The Flash Failed to Learn All The Lessons This Animated DC Classic Taught 

The Flash, a long-awaited DCU installment that set the cinematic universe up for James Gunn 's reboot, has finally hit theaters, and to call it disappointing would be an understatement.

With the film receiving the lowest audience rating in DCU history (at least according to CinemaScore) and bombing at the box office, it is clear that it did not live up to the expectations of most fans.

And what adds insult to injury is all the lost potential it had, especially compared to another DC movie that came out a decade ago that did everything right where The Flash failed. Spoilers ahead.

First of all, the latest installment of the DCU completely undermines its serious themes by including absolutely cringe-worthy humorous scenes that feel completely out of place with the rest of the movie.

For example, at the beginning we see Flash saving babies falling out of a building, which feels like a desperate attempt to rip off the Quicksilver slow-motion scenes from the X-Men movies, only without the clever action, killer soundtrack, and CGI quality (which is bizarrely explained by the director as an intentional choice, look it up).

And the end of the movie with Barry showing some absolutely horrible facial expressions that for some reason give you the uncanny valley feeling, followed by his tooth falling off, is beyond comprehension and completely turns The Flash into a clown show, along with many other scenes.

And the whole story based on the Flashpoint comic book arc was already done in 2013 with Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox animated movie, and all the elements for an equally great adaptation were there from the start.

Aquaman and Wonder Woman, who are at war in the original story and the 2013 adaptation, are already part of the DCU and even appear as cameos in the 2023 film, but instead we got Zod again, only this time reduced to a completely two-dimensional background villain.

In addition, Zack Snyder had already set up the future Flashpoint movie brilliantly by giving us the dream casting of Bruce's parents.

In 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Thomas Wayne, who becomes a violent, gun-wielding Batman after his son is shot in the Flashpoint timeline, was played by the great Jeffrey Dean Morgan, whom you may remember from his roles as the Comedian in 2009's Watchmen or Negan in The Walking Dead TV series.

And Martha Wayne, who becomes the Joker after being unable to process the trauma, was played by Lauren Cohan, who ironically also played Maggie in The Walking Dead TV series, where she has great chemistry with the aforementioned Negan.

The Flash does have some emotional scenes, like Barry saying his goodbyes to his mother, but we could have had arguably the most heartbreaking scene in the entire DCU when Bruce receives a letter from his father that made the indestructible Caped Crusader cry.

There are many more ways in which Flashpoint Paradox is far better than the recent live-action flop, so if you're as disappointed as we are, maybe it's time to give it a rewatch or check it out for the first time if you haven't already.