The Flash is just days away from release and reviews indicate that, as promised, it’s a truly bonkers multiversal mashup that delves deep into DC’s cinematic history. There’s been praise for Michael Keaton’s long-awaited return as Batman, the crazy cameos, and the ambition of the story, though the flipside is that the CGI is being thoroughly raked over the coals.
Put simply, the VFX is just not up to par with other blockbusters. Clips released online are rightly met with comments that it looks like a video game cutscene, that the compositing is very wonky, and the CGI doubles for heroes aren’t quite right. Fans have noted that The Flash looks notably worse than 2013’s Man of Steel, which is likely down to work being spread out over multiple studio and the ongoing staffing crisis in the industry.
But The Flash isn’t the only DCU movie premiering this summer. Blue Beetle was once intended to be a HBO Max exclusive before being promoted to a theatrical release, and new footage in a TV spot shows effects markedly better than what we’ve seen from Ezra Miller’s Scarlet Speedster:
So, what’s happened here? Well, Blue Beetle‘s lower budget and smaller scope may have worked in its favor. Early in pre-production it was decided that Jamie Reyes’ suit would be a practical costume enhanced with CGI, which meant that VFX had to be carefully planned out before the shoot began. That would have given the team enough time to plan out shots and begin work as soon as the raw footage was in, which has clearly resulted in a better product.
Even so, that certain scenes in The Flash look objectively awful takes away some of the shine from the movie, but with the VFX industry guaranteed to be overworked and underpaid for the foreseeable future, expect many more blockbusters with a distinctly video-gamey look.
The Flash hits theaters on June 15.
