For the DC Comics Fans - The Flashpoint Paradox, Justice League

[Paolo]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2820466/?ref_=rvi_tt

What can I say about this one? In a word = astonishing.

And that's not 100% good.

For starters, comic fans, SPOILERS AHEAD! Turn back now if you want the full effect of the movie.

Barry Allen, the Flash, wakes up at his desk one morning at work after going "for a run" the night before. He was upset, feeling down, and needed to "run it off", as he told Iris. But Barry finds that everything has changed around him. Only he remembers the way things were. And these memories are beginning to erode. Time has been altered, and of course, Eobard Thawne, aka Professor Zoom, is involved. But did he do it? Barry doesn't know who did it, and Zoom is nothing but a tease about it.

However, this world is in trouble. WWIII is in the making. Atlantis, led by Aquaman, is at war with Queen Diana of New Themyscira. Tens of millions are already dead, and The Justice League does not exist. Somehow, without his powers now, Barry must set things right before the world is destroyed.

Now, this flick is rated PG-13. Honestly, I don't know how. This is the most violent, bloodiest, envelope-pushing animated film I have EVER seen. Not all of the familiar heroes are here, and some obscure ones are.

SPOILER one last time!

In one shocking scene, Barry goes to Wayne Manor to find the Batman. But it's a deserted wreck. The Batman is there, but his is not Bruce Wayne. In this timeline, 8 year old Bruce died in the alley, not his parents, and Thomas Wayne is now a "take no prisoners" Batman. This Batman actually kills, but in hot blood. Yes, we see little Bruce die in his mother's arms.

We also see Batman blow Zoom's head off.

Wonder Woman murders Mera of Atlantis, beheads her, and carries her head around!

And the carnage doesn't stop there.

You actually see children murdered again in this film. Some by "super heroes".

The plot is good, but a bit hard to follow. You have to realize when the Timeline shifts and what Barry is seeing to fully appreciate it. Once you get that, it's all right, but the change could have been handled a bit better to clarify it.

The animation is not that great either, except in fight scenes. If you've seen the animated series "Justice League Unlimited," that animation is better.

Still, if you're a comics fan, and you want a violent, bloody thrill-ride that will leave you stunned, then this is the movie for you.

[BossTamsin (imported)]

I've seen this as well, and I admit I'm not a fan of the animation. I wish they'd go back to the Bruce Timm designs for the characters. However, that's just my personal preference.

As for the storyline itself, it's straight out of the comic books. And yes, in a lot of ways, the comic version of Flashpoint was similarly carnage-filled, and similarly muddled and incomprehensible. It's still worth a watch though, and isn't a bad movie in its own right.

Two things to watch for:

1) If you look, at the end of it, Flash isn't wearing the same costume he started out in.

2) Watch to the end of the credits, and you get a brief flash of parademons.

What does this mean? Well, it means the DC Comics cartoons are following the storylines in the comics. Meaning from here on in, all their animation will be based of the "New 52" reboot and redesign that immediately followed Flashpoint. So expect everyone's backstory to change, and etc etc etc...

*Grumbles*

Oh well.

[Paolo]

I noticed the costume change for Flash, yes. I figure the Parademons are to lead into the next flick.

That, or they're going to tie in that the damage to the Timeline was not fully restored, and that Barry is still in a 'somewhat' altered Timeline.

I agree with the thoughts on Bruce Timm's animation/characters. Much better. Hell, "Batman:TAS" was better animated than this.

As for the New 52 reboot, given take it or leave it, I'll leave it.