Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox

Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox
DVD cover
Directed by	Jay Oliva
Screenplay by	Jim Krieg
Produced by	James Tucker Alan Burnett
Starring	Justin Chambers Kevin McKidd Michael B. Jordan C. Thomas Howell
Edited by	Christoper D. Lozinski
Music by	Frederik Wiedmann
Production companies	Warner Premiere Warner Bros. Animation DC Entertainment
Distributed by	Warner Home Video
Release date	July 30, 2013 (2013-07-30)
Running time	89 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox is an animated superhero film, an adaptation of the 2011 comic book crossover "Flashpoint" by Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert. It is directed by Jay Oliva and scripted by Jim Krieg. A significant feature has Ron Perlman and Dana Delany reprising their roles as Deathstroke and Lois Lane respectively. It is the 17th film in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies series.

Plot

After stopping a plot by Captain Cold, Captain Boomerang, Heat Wave, Mirror Master, and The Top (led by Professor Zoom) to destroy Central City, Flash runs back in time to save his mothers' life. He awakens in a timeline vastly different from the original. Citizen Cold is now the hero of Central City, his Mother is alive, his Father has died of a heart attack and the Justice League does not exist.

Meanwhile, in Gotham City a now more violent Batman (who uses guns and lethal force) catches a criminal known as Yo-Yo and demands to know where Joker is. Batman throws Yo-Yo off the building but she is caught by Cyborg (who is now a government agent) before she hits the ground. Batman, Cyborg and a few other heroes via hologram discuss the situation in Europe. Aquaman and the Atlanteans have sunk most of Western Europe apart from Great Britain which was conquered by the Amazons and Christened 'New Themyscira'.

Barry drives to Wayne Manor and enters the Batcave where Batman attacks him. The Batman of this Universe is revealed to be Thomas Wayne (Bruce Wayne's father) and that Bruce had died instead of his parents. Barry tries to retrieve his costume from his ring, but finds Professors Zoom's costume instead causing Barry to think that Professor Zoom is the one responsible for this change in reality. After explaining to Batman about the original timeline and that Bruce was Batman there, they decide to recreate the events which gave Barry his powers. However, the first attempt leaves him badly burned and injured.

In London, Steve Trevor attempts to escape some Amazons inside Big Ben. He is caught round the neck by Diana's Lasso Of Truth and, despite at first resisting its power, explains that he was sent to retrieve Lois Lane from New Themyscira after she was sent to retrieve intel on the Amazons by Cyborg. Diana then kills Steve by hanging him with her lasso. Onboard a ship in the remains of Paris, Deathstroke and Lex Luthor are attacked by the Atlanteans. Deathstroke is killed and Luthor is executed by Aquaman. Meanwhile, Cyborg is relieved of duty by the President.

In flashbacks, it is revealed that after an alliance between the Atlanteans and the Amazons, Aquaman and Diana slept together but are seen by Queen Mera (Aquaman's wife). Mera confronts Diana leading to a fight which results in Mera's death, Diana wearing her crown as a trophy, and Aquaman declaring war on the Amazons. In Gotham City after Bruce is shot and killed, Thomas beats the killer and Martha Wayne is driven over the edge by her sons death starts to laugh uncontrollably, becoming this world's Joker.

Back in the present at Wayne Manor, Barry wakes up and tells Batman to try again. The second attempt is successful as Barry is restored of his superspeed and changes Thawne's costume into his own red one, becoming Flash once again. He tries to run back in time to reverse what Thawne has caused but finds he can't as something else is using the speedforce. In London, Lois Lane is being attacked by Amazons and is saved by a speedster. The resistance shows up and explains it was none of them who saved her. Meanwhile, pilot Hal Jordan has been chosen to fly Abin Sur's repaired ship in an attempt to fight back against Atlantis.

Cyborg joins Batman and Flash at the crater caused by Kal-El's ship after he crashed into Metropolis instead of Smallville. Cyborg hacks into the Governments system and locates where Kal-El is being kept. They sneak inside and discover a thin, pale and weakened Superman. After getting him outside into the sunlight they are attacked by Government agents. Flash disables most of the weapons and Superman uses his heat vision and kills the rest. However, he flies off out of fear and confusion from what he has done. Flash collapses due to new memories of this timeline conflicting with his old memories of the original timeline.

Above the Atlantean army, Hal Jordan is swallowed by a giant sea monster and he activates the ship's self-destruct killing the monster and himself. Aquaman tells his army to continue preparing the invasion. Flash wakes up in the home of Billy Batson and his foster siblings. They learn of Hal Jordan's failed attack on the Atlantean fleet and that the final battle between the Atlanteans and the Amazons has begun. Batman tells them to enjoy what little time they have left and starts to leave. Flash gives a speech about them all being heroes where he comes from and tells them to fight and save the world. Cyborg says he will signal the others to meet them there and Batman is convinced after Flash says Bruce would have come.

Onboard Batman's jet, he tells Flash that he intercepted a message from Lois Lane in New Themyscira saying that she saw someone that could move at super-speed. Flash and Batman wonder why Thawne let Lois live and got himself seen as the plane is shot down by the Atlantean fleet. The battle begins between the Amazons and the invading Atlanteans. The resistance, including Lois, joins the fight as Aquaman and Diana begin fighting. After an intense duel between the two leaders, Batman, Flash, Cyborg and Billy Batson's siblings join the fight with Flash and Batman fighting Aquaman. Billy Batson and his siblings combine into Captain Thunder and end up fighting Diana.

After Batman is shot, Zoom reveals himself to Barry. After the two duel for a while Zoom reveals it was not him who changed the timeline, but Barry as he went back in time to save his mother and he caused a backlash on the world that turned it into the apocalyptic land it was. On the battlefield, Diana uses her magical lasso to force Captain Thunder to say "Shazam" thus bringing him back to his children form. Diana mercilessly kills Billy Batson after this. Meanwhile, Aquaman was winning his battle with Cyborg and ripped him apart. But as he was prepared to kill him, Kal-El uses his heat vision to cut Aquaman's arm off. Unfortunately, Cyborg sustained too much damage and shut down permanently, ending his life effectively.

Distracted and injured after the battle with Cyborg, Aquaman is assassinated by Diana from behind. With his last move, Aquaman detonates a submarine deep within the ocean containing a subjugated Captain Atom. Captain Atom's added power to the blast quickly blasts apart the world. Professor Zoom mocks Barry as the world is destroyed when an injured Batman suddenly reappears and shoots Professor Zoom. Without any other sources using the Speed Force, Barry races back in time to stop himself from saving his mother.

Afterwards, Barry reawakens at his desk finding everything back to normal. (Albeit with everyone having slightly altered costumes, because this is The New 52 timeline now). He talks to the present-day Batman about the events that occurred. Before leaving, Barry hands him the letter addressed from Thomas Wayne, to which Batman emotionally replies, "You're one helluva messenger."

In a post-credits scene, a Boom Tube opens and a horde of Parademons comes out foreshadowing Justice League: War.

Cast

• Justin Chambers as Barry Allen / The Flash
• Kevin McKidd as Thomas Wayne / Batman
• Michael B. Jordan as Victor Stone / Cyborg
• C. Thomas Howell as Eobard Thawne / Professor Zoom
• Nathan Fillion as Hal Jordan / Green Lantern
• Ron Perlman as Slade Wilson / Deathstroke
• Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne / Batman
• Dana Delany as Lois Lane
• Cary Elwes as Aquaman
• Vanessa Marshall as Wonder Woman
• Danny Huston as General Sam Lane
• Sam Daly as Superman
• Steve Blum as Lex Luthor
• Dee Bradley Baker as Etrigan
• Grey DeLisle as Nora Allen
• Jennifer Hale as Iris Allen
• Hynden Walch as Yo-Yo

Difference between the comics and the film

There were some differences seen between the comics and the film:

• In the comics, Lex Luthor was with his father Lionel Luthor when they first saw a captive Kal-El. In the movie, Lex is working alongside Deathstroke.

• Billy Batson was killed by Enchantress in the comic. Wonder Woman defeats him in battle in the movie.

• Kal-El arrived and killed Enchantress in the comic. In the movie, he saves Cyborg from Aquaman.
• Kaldur'ahm and Black Manta are part of Aquaman's army in the film version.
• In the comics, Batman kills Zoom with an Amazon sword. In the movie, he shoots him in the head.