It’s only fair that both sides of the superhero divide end up taking criticism for substandard CGI, even if the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s consistently disappointing digital creations are at least in part due to the effects wizards being overworked and underpaid, but The Flash has swooped in at just the right moment to take the heat away from Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
Despite being one of the most tortured comic book adaptations to come along in a long while, the hype train for the Scarlet Speedster’s solo debut has been gathering increased momentum for months, buoyed by the fact both Warner Bros. and DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn are adamant that it’s going to go down in the history books as one of the genre’s best-ever efforts.
The people in charge are nothing if not confident, shelling out big bucks for a Super Bowl spot and showcasing the finished film to CinemaCon attendees long before its theatrical release, but a batch of still images from the upcoming trailer due to debut on April 25 have kicked down the doors to a barrage of backlash over some decidedly ropey CGI.
Whenever a high-profile blockbuster gets trashed for its weak effects, there’s always a hardy band of backers who throw out the old “well, it isn’t finished yet” as an excuse. We’re not saying it won’t be the case with The Flash, but the fact these images are from a trailer that’s complete and ready to go – with the June 16 release date only a matter of weeks away – hints that the knives could be about to get a lot sharper.