Batman's Biggest Action Scene In The Flash Is Nothing Short Of Badass

This post contains spoilers for "The Flash."

With time travel and multiverse logic thrown into the mix, there's a lot going on in "The Flash." The core premise is surely ambitious, as Ezra Miller's titular Flash decides to travel back in time to save a loved one, but this single alteration drastically alters the face of the world, creating branching timelines with endless possibilities. As a result, there are two iterations of Barry Allen now — the one we know and a younger version of himself — who must work together to prevent major catastrophes that could mean the destruction of that particular timeline, which, in this case, is the return of Zod (Michael Shannon) to terraform Earth ... again.

While the film's frenzied, chaotic storyline might be a lot to process when one is first exposed to it, it is undeniable that Barry's arc benefits a lot from the presence of a certain legendary iteration of a superhero. I'm talking about the return of Michael Keaton as Batman.

Keaton was last seen donning the mantle of the caped crusader in Tim Burton's delightfully eccentric "Batman Returns," and he's back in "The Flash" as an aging Bruce Wayne who has retired from his vigilantism. The arrival of the two Barrys surely surprises him, but he's soon looped into the events, and even explains the mechanics of space-time continuum and timeline branching to them. After the older Barry appeals directly to Batman, he decides to help them rescue Superman or Kal-El, as Barry believes that he's the only Kryptonian who can defeat Zod, as that is exactly what happened in the original timeline.

And this leads to one of the most brutal badass action scenes in the film, where Keaton's Batman reminds us why he lives up to his name and more.

"The Flash" is the kind of action-drama superhero spectacle that is bursting with callbacks and nostalgia-driven Easter eggs, and director Andy Muschietti does a rather good job of balancing the scales with a storyline that directly warrants these references. Keaton's Batman is the clearest example of being more than nostalgia bait or fanservice — if anything, his character is a reminder of how rightfully beloved this iteration of Batman is, being a perfect mix of grounded skepticism and admirable heroics.

The dual Barrys and Batman decide to travel to Serbia, as they believe that Kal-El is being kept there in an underground facility. Instead of finding Kal-El, they find a weakened Kara Zoe-El (Sasha Calle), who the OG Barry decides to rescue anyway. After the younger Barry accidentally takes a bullet in an attempt to apprehend one of the dudes at the site, Keaton plunges into action, singlehandedly taking down every guard in his way, leading to a brutal, thrilling hallway fight scene that emerges as a reversal of the Darth Vader appearance at the end of "Rogue One."

Keaton's Batman has always been one to get closest to usurping his "no-killing" rule, as evidenced in one "Batman Returns" scene where he straps a bomb to a baddie and tosses him into the sewer, and the bomb literally explodes. While there seem to be no deaths here, there surely are heavy casualties, thanks to Batman swooping through the air and swiftly kicking butts left and right, while using his grapple hook to lurch enemies toward him — a rather grounded, realistic equivalent of Vader's force choke. He also uses his cape as a literal shield to direct all fire at him to provide the Barrys with a chance to take Kara to safety.

In "Rogue One," Vader's arrival at the end evokes a sense of hopelessness, which is the standard sentiment whenever he pops us unexpectedly, as fighting against him is a lost cause. Not only is Vader ridiculously overpowered, but he is also unflinchingly ruthless, cutting down anyone in his path to accomplish whatever goal he's pursuing at that moment. While Vader's hallway scene drips with villainous menace, Batman's hallway fight sequence mirrors it to accomplish just the opposite: it situates him as a hero dedicated to the cause, willing to take bullets for saving the world in a situation that feels utterly hopeless and beyond saving.

Realistically speaking, the Batman we are first introduced to in "The Flash" has little reason to aid Barry in his mission to undo his own mistakes. This is an old, world-weary man who spends his time as a shut-in at Wayne Manor, and his initial unkempt appearance indicates that he has given up all hope. Having protected Gotham all his life, he has finally outlived his purpose — Gotham is safe now, and he has no reason to wear his suit or take down enemies again. But, when the opportunity presents itself, he rises to the occasion and beats up bad dudes with the same vigor as he did when he was a young vigilante hurled into a world of chaos.

Keaton's performance obviously adds layers to "The Flash" that it desperately needs, as his presence and longtime legacy immediately command respect, including his sacrifice toward the end. Batman's biggest action scene in the film is testimony to this very sentiment.

"The Flash" hit theaters on June 16, 2023.