Ezra Miller’s The Flash is faring poorly at the box office. If you can look past the star’s recent legal troubles and scandals, expect mediocrity when you watch the movie.
Disappointing box office gross
Based on the Flashpoint comic book arc, the film made US$55 million in the US during its first three days of release. In the same time period, the Ezra Miller starrer also earned US$75 million overseas, for a global gross of US$130 million.
On the other hand, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice raked in US$422 million in its global debut.
According to Collider, The Flash movie’s budget included US$200 million for production and at least US$65 million for marketing. The entertainment news portal pointed out that The Flash would have to earn between US$265 million and US$400 million at the global box office to break even.
In the same article, the Collider writer indicated that the marketing budget for a blockbuster film usually ranges from US$65 million to US$200 million.
Another pop culture and entertainment site, The Direct, also recently reported that the Ezra Miller flick had a US$150 million budget.
Based on Box Office Mojo records, reported that The Flash had grossed $267,576,207 worldwide as of July 19, 2023.
The Flashpoint Paradox: A superior adaptation (spoilers ahead)
The movie’s story is based on the Flashpoint comic book arc, which was brilliantly adapted into the 2013 animated film Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox.
The potential for a great adaptation was there from the start, with characters like Aquaman and Wonder Woman at war in the animated version.
However, in The Flash movie, they only make cameo appearances, and we are left with a flat, two-dimensional villain in Zod.
Failure to learn from past successful DC movies
One major issue with The Flash is how it undermines its serious themes by including cringeworthy humor that feels out of place.
For example, there’s a scene where Flash saves falling babies, trying to mimic the Quicksilver scenes from the X-Men movies (but without the well-set-up action, catchy soundtrack, and believable CGI of the latter).
However, director Andy Muschietti claimed the effects were intentional. Muschietti explained that we were watching the movie from Barry Allen’s point of view, where his perspective is “distorted in terms of lights and textures”.
Confusing cameo
At the end of the movie, Barry Allen walks out of the courthouse, having cleared his father’s name, and receives a congratulatory call from his friend Bruce Wayne, played by Ben Affleck earlier in the film.
Then, a sleek car pulls up, but instead of Affleck or even Keaton, it’s George Clooney! Clooney played Bruce Wayne in the 1997 poorly received Batman and Robin.
Clooney’s cameo felt like a pointless distraction, rather than a meaningful moment in the film. Will Clooney make any further cameos or play a part in future DC Universe (DCU) movies? I’m not sure.
DC Studios’ Co-CEO James Gunn had also denied that Clooney would be taking on the role of “the new main DCU Batman.”
Moments like the baby-saving scene and Clooney’s cameo are just a few examples of the many scenes that miss the mark.
Unexplored character potential
Zack Snyder had already set up the future Flashpoint movie perfectly by casting Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Thomas Wayne, the gun-wielding Batman, and Lauren Cohan as Martha Wayne, who becomes the Joker.
Having starred together in The Walking Dead, The two actors have already proven that they have on-screen chemistry. This could have added so much depth to the story.
Ezra Miller’s The Flash lacked emotional impact
While The Flash features some emotional moments, like Barry saying goodbye to his mother, it pales compared to one of the most heart-wrenching scenes in DC comics history.
In The Flashpoint Paradox, Bruce Wayne receives a letter from his father, who belongs in the alternate timeline. Reading the letter brought the Dark Knight to tears.
There are many more reasons why the Flashpoint Paradox animated movie is superior to the recent live-action version. You should discover them for yourself.
So, if you are also disappointed with Ezra Miller’s recent The Flash movie, consider giving its animated counterpart a watch.
Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox is streaming on Max. You can also rent or purchase the animated movie on Google Play, Amazon Instant Video, iTunes, and Vudu.
What do you think of The Flash movie?
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