Wondering if The Flash 2023 is ok for kids? The Flash doesn’t follow the typical superhero film formula, which is good and bad. A mixture of fan service and a hot mess, I would have enjoyed the film more had it been released when it was supposed to – in 2018. But I’m burnt out on the multiverse. What The Flash does offer is a lot of action and butt cheeks. Here’s what parents need to know in this Parents Guide to The Flash.
The Flash (2023) Parents Guide
Barry Allen (Ezra Miller), aka The Flash, uses his superpowers to travel back in time in order to change the events of the past. He desperately needs a plan to save his mother, who died, and his father who is falsely accused of killing her. But when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry becomes trapped in an alternate reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation, and there is no Justice League in this world.
That is, unless Barry can coax a very different Batman out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian and form a new Justice League so they can save their world and he can return to his timeline. However, things don’t go as planned when he breaks the rules of not to interact with anyone.
Age Rating: Why is The Flash (2023) Rated PG-13?
The Flash is Rated PG-13 for Partial Nudity, Violence, and Strong language which means some content is not suitable for kids under 13.
Language in The Flash
There is some profanity including at least 15 uses of sh*t and a couple of uses of a**hole, hell, dick, a use of f*ck, and words of Deity like “oh my g-d” and “Jesus.”
Mature Content: Is The Flash OK for Kids?
There is some non-sexual nudity in The Flash including seeing a naked butt about 4 different times. A man is naked but his hand and objects cover the front. You can get quick glimpses of a full body shot, and it is used for comedic effect. You’ll also see a shirtless man, a man in his underwear, and a female in a bra.
Characters drink alcohol.
Sexual innuendos and jokes are made about balls and scrotums and there is some potty humor.
Violence: Is The Flash (2023) Too Scary For Kids?
Violence is heavy in The Flash, but it’s not as dark as The Batman. Blood and gore are at a moderate level. Some battle scenes may be too intense for young ones, especially when favorite characters are seen in peril. Violence is on par with other superhero movies, but mature themes of grief and death are prevalent.
A parent is seen stabbed.
You can expect fight scenes with hand-to-hand combat, characters getting stabbed and shot, buildings and vehicles exploding, soldiers being killed, and a lot of destruction. A character is seen being electrocuted.
One scene in particular with falling babies could be disturbing not only for children, but some adults. Many in the theater found it humorous, but it was a bit morbid.
Is The Flash Appropriate for Kids Under 12?
With a runtime of almost 2 1/2 hours, The Flash is too long, especially for kids. Parents need to know that there is a lot of violence, some partial nudity, and moderate language in The Flash. To sum it up, The Flash is kid friendly for kids ages 12 and older.
So here we go with the multiverse again. I don’t hate the multiverse storylines, because it does give a look into alternate theories and universes. However, I also have multiverse fatigue, so it was bad timing. Plus Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse just did it so well, especially for a younger crowd.
I appreciate the risks The Flash took. It wasn’t your standard ‘let’s just go beat this villain and save the world’ arc. Ezra Miller did a good job at playing two versions of himself, but sometimes I grew weary of the serious Barry versus Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure Barry. And honestly it’s hard to just give Ezra Miller a pass for issues and decisions in his personal life.
However, I’d take more Supergirl and Michael Keaton as Batman, please.
I like fan service, and The Flash did not disappoint there. The cameos and DCU sizzle reel were a lot of fun to watch. Now if only they would have condensed the build-up by 30 minutes, then I would have been a happy camper. Some of it was so painful and felt pointless.
But also, part of me thinks what’s the move? Isn’t James Gunn going to come in and do whatever he wants? I’m trying not to get attached to any of the DCEU characters right now. Only time will tell. The Flash isn’t a fantastic film, but it doesn’t stink either.
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