The Flash's Cameos: A Disappointing Nostalgia Trip
The Flash's cameos have been described as insulting, offering little more than half-baked fan service. While the idea of bringing back beloved characters may be enticing for '90s and '00s kids seeking nostalgia, the execution falls flat and fails to deliver a satisfying experience.Many blockbuster movies today are often seen as elaborate playdates, where familiar characters are mashed together for the sake of pandering to our nostalgia. Studio heads have recognized the financial success of this formula: if you bring back a beloved character, played by the original actor, people will flock to see it, regardless of the overall quality. The Flash, however, may have finally exposed the flaws in this approach.
Spider-Man: No Way Home exemplified this trend by bringing back Andrew Garfield, Tobey Maguire, and a host of villains. While the movie provided closure for these characters, it was primarily a nostalgic exercise, milking childhood memories for profit after raking in $1.5 billion at the box office. As a general rule, this type of nostalgia-driven storytelling lacks respect for the audience and often sacrifices emotional depth.
The Flash is no exception, with numerous cameos crammed into the film. Some cameos, such as Wonder Woman's appearance and her contribution to saving the day, make sense within the story's universe. However, other cameos fall flat, treating iconic characters like mere background figures. For instance, Christopher Reeve and Helen Slater's characters are rendered in CGI, despite Reeve being deceased and Slater still alive. These cameos feel as if they belong in a superhero museum, playing on a small screen beside their costumes in a glass case.
The film even keeps a tally of characters to prompt the audience when to clap, utilizing a clapping counter. It doesn't matter if you're familiar with the character or not; the film will guide you. Whenever a superhero flies overhead or has a minor role in a subplot, the clapping counter will signal the appropriate moment to applaud. While the specifics may differ from theater to theater, this film fully embraces the use of a clapping counter.
This approach leads to a frustrating viewing experience, as some cameos resonate more than others. Wonder Woman, for example, plays a significant role in the story, giving her character more weight. However, it's worth noting that she's not merely a cameo; she interacts with the greater universe in a meaningful way. On the other hand, some of the other revealed DC cameos lack coherence.
The remaining cameo appearances either exist as applause-triggering moments or serve as confirmations of existing meta-plot points, serving as pit stops on a multiversal tour. One Twitter user has eloquently highlighted the perils of multiversal crossovers, which reinforces the notion that these cameos are often used as easy credit-grabbing additions rather than meaningful enhancements to an already convoluted story.
The struggles of The Flash TV show to establish its own identity over the course of two seasons can be attributed, in part, to its inability to escape the shadow of its cinematic counterpart.
