Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013)

SPOILER WARNING!!! This post spoils movie Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013)

Another Justice League animation movie, but totally different than previous one. Animation is different. Tone is different and Justice League has different members. I don't know, how much connection this should have with Justice League: Doom. This is more Flash movie than Justice League movie. Flash is main character and he is only one who is familiar version of character. Other characters are different than normal.

Flash wakes up without his power and finds out world has changed. First his dead mother is now alive. All familiar superheroes are different versions of themselves. Aquaman and Wonder Woman are at war against each other. This war is about to destroy the Earth. Flash goes to Batman to ask his help. In this world Batman is not Bruce Wayne. He is Thomas Wayne, who became Batman after his son Bruce Wayne was killed. This Batman uses guns and kills people. Batman and Flash manage to give Flash's powers back. But he is not as fast as before. He can't travel in time like he could do before. I didn't know he could do that. In Doom he could run through solid object. In this he can't. That would have made things easier for him few times. Makes me wonder, what he can actually do. It seems to be different in both movies.

In this world Superman was captured after he landed. He has been locked underground and he never got superpowers. Flash and Batman team up with Cyborg. Cyborg works for government. He finds where Superman is held. They go to free him. During following fight Superman gains superpowers and loses control of his heat vision. He kills solders they fight against and freaks out after he realizes what he has done. Then he just flies away. Flash, Batman and Cyborg decide to go to stop Aquaman and Wonder Woman. On their way Batman shows Flash video, where they see Eobard Thawne. Thawne is Flash's nemesis. He has same powers as Flash. They think he is behind all this.

Movie is dark and violent. If this was live action movie, it would be rated R or something similar. But because this is animation, it is suited for kids. We see decapitations, Wonder Woman killing children and Batman shooting guy to head and see Batman through hole in guy's forehead. This movie happens in alternative time line. That gives movie permission to do more extreme things with characters. Normal world characters wouldn't be able to do anything like this. This movie reminds me of Superman: Red Son and Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns. Like those comics, this makes Superheroes dangerous to regular humans. World doesn't see them as friends, but weapons to use or weapons, which can destroy you.

DC usually doesn't explore this part of superheroes. Marvel does that all the time. But when DC chooses this way, they go all the way. I liked this movie because of tone, story and different versions of heroes. Only complain I have is Flash's powers and things related to powers. It is like they made things up as they went. I don't want to spoil the twist or the ending. But I have to say both include continuity errors, which make you ask, why he now needs this, when he didn't need it before.

Over all movie is worth watching. It is dark and violent. Because this happens in alternative time line, anything can happen to any character. That is refreshing in superhero stories. I didn't like animation style at first, but when I saw where this went, it suited the story and tone. Alternative time line was interesting. I would like to see more of it. Batman was interesting as was alternative version of Harley Quinn. It was hinted, that Bruce Wayne's mother was Joker. Bruce Wayne's father as Batman and mother as Joker would make interesting story in right hands.

After writing this post I found this movie is based on comic story Flashpoint and story has few spin-offs including Batman story. I will be checking main story and at least Batman story later. At the moment I have enough other comics to read. I haven't forgotten what I promised about Guardians of the Galaxy. It will come next week. On Thursday, day before the movie comes to cinema.

-------------------------------------------------------

You can also find me from Twitter and YouTube.