Genre: Action/Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Director: James Gunn
Writer: Roy Horne
Based on the comic strip character
Cast: Channing Tatum, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Stanley Tucci, Jeremy Irons, Jamie Dornan, Dave Bautista, Emily Ratajkowski, Michael Rooker, Martin Donovan
Plot: 1979 - Third string Detroit Lions quarterback Brad "Flash" Gordon (Channing Tatum) sits on the bench as his team gets crushed 44-7 by the Philadelphia Eagles in the Pontiac Silverdome. After the game, Flash sits down with USA Today reporter Dale Arden (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) to discuss the 15th anniversary of the come from behind national championship victory he orchestrated as quarterback at the University of Alabama 15 years prior. Despite Flash's position on the Lions' depth chart, Flash is still quite famous due to his performance in that game, as well as his movie star looks. Flash is charming during the interview, routinely deflecting questions about his current lack of play and the miserable season the Lions are in the middle of to ask Dale questions about herself. After the interview, Flash invites Dale out for drinks, which she accepts.
While Flash and Dale are at a bar, President Jimmy Carter (Martin Donovan) appears on the television and warns the American people that natural disasters are hitting all over the Earth, declaring a state of emergency. They head outside and see red clouds overhead, sending basketball-sized meteors begin hurtling down, destroying cars and buildings. They hop in Flash's red 1979 Pontiac Firebird and start speeding away from the city. Suddenly, they are t-boned by another vehicle.
When Flash and Dale come to, they find themselves tied up in a rocket. Dr. Hans Zarkov (Stanley Tucci) explains to them that the natural disasters are coming from another dimension and that Earth is soon to be destroyed. Flash asks why he tied them up, Zarkov explains that he can't operate his rocket alone, so when he crashed into their car he felt they were destined to escape Earth with him. Dale asks where the rocket is heading, and Zarkov tells her that he believes he has located the source of the attacks and has set the rocket's coordinated for that location.
They enter a dimensional rift and are promptly captured by a larger ship commanded by the half-robot General Klytus (Michael Rooker). Kyltus is the head of the Mongo planetary secret police and takes them to see Emperor Ming (Jeremy Irons). Ming orders them to be detained, seperately, to be interrogated. Klytus' men surround Flash, Zarkov and Dale. They drag Dale off, angering Flash. He begins fighting with the guards, taking out several of them before finally being subdued and knocked out. Ming orders Klytus to take Zarkov in to be reconditioned, and then to execute Flash for his defiance. Klytus executes Flash in front of Zarkov and Dale as a show of strength. He tells them that if they do not follow Ming's wishes, that they will be next. Dale breaks down crying. One of the guards gives her a sedative, rendering her unconscious.
Flash suddenly wakes up. He has been revived by Princess Aura (Emily Ratajokowski). She explains that she is Emperor Ming's daughter and she is sick of him killing every eligible bachelor she has her eye on. He asks her what happened to Dale, and she explains that her hypocritical father has decided to take her as his latest bride. Flash asks what happened to the other brides, and Aura tells him that Ming's brides don't last very long as he generally has them killed when they defy him. Flash asks for Aura's help to save Dale. Aura is disappointed that he doesn't want to be with her, but begrudgingly agrees to help. She takes him onto her personal space ship. She says she is taking him to someone who can potentially help him. Aura helps Flash communicate to Dale to tell her that he is alive while on the trip.
Dale is locked in Ming's bedchamber when she receives Flash's message from Aura. Dale manages to trick Ming's handmaidens and escapes the bed chamber, which triggers an alarm. Klytus sends a brainwashed Zarkov to go after and re-capture Dale before Ming can discover that she has escaped. Zarkov corners Dale and aims a gun at her. She puts her arms up, but Zarkov lowers the weapon and reveals that Klytus' brainwashing didn't work on him. They sneak through Ming's space ship, dubbed Mingo City, and find force a member of the secret police to fly them out of there. Once they are out in space, their ship is intercepted by Hawkmen. The Hawkmen surround their small space craft with a net and pull it to their base in Sky City. The Hawkmen kill the secret police soldier and then take Zarkov and Dale to see their leader Prince Vultan (Dave Bautista). He asks them to give him one reason he shouldn't simply execute the two of them and get on with his day. Zarkov tries to explain scientifically what is going on, but his techno-babble goes over the heads of the barbaric Hawkmen. Dale tells him to shut up and explains to Vultan that Emperor Ming is in the process of destroying their home planet and they are trying to stop him. Vultan decides to have Dale and Zarkov taken prisoner for the time being while he decides whether or not to kill them.
Flash and Aura arrive in Arboria, the home planet of the dashing Prince Barin (Jamie Dornan). Barin is clearly in love with Aura, so he tells her that he will keep Flash safe and won't kill him, but only if Aura will marry him. Aura thanks Barin and tells him that she has to get back to Mingo City before her father suspects her involvement in what has been going on. As soon as Aura leaves, Barin holds a sword to Flash's neck. Flash is taken aback and asks what's going on. Barin says that he's not exactly known for keeping promises, but he will keep the promise not to kill Flash. Flash breathes a sigh of relief, but then Barin tells him that doesn't mean that the Wood Beast won't kill him. Barin explains that on Arboria, only those deemed worthy by the Wood Beast are allowed to live. Barin's guards drag Flash, to a large hollow tree with holes on the outside. Barin tells Flash must stick his arm inside each of the holes, if Flash is able to do so without being stung by the Wood Beast, then he will be allowed to live. Flash sticks his arm in the first hole and Barin's guards hold him there for an uncomfortable amount of time. Flash begins to sweat. Barin nods, and the the guards force Flash's arm into the next hole. Flash tells them to get off of him, he'll put his arm in the third hole on his own. Barin nods, and his guards let go of Flash's arm. Flash sticks his arm into the third hole and lets out a loud scream. He pulls his arm out of the hole and holds it in pain. Barin laughs, saying that he knew the Wood Beast wouldn't find him worthy. Flash asks what's going to happen, and Barin explains that after being stung by the Wood Beast, one only have mere minutes before they die from the creature's poison. Flash stands up, revealing that he wasn't actually stung by the Wood Beast. Flash then tackles Barin, sending them both over a ledge, falling down into a swamp hundreds of feet below.
Aura returns to Mingo City in her ship. She is immediately arrested by Klytus and his men and taken to see Ming, who reveals that he knows that Flash is alive. He tells his daughter that Klytus has informed him of her treachery. Ming announces that Aura will be banished to the ice moon Frigia, but wants her to be present for his wedding to Dale first. Ming orders Aura taken away and demands that Klytus find his bride and have her brought back to him.
Flash and Barin begin fighting in the Arboria swamps, but are captured by two of Vultan's Hawkmen. They are taken to Sky City, where Flash is reunited with Dale and Zarkov. Flash punches Zarkov in the face, knocking him to the ground, holding him responsible for their current predicament. Zarkov asks Flash if he'd rather die on Earth, or have the chance to save the world now. Flash groans and helps Zarkov up off the ground. Prince Vultan announces that he will only let one of Barin of Flash as his kingdom does not want to feed four prisoners, just three, and proclaims that Barin and Flash will fight to the death. The two are forced onto a platform suspended hundreds suspended in the air. The two are given swords to battle with. Barin is clearly the better swordsman, but Flash is able to overpower Barin based on brute strength, knocking Barin's sword away. Flash then grabs Barin by his shirt collar. Barin is resigned to his fate and expects to be thrown off of the platform to his death. Barin closes his eyes, but Flash simply throws Barin onto the floor of the platform. Vultan is furious and demands that Flash kill Barin. Flash refuses, telling Vultan that he's a lover not a killer, giving Dale a wink. Flash helps Barin up and pats him on the back. General Klytus then arrives in Sky City, to arrest our heroes. Barin gets in Klytus' way, saying he won't allow Klytus to take them. Klytus says fine, he'll arrest Barin as well for treason. Klytus lands on the platform to arrest Barin. Barin starts fighting him off. Flash then rams Klytus off of the platform sending hurtling down several hundred feet to his demise.
Vultan and his Hawkmen flee Sky City, not wanting to face Ming's wrath. Soon after, Ming's ship arrives at Sky City. He orders his guards to take Barin, Zarkov and Dale prisoner aboard his ship. Ming then exits the ship and asks to speak with Flash. He offers Flash the opportunity to rule planet Earth under Ming's rule, feeling that is a more than fair compromise. Flash refuses. Angry, Ming returns to his ship and orders that Sky City be destroyed with Flash still there. Bolts of lightning begin to tear apart Sky City as Ming's ship leaves. Flash scrambles around looking for a way to escape when he finds one of the Hawkmen's rocket cycles. He rides it away from the Sky City, just as it is destroyed in a giant explosion.
Back on Mongo, Dale is forcefully being prepared for her wedding to Ming. Just as the wedding is about to start, Flash flies toward Mingo City alone on the rocket cycle. Ming's guards open fire on him, sending the War Rocket Ajax to destroy him. When Flash sees the Ajax coming for him he thinks he's done, but suddenly Vultan and his Hawkmen arrive and seize control of the Ajax. They puck Flash up and together they turn the rocket around, taking it back to Mingo City. In Mingo City, Princess Aura seduces the guard keeping her prisoner and kills him. She heads to the execution chamber where she frees Barin and Zarkov. Ming's guards order all weapons fired at the Ajax.
In Mingo City, Ming's wedding has begun. Dale stands beside him on the altar - at gunpoint. Ming places a ring on Dale's finger. He then looks up and notices the Ajax plummeting toward the temple. The rocket then crashes into the wedding, impaling Ming in the process. Vultan commends Flash for having good aim. Ming, however, is still alive. Flash rushes to him and demands that he calls off Earth's destruction. Ming aims his power ring at Flash, but it doesn't have any effect. He begrudgingly calls off the attack on Earth. Ming then aims his power ring at himself, causing him to vanish. Flash rushes to Dale's side and rips off the ring from Ming, saying he stopped fooling around with married women long ago. Barin approaches Princess Aura and proposes marriage one more time. Aura, impressed that Barin would help Flash save Earth, accepts. Ming and Dale's aborted wedding ceremony is quickly converted to a wedding for Barin and Aura.
Flash, Dale and Zarkov take one of Ming's ships back to Earth. They prepare to the ship in front of the White House while President Jimmy Carter is filming an address announcing that scientists have proclaimed that Earth is safe once again and that the recent problems have passed. The ship then catches the attention of everyone as it lands. Dale asks Flash what it's like saving the planet, and he says it's almost as good as winning the National Championship.
The End.
Flash Gordon will return in Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe!
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