‘The Flash’ Director Explains the Baby in the Microwave Scene

The moviegoers who sprinted to Max when The Flash arrived on Friday might have some questions.

One such perplexing scene that's gotten plenty of buzz since its streaming debut is the movie's opening, which may or may not be a nod to The Untouchables, but definitely utilized all the CGI possible to have Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) rescue a whole maternity ward of babies.

"No baby was harmed in the production of this scene," clarified director Andy Muschietti in a video for The New York Times' "Anatomy of a Scene."

He also explained the method behind the madness that sees the eponymous superhero save nine raining babies and a nurse from a collapsing hospital while attempting to regain some powers through a calorie binge.

"What I wanted is to put our superhero to a test, I wanted to put his superpowers to the test, basically explaining that even if you are the fastest man alive, you can have trouble saving different people at the same time," said Muschietti.

What results is time starting to speed up as Allen raids a falling vending machine before commandeering a burrito from a microwave.

He still manages to save each baby through a miracle of timing and aerodynamics: using a bedpan to protect one baby from a splash of acid, sending an oxygen tank to knock some heavy objects from crushing a second baby, passing the burrito to a swarm of scalpels heading for a third baby, and securing another little tot in the same microwave to protect it from the fireball trailing behind the oxygen tank.

"But it definitely sets up a superhero that is vulnerable, that even though he has superpowers, he's not invincible," explained Muschietti. "And he has to basically refer to his intelligence and his human criteria and judgment, not only on his superpowers."

As for the movie's much-maligned use of special effects, Muschietti noted that "most scenes" of Barry are actually Miller, adding: "Obviously, when you're in post-production, you have to make some decisions that basically favor a more spectacular version of the shot, in which you have to go full CG."

The Flash is now streaming on Max.