MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD
I don't like voice overs, and the
narration that begins the Pilot episode of the Flash is no exception.
From the onset Grant Gustin's eager voice reminded me of Toby
McGuire’s famous Spider-Man intro which I also disliked. So that
was the first problem I had with the live action adaptation of the
famous DC Comics speedster. Luckily, it was the first and only
problem that I had with the Flash Pilot. I loved the Flash and I'll
tell you why.
When I first heard that they were
doing a spin off of the Arrowverse I wasn't entirely sold. Although I
really enjoy Arrow I couldn't quite get behind the idea that the
Flash could exist within its more grounded universe. The casting of
Barry Allen didn't fill me with much confidence either. I was unaware
of Grant Gustin prior and when I found out he was cast in the role I
did some research and found he had a past role on Glee and honestly
I'm not a fan of that show. I thought he looked a little too young
and clean cut to play Barry how I envisioned him on screen but his
appearance on Arrow changed my mind a little. He was likable and
goofy but in a Peter Parker-esque way. He was fun in the context of
Arrow but not exactly the Flash I had hoped for, even after the
legendary lighting bolt origin I was still on the fence.
But after watching the Flash Pilot I
am now completely sold. Gustin has all the warmth and charisma needed
to keep the audience invested in his character. He's quirky, awkward
and charming and inhabits the role with more confidence that he
perhaps showed in the Arrow introduction. His journey into super
heroics is fun to watch and it's all because Gustin is so endearing.
The rest of the cast play well in
their roles. The beautiful Candice Patton as Iris West has an easy
chemistry with Gustin and you can believe them, as friends, surrogate
family and future couple. I genuinely felt for Barry as he watched
her from afar and their unrequited romance works because both of the
characters are so likable and played so well. Jesse L. Martin is
great as Joe West, Iris' Father. He's a solid supporting character
and his scenes with Barry do convey a father/son dynamic. Danielle
Panabaker and Carlos Valdes are both on top form as Caitlin Snow and
Cisco Ramon respectively. The names will be familiar to fans of the
comics and I am looking forward to see where the show takes them and
if they ultimately share the destinies of their comic book
counterparts. Harrison Wells, the man behind the accident that gave
Barry his powers, is played with dignity by Tom Cavanagh who along
with Snow and Ramon make up the Flash's allies and confidant. The
villain of the piece is Weather Wizard played by Chad Rook. In this
interpretation his origins are tied to the same event that gave the
Flash his abilities. He's a serviceable antagonist if not given too
much screen time.
As for the story itself it is a basic
superhero origin story and hits all the beats well. There is nothing
really that interesting about it as it's nothing we haven't seen
before. It's hero gets powers, hero learns powers, hero discovers
villain, hero defeats villain and so on and so forth. It's generic
but the performances and the production transcend the story lines
limitations.
The production values are very and
high and it feels like a superhero movie rather than Superhero TV
show. The Flash costume looks great onscreen and the speedster
effects are up to scratch. The Pilot is very polished and whether or
not this carries over into the rest of the series remains to be seen
but as far as the current superhero shows I'd place it at the very
top as far as production.
For diehard comic book fans there are
many Easter eggs and cameos littered throughout the episode, hinting
at villains and story lines to come.
The episode's ending packs a
surprising amount of emotional weight and you really do feel for
Barry and his trails and tragedies. The Flash is off to an amazing
start and I am incredibly impressed with the Pilot. The final scene
by itself has me guaranteed to keep watching.
IMO Opinion it is the best Superhero
Show on TV.
9.5/10
No comments:
Post a Comment