Superman (film)

Superman is a 2009 superhero film based on the DC Comics superhero of the same name. It is the second main installment in the DC Cinematic Universe and the second installment of Phase One.

It was directed by Zack Snyder and stars Finn Wittrock, Dax Shepard, Lauren Cohen, Sam Neill, Annette Bening, Evan Peters, Minka Kelly, Laurence Fishburne, and Christian Bale. The film was released on March 27, 2009 and grossed $381.5 million on a $175 million budget. The film ran 121 minutes and received generally positive reviews.

Plot
On the distant planet of Krypton, Councilman Jor-El and his wife Lara are forced to send their infant son, Kal-El, away to Earth so he can be safe, as Krypton's impending doom arrives. Kal-El escapes the planet in a pod just as it explodes. Kal-El makes the three-year journey to Earth and arrives in 1989, along with a heavy meteor shower. Jonathan and Martha Kent, the owners of a farm, find Kal and decide to adopt him and take his pod to their barn. Twenty-years later, Kal-El/"Clark Kent" has gotten a job in Metropolis as a journalist. He works alongside journalist Lois Lane, who he has a crush on, and photographer Jimmy Olsen. They work directly under Perry White, the Editor-in-Chief. However, Clark, Lois, and Jimmy are startled when billionaire CEO Lex Luthor of LexCorp, makes a bid to buy the Daily Planet.

Clark has special powers due to his alien heritage which he keeps to himself; super-strength, super-speed, flight, heat vision, x-ray vision, ice breath, super-hearing, and invulnerability. On occasion, when Clark witnesses someone in trouble, he will use his powers to save them without divulging his identity. Clark returns to his hometown, Smallville, to visit Martha. There, he has flashbacks of several incidents as a child using his powers, and Jonathan dying of a heart attack. Clark asks Martha why he was born special. Martha finally takes him to the barn to see his pod, shocking Clark. In the pod, they discover a message from Jor-El, explaining his heritage, powers, and how he is meant to use his powers to save the world, not rule it. Clark is also given the coordinates to a secret location in the Arctic.

Clark arrives in the Arctic and witnesses the rising of an ice castle. Walking inside, Clark finds more of Jor-El's messages. He also discovers a red and blue suit with the El symbol, which is similar to an S. Clark uses the suit to anonymously save lives in Metropolis and around the world. The media dubs him Superman. Lex, however, believes that allowing Superman to operate alone will let him take over the world. Lex sets out to find a weakness. Meeting with Superman, Lex deduces his identity. Lex looks into Clark's background and discovers he had no record before Martha and Jonathan's adoption on the same day of the meteor shower. Lex realizes Clark is an alien and tips the government off about Clark. Martha is arrested by the government, who also take the pod. Lex discovers that on the same day as the meteor shower, several meteors filled with green crystals arrived in an African village. Lex, hoping he has found his weakness, takes the "Kryptonite".

Clark learns of what happened and reveals his identity to Lois. He takes Lois with him to confront the government. However, the government arrests him and Lois. When Lex arrives with the Kryptonite, Clark discovers it is dangerous to his health. Lex nearly kills him, before Lois manages to escape her cell and knock Lex out. Clark and Lois save Martha and show General Eiling that Lex is the true villain. Eiling questions Lex, who is broken out by his associates, who also kill Eiling. Lex brings back a powerful exo-suit he created years ago and powers it with Kryptonite. Lex fights Clark throughout Metropolis, while Lois broadcasts the entire thing live, condemning Lex. Clark nearly dies due to the exposure to Kryptonite, but Lois attempts to overheat the Kryptonite, which causes it to turn back and then explode, paralyzing Lex. Clark finally gains the courage to ask Lois on a date, which she accepts. Lex is sentenced to life in federal prison. Clark is at the Daily Planet when he hears someone scream that there is a bomb in the elevator. Clark rips off his clothes, revealing his Superman suit underneath and flies to the rescue.

In a post-credits scene, Lex is transfered from Black Gate to a secret facility. He is put in a heavily fortified cell, and meets Amanda Waller.

Cast

 * Finn Wittrock as Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman
 * Dax Shepard as Lex Luthor
 * Lauren Cohen as Lois Lane
 * Sam Neill as Jonathan Kent
 * Annette Bening as Martha Kent
 * Evan Peters as Jimmy Olsen
 * Minka Kelly as Mercy Graves
 * Laurence Fishburne as Perry White
 * Christian Bale as Jor-El