Superman: The Last Son of Krypton

Superman: The Last Son of Krypton is a 2016 DC Film Universe live action film, apart of the Keith Stone Justice League Universe, directed by Ben Affleck. The film stars Henry Cavill as Clark Kent/ Superman, Olivia Munn as Lois Lane, James McAvoy as Lex Luthor, Matt Bomer as Brainiac, and Ralph Fiennes as Jor-El.

Cast[]

Scott Porter as Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman- A young, twenty something journalist with superhuman abilities that he has been forced to hide his entire life. He learns that he is from the planet Krypton, and that he was sent to Earth to protect it. He is forced to reveal himself to the world when "Brainiac", the alien software system that destroyed Krypton, arrives on Earth to destroy it.
Olivia Munn as Lois Lane- A beautiful reporter for the Daily Planet, who is the first on the scene when Superman battles Brainiac. She coins the name "Superman", and the two feel an immediate connection.
Wes Bentley as Lex Luthor- The billionaire CEO of LexCorp Industries, a military technology corporation. He feels threatened by the emergence of Superman, who may pose a threat to Luthor's illegal projects.
Matt Bomer as Brainiac- The Kryptonian Brain InterActive Console, who was created by the brilliant scientist Jor-El to help advance Kryptonian technology. However, a Kryptonian rebellion led by the evil General Zod corrupted the software, and programed it to destroy Krypton after Zod was sentenced to the Phantom Zone.
Ralph Fiennes as Jor-El- Kal-El's birth father from the planet Krypton, and Krypton's most brilliant scientist. After he learns that Krypton is being destroyed by the very software that he created, he secretly sends his son to Earth in order to protect it.
Dennis Quaid as Jonathan Kent- A farmer in Smallville, Kansas who finds the baby Kal-El in a cornfield, and raise him as their son, Clark. As Clark gets older, Jonathan tells him the truth about how they found him, and how he must learn to use his powers for the greater good of humanity. He dies of a heart attack just before Clark leaves for Metropolis.
Kelly Preston as Martha Kent- Jonathan's wife, and Clark's adoptive mother.
Helen McCrory as Lara- Jor-El's wife and Kal-El's birth mother.
Alan Arkin as Perry White- The editor-in-chief of the Daily Planet newspaper.
Nicholas Braun as Jimmy Olsen- A rookie photographer/ copyboy at the Daily Planet, who is inspired by the arrival of Superman.
Powers Boothe as General Sam Lane- A four-star U.S. Army general, and the father of Lois Lane.
January Jones as Major Sandra Lee- Lane's second-in-command at the research division.
Rainn Wilson as Dr. Emil Hamilton- A high-ranking EXOCOM scientist who is in charge of researching the spaceship.

Plot[]

An opening monologue voiceover by Jor-El explains that for many years, the planet Krypton was the home of a civil war started by a rebellion led by the evil, power-hungry General Zod. After the rebellion was defeated, Zod was captured and sentenced to spend eternity in the intergalactic prison realm known as the Phantom Zone, which was created by Jor-El. However, after Zod's imprisonment, Jor-El discovered that the Kryptonian Brain InterActive Console (or Brainiac for short) had been corrupted by Zod and his army, and that it had been programed to send toxic energy waves throughout the planet in retaliation for Zod's imprisonment.

The film then begins showing Jor-El pleading with the Kryptonian General Council to deactivate Brainiac, as he is destroying the planet. The council, however, is unable to find any evidence that Brainiac was corrupted by Zod, and that deactivating him would do too much damage to the planet's infrastructure. The council unanimously votes to keep Brainiac activated, and Jor-El leaves in disappointment. He then spends much of his time building a spaceship that he intends to use to send his infant son, Kal-El, to Earth in order to allow him to survive the destruction of Krypton. When Lara, Jor-El's wife, discovers his plan, she is heartbroken and begs Jor-El not to do it. However, Jor-El convinces her to come around when he says that Earth is the only planet where his physical appearance will resemble the rest of the inhabitants, and that under it's yellow sun, he will have abilities that will make him nearly invincible. After the ship's construction is complete, Jor-El and Lara board their son onto it and say goodbye. The ship leaves Krypton just as it falls to pieces, leaving Kal-El as its sole survivor.

On Earth, in Kansas, Jonathan and Martha Kent are on a backpacking trip on a mountain range a few hours away from their hometown in Smallville. While climbing the mountains, they see a huge energy beam hit a few miles away, causing a huge vibration that almost kills Jonathan. When they regain their balance, they rush over to see what it is. They find the remains of some sort of strange technology, but are unable to decide what it is. After looking around, Martha finds the baby Kal-El in a crater. After they hear authorities nearby, they take the baby and quickly run away. Martha tries to convince Jonathan to agree to take the baby home with them, but he is very hesitant as to what they will tell people. Martha comes up with a story that while they were on their backpacking trip, they came across a family in a car crash. The parents both died, but their infant son luckily survived, and since the family left no will, the Kents adopted the baby.

Twenty years later, Kal-El is now called Clark by his family and friends, and has superhuman abilities including strength, speed, flight, heat vision, x-ray vision, supersonic hearing, and etc, though he is able to keep his abilities concealed from all others outside of his mother and father. Although he is now in his early twenties, he has no idea where he came from nor who his birth parents are. His father is sick in bed, and believed to be dying of cardiac failure. Jonathan tells Clark that he does not want him to stay hidden in Smallville forever, and that he must travel the world and try and figure out who he is. Clark says that he doesn't believe that he is ready to reveal himself to the world, and Jonathan says that one day he'll have to because the world will need him. Jonathan explains that Clark is extraordinarily gifted, and that it would be a sin not to share his gifts with a world that could use someone like him, even if they don't know it right away. Shortly thereafter, Jonathan passes away.

A few days later, Martha tells Clark that she knows what his father said to him before he died, and that she agrees that Clark must leave Smallville and embark on the greater things that he is destined for. He tells her that he would feel horrible leaving her on the farm by herself, but she assures him that she'll manage just fine, and that he moves fast enough to get there whenever she would desperately need him. Clark embraces his mother and decides to leave Smallville.

Meanwhile, at a military base on the east coast of America, Dr. Emil Hamilton, a scientist for the United States Extranormal Operations Command, is shown working on the ship that brought Clark to Earth twenty years ago (which is unbeknownst to Hamilton or anyone else for that matter). General Sam Lane, the chief of EXOCOM, asks if any progress has been made at all. Hamilton explains that while his team was doing a study on the vessel, they came across one part of it that "turned something on". Hamilton shows the general a symbol that appeared when the vessel activated, and it is shown to the audience to be the Brainiac symbol.

Clark arrives in Metropolis and soon after moves into his own apartment, but he seems to have trouble fitting in to the big city lifestyle. He visits a bar known as the Ace of Clubs and strikes up a conversation with its owner, Bobby Bibbowski, who can tell that Clark is struggling. Bibbowski informs Clark that the local newspaper, the Daily Planet, were looking for a new features writer, and recommends he interview for the position. Clark, intrigued, follows up on this and goes to the Daily Planet newspaper building, and interviews with the editor-in-chief, Perry White. Mr. White tells him given the current state of the newspaper due to LexCorp's monopoly on the rest of the news media in the city, they do not have the funds to hire "just another reporter", and that if he really wants a job there, he must show that he can dazzle readers through his words. As he leaves, he comes across Lois Lane, who he is clearly drawn to by her beauty, but she barely notices him at all.

Lex Luthor is shown unveiling a device that will enhance the military's ability to read the alien heiroglyphics in the spaceship. In attendance is General Lane, along with U.S. Senator Daniel Moore, the Chairman of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee who has direct oversight of General Lane's division. Both the general and the senator are amazed by the product, and tell Luthor that they will give him an offer by the end of the month; i addition, Senator Moore promises to arrange a meeting with the Department of Defense to extend LexCorp's military contract with the U.S Government. As they leave, Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen bombard Luthor and ask him to explain the toxic waste that was left thanks to LexCorp's recent project. The general, embarrassed by his daughter, commands both her and Olsen to leave immediately. Lois is enraged, and Clark is shown listening using his super hearing. He then looks suspiciously at Luthor.

After hearing about the spaceship, he sneaks in to the military base that is housing it to get a look at it. He looks at one of the symbols, which resembles an "S", and something activates and zaps him in the eye. He then sees a hologram that shows him the last moments of Krypton, when Jor-El and Lara said goodbye to him and sent him to Earth. Millions of Kryptonian symbols then go flashing before Clark's eyes, translated by a recorded monologue from Jor-El: "My son, you must have many questions about where you come from and who you are. Your name is Kal-El from the planet Krypton, and you are my son. Your mother, Lara, and I sent you to Earth to save you from Krypton's impending destruction as a result of the Kryptonian Brain InterActive Console, also called Brainiac. Due to Earth's yellow sun, you have been gifted with extraordinary abilities that make you far more powerful than anyone else on the planet. It is therefore your destiny to protect the human race from threats that may lead to its destruction, just as it did Krypton's. The humans have the potential to become great people, just as they wish to be, all they need is your guidance to show them the way. This is your destiny, Kal-El, to show the human race the way to becoming what they can be."

Clark wakes up on the ground in the lab, and hurriedly flies away once he hears security coming. He then goes back to Smallville and tells his mother what he has just learned. He expresses his doubt that he can fulfill the destiny that has been expected of him, but his mother reminds him of what Jonathan said to him before he died, that one day the world will need him and he will be forced to reveal himself. She shows him a red and blue suit that she made for him out of the fabric that he was wrapped in when he arrived on Earth twenty years ago. The front is embedded with the same "s" symbol that Clark saw on the ship.

Back at the government lab, Dr. Hamilton is using Luthor's device to inspect the ship, with Luthor present as well. As they are running scans, the ship turns on again, and a black liquid comes out of it. Everyone in the lab runs back, as they do not know what the liquid is. The liquid then starts forming into the shape of a human, before completely forming into a man. The man introduces himself as Brainiac, the Kryptonian Brain InterActive Console. He asks them where Kal-El is, and none of them have any idea what he is talking about. Major Sandra Lee, the general's second in command, pulls out a gun and fires at him, but the bullet bounces off of him without even leaving a scratch. He then destroys the entire lab and flies away.

Back in Metropolis, Lois gets a call from a source about the attack on the lab, and then calls her dad asking for a statement. He tells her that he has no comment, and that she should stay away from stuff like this. Soon after, vibrations are felt throughout the city, and then explosions occur, causing everyone to run rampant all over the place. Brainiac then uses his technology to take over the TV, internet, and radio airwaves and announce that he wants Kal-El, and that if he does not come to him immediately, Earth will be destroyed.

Clark watches Brainiac's speech from his tiny apartment, and remembers that Kal-El was what Jor-El called him in the hologram message. He goes through his bag and takes out the suit that his mother made for him, and remembers what Jonathan said to him about the world needing him someday. He then remembers what Jor-El said, about how it is his destiny to lead the human race to reaching their potential. He puts on the suit and flies away.

Brainiac, meanwhile, continues causing mass destruction all over the city. Jimmy Olsen runs up to get a photo of him. Brainiac sees the flash, and flies toward Jimmy. He grasps Jimmy's neck and says that he is a stupid boy, but Jimmy tells him that he is willing to risk dying in order to get the truth out to the public. Brainiac begins to use more force on him, but Clark flies over and grabs Brainiac before throwing him across the street. He tells Brainiac that he is Kal-El, and that he will not let him destroy Earth like he did Krypton. Brainiac says that his father, Jor-El, created him, and that he made him capable of being more powerful than any Kryptonian could ever dream of.

As Clark and Brainiac battle each other in the streets of Metropolis, Lois and Jimmy run toward the action while everyone else is running away in fear. Lois asks Jimmy who the man in the red and blue is, but he says that he has no idea. Lex Luthor is shown watching from his office, and he is in clear suspicion of the man in the red and blue, looking even possibly threatened.

General Lane is shown on the phone with the Secretary of Defense, who tells him to launch a nuclear missile at both men in an hour. Back in Metropolis, Clark and Brainiac are still fighting each other, and are clearly equal in terms of ability. Jimmy makes a comment to Lois that with both men having incredible strength, they could destroy the entire city before they destroy each other.

Clark soon realizes the same thing that is evident to everyone else, and flies out of Brainiac's range, in order to save the city damage while he comes up with a plan to stop Brainiac. Lois and Jimmy, wondering where he went, go to the military base to find her father. Clark goes to the same place, but to find the ship instead. When he arrives, he touches the ship, hoping it will give him the guidance he needs in destroying Brainiac. Dr. Hamilton is then seen by Clark. Hamilton is clearly in awe of Clark, and tells him that he knew someone had to come to Earth in that thing. Clark asks him what he knows about the ship, and about Brainiac. Dr. Hamilton tells him about all of his research over the past twenty years, and that just earlier that day, Brainiac came out of the ship as a black liquid and shapeshifted into a man. Clark then deduces that since Brainiac is just a machine, he must have downloaded himself onto the ship when Clark was a baby, thus making him part of the ship. Clark asks Hamilton if there is a way to destroy the ship, but Hamilton says that through his research, he has deduced that only a nuclear weapon lined with green meteorites from the surrounding crater area (kryptonite) could even come close to destroying it.

Lois and Jimmy arrive in the room looking for the general, and are stunned to see the man in the red and blue. He and Hamilton explain the situation to them, and Lois points out that her father may be able to help. She calls him, and he again tells her to stay away from the subject. He then tells her that she should stay away from both of the aliens, because in less than forty minutes, he is going to launch a nuclear missile filled with kryptonite at both of them. She tells this to Clark, and he decides that he must find Brainiac and lead him to the lab, so that the missile will destroy the ship, and thus Brainiac. Lois asks him if he'll die in the explosion as well, and he says he doesn't know, but they all need to get out. Jimmy and Dr. Hamilton both leave, but Lois stays behind and thanks him for saving them all. She then kisses him and leaves.

Clark flies back to Metropolis and finds Brainiac. They battle for a little while longer so that Clark can stall in order to time the arrival of them both in precise timing with the missile. After a while, Clark flies away again, but makes sure that Brainiac is able to follow him. They arrive at the lab just as General Lane gives the order to launch the missile. The missile hits the lab, destroying the ship and Brainiac. Lois and Jimmy run over to the wreckage to see if Clark survived. They find the remains of the ship, and then find him unconcious. After a brief period, he awakens, showing that he is still alive. They all question how he survived the blast, and Dr. Hamilton points out that the only part of the suit he was wearing that wasn't damaged was the cape, which was covering his body. Clark realizes to himself that Jor-El must've used some sort of protective fabric, just in case the kryptonite ever made its way to him. He flies away, and Jimmy says that he wonders what the "s" stands for. Lois, in a dreamy tone, says to herself: "Superman".

The next day, the Daily Planet runs a story written by Lois about Superman, with a close up photo by Jimmy, selling loads of copies, much more than any other news outlet. Clark, back in Smallville, is talking to his mother about how now the world has seen his face and knows what he can do. She tells him that it is good that they've seen his face, because if he wore a mask, they'd fear him, but since his face is seen, they trust him. She tells him that the mask is what he will now wear as Clark Kent, not Superman.

The next day, Clark goes back to the Daily Planet building, but now wearing an old business suit and a pair of glasses. He also gels his hair back and slumps his shoulders to further the disguise. He arrives in Mr. White's office and gives him an article he wrote about the events with Superman and Brainiac. Perry loves the article and hires Clark right away. Clark is given a desk right across from Lois's, and she looks at him suspiciously, asking if they've met before. He tells her that he was in the office the other day and bumped into her, but she didn't really notice him. She still thinks he looks familiar from somewhere else, but shakes it off and gets back to work, telling him, "Welcome to the Daily Planet, Smallville."

During the end credits, Lex Luthor walks into Dr. Hamilton's lab and tells him that he is recruiting him to work on another project funded by LexCorp. Dr. Hamilton asks what the project is, and Luthor tells him that Superman isn't the only evidence of life beyond Earth that the government has. Dr. Hamilton gets excited and packs up his equipment, while Luthor dials a number and tells the person he is calling that Hamilton is going to help them. The person being called is shown to be Amanda Waller (Nia Long). After she hangs up the phone, she turns on a light in a lab, and a green man (J'onn J'onnz) is shown asleep inside a chronogenic chamber.

The End

Reception[]

The film was both a critical and financial success. It opened in the #1 box office position, where it stayed for 3 consecutive weeks. It grossed a domestic total of $578,087,672 and a worldwide total of $1,786,652,987. It currently holds a 94% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Photos[]

Transcript[]

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