- PG-13
- 2h 32m
- Directed by
-
- Zack Snyder
- Screenplay
- David S. Goyer
- Premiered
- March 23, 2016
- Language
-
- English
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $250,000,000.00
- Revenue
- $874,362,803.00
- Awards
-
- 14 wins & 33 nominations total
- Country
-
- United States of America
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
- Production
-
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- RatPac Entertainment
- Atlas Entertainment
- DC Entertainment
Spoiler
The cinematic landscape of 2016 was irrevocably altered by the arrival of Zack Snyder's ambitious undertaking, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. This sprawling narrative, released on March 23, 2016, plunges audiences into a world grappling with the immense power of its super-powered inhabitants, setting the stage for an epic confrontation and the nascent formation of a league of extraordinary individuals. The film, a United States of America production from Warner Bros. Pictures, RatPac Entertainment, and Atlas Entertainment, boasts a formidable cast including Ben Affleck as the brooding Batman, Henry Cavill as the conflicted Superman, Jesse Eisenberg as the enigmatic Lex Luthor, and Gal Gadot in her groundbreaking debut as Wonder Woman.
The story opens with a deeply personal and haunting vision experienced by Bruce Wayne, portrayed by Ben Affleck. His childhood trauma is vividly replayed: a tender moment leaving a theater with his parents, Thomas and Martha Wayne, is shattered by the sudden appearance of a gunman. In a desperate act of paternal protection, Thomas steps forward, only to be fatally shot. Martha, attempting to shield their son, also succumbs to the violence. In Bruce's dreamscape, this profound loss propels him into a desperate flight into the woods, where he tumbles into a subterranean abyss. It is here, in the darkness, that a swarm of bats emerges, not as a symbol of terror, but as guides, leading him back to the surface, a potent metaphor for his eventual transformation into the nocturnal protector of Gotham.
The narrative then abruptly shifts to the war-torn metropolis of Metropolis, where Superman, embodied by Henry Cavill, is locked in a cataclysmic battle with the formidable Kryptonian General Zod, played by Michael Shannon. Amidst the city's devastation, as the alien World Engine wreaks havoc, Bruce Wayne arrives, a witness to the sheer destructive power unleashed. He connects with an employee within his Metropolis-based Wayne Enterprises building, who is observing the chaos firsthand. Bruce races to the skyscraper, only to witness the Kryptonian vessel collide with the World Engine, creating a vortex that swallows them both. The ongoing conflict between Superman and Zod escalates, with Zod's heat vision tearing through the Wayne Enterprises building, causing a significant portion of it to collapse. Trapped beneath a heavy steel beam, Wallace Keefe, portrayed by Scoot McNairy, finds his legs crushed. Bruce, demonstrating incredible strength, lifts the debris, allowing two other individuals to extract Wallace. In a moment of selfless heroism, Bruce then rescues a young girl from being crushed, her pointing finger indicating the tragic fate of her mother in the destroyed upper levels of the building.
Eighteen months later, a discovery in the Indian Ocean hints at the growing presence of extraterrestrial elements on Earth. Two boys, swimming in the vast ocean, unearth a colossal rock. Upon bringing it to an island, they reveal its true nature: a substantial piece of Kryptonite, a substance known to be lethal to Kryptonians.
Meanwhile, in Africa, Lois Lane, brought to life by Amy Adams, is engaged in a perilous interview with a warlord. The situation quickly devolves when the warlord's gunmen, alerted to the presence of a tracking device, destroy the camera of Jimmy Olsen, played by Michael Cassidy. Jimmy is tragically killed while attempting to shield Lois, asserting her ignorance of the device. The warlord then takes Lois captive. However, before he can inflict further harm, Superman intervenes, crashing through the warlord's home and incapacitating him.
The aftermath of the African incident leads to a press conference where a woman, deeply affected by the loss of her village and parents, publicly blames Superman for the destruction. Senator Finch, portrayed by Holly Hunter, voices the growing public sentiment, asserting that Superman must be held accountable for the devastation he has caused.
In the shadowy alleys of Gotham City, the police stumble upon a building where several women are being held captive. One of the rescued women describes their liberator as a "devil." A thumping sound from upstairs leads the officers to a man bound to a wall, his chest bearing a branded bat symbol. The appearance of Batman in the shadows is met with gunfire from the police, but he expertly evades their attempts to apprehend him.
Back in the Batcave, Bruce finds his loyal confidant, Alfred, played by Jeremy Irons, meticulously calibrating a voice modulator for his Batsuit. The two acknowledge the escalating controversy surrounding Superman's actions and the public's divided opinions.
Senator Finch seeks out Lex Luthor, portrayed by Jesse Eisenberg, a brilliant but morally ambiguous tech mogul. Luthor reveals his possession of recovered Kryptonite, which he intends to weaponize as a "silver bullet" against potential future Kryptonian threats. He also has access to the crash site of the Kryptonian vessel and is secretly storing Zod's remains. Despite Finch's attempts to curb his increasingly dangerous experiments, Luthor remains undeterred.
Lois Lane, still investigating the events in Africa, discovers a peculiar bullet lodged in her notebook. Recognizing its unusual nature, she discreetly hides it from Clark Kent, her partner, when he returns home. Both are aware of the mounting criticism directed at Superman, but Clark attempts to maintain a stoic indifference.
Wallace Keefe, now permanently confined to a wheelchair due to his severe leg injuries, makes a pilgrimage to the Superman monument in Metropolis. In a defiant act, he scales the statue and spray-paints "FALSE GOD" across Superman's chest, a stark visual representation of the growing disillusionment.
Bruce Wayne, driven by suspicion, investigates LexCorp's potential dealings with the notorious criminal Anatoli Knyazev, played by Callum Mulvey. As he closes in on Knyazev, Alfred informs Bruce of an invitation to a fundraiser hosted by Lex Luthor. Bruce attends, not as the billionaire philanthropist, but in his Batman persona. It is here that he encounters a display that deeply affects him: a suit belonging to Robin, defaced with the taunting graffiti, "Hahaha the joke's on you Batman."
At the fundraiser, Bruce mingles while Clark Kent is present to cover the event. Bruce discreetly plants a lock-picking device on a safe in Lex's home, intending to retrieve a hard drive containing crucial information. However, the drive has already been taken by a mysterious woman named Diana Prince, played by Gal Gadot. Later, Bruce and Clark have a tense encounter, their secret identities subtly acknowledged as they engage in a verbal sparring match. Clark views Batman as a dangerous vigilante, while Bruce sees Superman as an unchecked force who has caused more harm than good, despite his public adoration. After their separation, Clark witnesses a news report of a raging fire in Juarez, Mexico, and rushes to the scene as Superman, saving a young girl from a burning building, earning the gratitude of the local populace.
As Superman continues his heroic endeavors, various media personalities, including Charlie Rose and Neil deGrasse Tyson, observe and comment on the polarized public perception of the alien hero, with many viewing him as a messianic figure while others see him as a significant threat. Bruce encounters Diana again, confronting her about the item she took from him. She reveals its location, hidden within the glove compartment of his car. Meanwhile, Lois Lane's investigation into the origin of the unusual bullet leads her to General Swanwick, played by Harry Lennix. She learns of potential clandestine dealings between the U.S. military and individuals like Knyazev. Superman visits his adoptive mother, Martha Kent, portrayed by Diane Lane, expressing his deep concerns about how the world perceives him. Martha reassures him, reminding him that he owes the world nothing and encouraging him to continue his path.
Bruce experiences another disturbing dream, this time a bleak vision of the future following a presumed attack by Superman. In this nightmare, Batman engages mercenaries who seemingly serve Superman, resorting to lethal force with a firearm. The dream escalates with the descent of insect-like creatures, leading to Batman's incapacitation. He awakens to find himself captive, with Superman arriving and executing two men nearby with his heat vision. Superman then confronts Batman, removing his cowl and seemingly blaming him for Lois's predicament before crushing Batman's chest. Bruce jolts awake from this terrifying vision, just as a surge of electricity illuminates the room. From this surge emerges THE FLASH, played by Ezra Miller, delivering a cryptic warning to Bruce about an impending threat and urging him to "seek us out." Batman, now driven by a new urgency, sets out to locate the Kryptonite. He pursues Knyazev and his associates to the docks. Superman intercepts him, causing the Batmobile to crash. Superman demands that Batman cease his pursuit, but before he departs, Batman defiantly asks if Superman bleeds, vowing to make him do so.
Senator Finch convenes a hearing at the Capitol building in Metropolis, with the public eagerly anticipating Superman's appearance to defend himself. Wallace Keefe arrives, now equipped with a specialized wheelchair provided by Lex Luthor, to testify against the Man of Steel. Superman arrives to a divided crowd, some supportive, others hostile. Bruce observes from his office, receiving numerous taunting messages and images, including accusations of negligence regarding his family's death. As Finch begins her address to Superman, she falters, realizing Lex is absent. She notices a jar labeled "Granny's Peach Tea" on the table, a reference to a previous interaction with Luthor. Before she can comprehend the danger, a bomb concealed within Wallace's wheelchair detonates, obliterating the building and everyone within it, except for those with superpowers. This catastrophic event further intensifies public animosity towards Superman, who is now widely believed to be responsible.
Bruce, accessing the LexCorp drive, uncovers files pertaining to the "Metahuman Thesis." He discovers video evidence of several individuals with extraordinary abilities: Barry Allen, as The Flash, apprehending a robber with superspeed; Aquaman, played by Jason Momoa, evading detection before disappearing into the water with his trident; Victor Stone, played by Ray Fisher, undergoing a horrific experiment that fuses his body with machinery, transforming him into Cyborg; and a photograph of Diana in 1918, adorned in distinctive armor. Bruce then sends an email to Diana, questioning her identity. Lex Luthor proceeds to the Kryptonian ship with Zod's corpse. After extracting vital information from the ship's database, he deposits Zod's body into the Genesis Chamber, adding his own blood to initiate a monstrous creation. Clark experiences a dream where he receives guidance from his adoptive father, Jonathan Kent, portrayed by Kevin Costner. Meanwhile, Martha Kent is leaving her job when a van pulls up. It follows her, and despite her attempts to evade it, a group of men abduct her. Batman successfully acquires the Kryptonite and crafts a spear. He then activates the Bat-Signal, projecting it into the night sky. Back in Metropolis, Lex meets Lois atop his building. He pushes her off, but Superman arrives just in time to save her. Superman confronts Lex, who reveals his plan to pit Superman against Batman, believing it will allow humanity to triumph over a god-like being. Superman refuses to fight until Lex discloses that he is holding Martha hostage, giving Superman one hour to face Batman before she dies. Reluctantly, Superman flies to Gotham to find Batman. Superman seeks Batman's assistance, but Batman has his own agenda. The epic battle commences. Batman, clad in his armored suit, unleashes a brutal assault on Superman. He manages to throw Superman through walls, but Superman retaliates, tossing Batman around. Batman, however, recovers quickly, throwing Superman from a considerable height, bringing him down hard. He then binds Superman's feet and drags him towards a location where he intends to impale him with the Kryptonite spear. As Batman prepares for the killing blow, Superman pleads for help in saving Martha. The mention of this name triggers a profound memory for Batman, reminding him of his own mother. Lois arrives, informing Batman that Superman is trying to save his mother. This revelation causes Batman to cease his attack, agreeing to help rescue Martha while Superman confronts Lex. With Alfred's assistance, Batman locates the warehouse where Martha is being held. He systematically incapacitates the henchmen, utilizing his gadgets. Reaching the top, he finds Knyazev preparing to use a flamethrower on Martha. Batman manipulates one of the goons into shooting Knyazev's flamethrower tank, causing an explosion that allows Batman to rescue Martha. Superman confronts Lex, who realizes his plan has failed. However, his contingency plan is nearing completion. Zod has transformed into DOOMSDAY, a colossal, energy-devouring monstrosity. Superman engages Doomsday in a city-wide battle, with the military launching an offensive. As Superman carries Doomsday above Earth, they are struck by a missile, causing Doomsday to fall back to Earth with increased power. Batman arrives to aid in the fight. Doomsday unleashes a blast towards Batman, but it is deflected by the gauntlets of WONDER WOMAN. With her sword and shield, she joins the fray. Superman returns to stand with Batman and Wonder Woman. Meanwhile, Lois searches for the Kryptonite spear she had thrown into the water. As she nearly drowns, Superman rescues her. Knowing the potential consequences, Superman confesses his love to Lois. Wonder Woman restrains Doomsday with her lasso, while Batman employs nerve gas. Superman, at full speed, pierces Doomsday with the spear, but the creature retaliates, impaling Superman in the chest. Superman pushes the Kryptonite spear through Doomsday's body, finally killing him. Lois rushes to Superman's side, but he is already gone. Lex Luthor is apprehended and his head is shaved in prison. Batman visits him, threatening retribution. He holds a heated brand to Lex's face, but instead of branding him, he punches the wall, leaving a bat-shaped imprint. The world unites in mourning Superman's death. Martha presents Lois with an envelope containing an engagement ring from Clark. A funeral is held for the fallen hero, with citizens across Metropolis participating in a vigil. Bruce speaks with Diana, expressing his intention to gather others like them. Diana acknowledges that they may not wish to be found, but Bruce is certain they will need to unite against future threats. After the funeral, Lois places dirt onto Superman's grave. As she departs, a faint heartbeat is heard from the grave, followed by the levitation of some of the dirt.
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