thor). They have an enormous amount of unique material, and that is what they should focus on, not simply regurgitation of what has been done by other studios. I truly hope that the change in leadership (James Gunn) is able to pull what is nothing short of a tumbling plane with all engines down, and will bring life what has been built since the earliest days of DC.