Review: Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013)
Of all the animated super hero movies that I have delved into during these last few weeks, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox is by far the best. Though much darker than your usual super hero fare, this movie presents a compelling storyline, great animation and excellent production values overall. While I wouldn’t recommend sitting down with your youngster to watch this one, it’s definitely a must-see for adult DC fans and is PG enough for older kids.
The story revolves around The Flash. He’s upset that his mother died when he was a kid and there was nothing he could do to prevent it. So he uses his super speed powers to shoot himself back into the past and save her. Unfortunately, changing one thing causes a ripple effect and screws up the entire world.
Flash wakes up in his new world, confused by what’s going on. He doesn’t have his powers anymore and the world is going to hell. Aquaman and Wonder Woman are evil, battling a war against each other and taking half of the human race with them. Superman is nowhere to be found. And Bruce Wayne is no longer Batman, the changes in the universe dictating that Bruce should die and his father should instead take over that title.
So Flash sets out to set things right. He needs to go back and stop himself from altering the timeline. But a lack of powers and the presence of his enemy, Professor Zoom, stop him from being able to accomplish that. So, with the help of Batman and Cyborg, he gets his powers back, they hunt down Superman and everyone heads across the water to
First things first - this movie is very violent. Hordes of people die, including almost every super hero. It’s in an alternate timeline, so nobody really dies, but it’s a bloodbath on the screen. The seriousness of the flick may not appeal to some super hero fans, but, personally, I loved it. The action sequences were not over the top in a way that was distracting. The voice actors did great jobs. And, aside from a weird, giant head on Aquaman, the animation was top-notch.
If you enjoy seeing the alternative universe side of the DC universe, this one should not be missed. If you’re more of a traditionalist when it comes to your super heroes, then you’ll probably still like it, if not as much. While there is no critical score yet, the audience of Rotten Tomatoes has Flashpoint Paradox rated at 93%, which is pretty amazing, especially considering the hate they’ve displayed for some of the other DC cartoons. But, in all honesty, Flashpoint Paradox is one of the best-produced animated movies ever made. A real achievement of the genre.
Photo Credits -
Flashpoint Paradox courtesy of thenerdpocalypse.com
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