| Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice | |
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| Riffed by | RiffTrax |
| Riffers | Mike Nelson Kevin Murphy Bill Corbett Bridget Nelson Mary Jo Pehl Cole Stratton Janet Varney Matthew J. Elliott Ian Potter Conor Lastowka Sean Thomason Frank Conniff Trace Beaulieu |
| Series | Batman |
| Date Released | December 15, 2017 |
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is a 2016 American superhero film featuring the DC Comics characters Batman and Superman. Directed by Zack Snyder, the film is the second installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), following 2013's Man of Steel. It was written by Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer, and features an ensemble cast that includes Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter, and Gal Gadot. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is the first live-action film to feature Batman and Superman together, as well as the first live-action cinematic portrayal of Wonder Woman. In the film, criminal mastermind Lex Luthor (Eisenberg) manipulates Batman (Affleck) into a preemptive battle with Superman (Cavill), whom Luthor is obsessed with defeating.
RiffTrax released their riff in December 2017. This riff is notable for being the first official RiffTrax to feature multiple members of RiffTrax Presents teams, including Matthew J. Elliott, Ian Potter, Cole Stratton, Janet Varney, Bridget Nelson and Mary Jo Pehl, as well as the riffing debuts of RiffTrax writers Conor Lastowka and Sean Thomason. Frank Conniff and Trace Beaulieu are also featured. Paul F. Tompkins is the only notable RiffTrax performer to be absent, despite joining the rest of the cast in the RiffTrax Live: Summer Shorts Beach Party months earlier.
Synopsis and Preview[]
RiffTrax Batman V. Superman (Preview)-2
Eighteen months after the battle between Superman and General Zod in Metropolis, Superman has become a controversial figure. Billionaire Bruce Wayne, who has operated in Gotham City as the vigilante Batman for two decades, sees Superman as an extraterrestrial threat to humanity. After learning of Batman's form of justice, Clark Kent (Superman's civilian identity) seeks to expose him via Daily Planet articles. Wayne learns that Russian weapon trafficker Anatoli Knyazev has been contacting LexCorp mogul Lex Luthor. Meanwhile, Luthor unsuccessfully tries to persuade Senator June Finch to allow him to import kryptonite retrieved from the Indian Ocean following Zod's terraforming attempt, claiming he wants to maintain it as a "deterrent" against future Kryptonian threats. He instead makes alternative plans with Finch's subordinate and gains access to Zod's body and the Kryptonian scout ship.
Bruce attends a gala at LexCorp to steal encrypted data from the company's mainframe, where he also encounters with Clark, but has it taken from him by an antiquities dealer named Diana Prince; she eventually returns it to Bruce. While decrypting the drive, Bruce dreams of a post-apocalyptic world, where he leads a group of rebels against a fascist Superman. He is awakened from his vision by an unidentified person, appearing through a portal, who warns him of Lois Lane's crucial role in the future, and urges him to find "the others" before vanishing. Wayne later discovers that Luthor is also investigating metahumans. One of them is Prince herself, who is shown in a photo taken during World War I. Wayne admits to Alfred Pennyworth that he plans to steal the kryptonite to weaponize it, should it become necessary to fight Superman.
At a Congressional hearing, as Finch questions Superman on the validity of his actions, a bomb goes off and kills everyone present but Superman. Believing he should have detected the bomb, and frustrated by his failure to save them, Superman goes into self-imposed exile. Batman breaks into LexCorp and steals the kryptonite, planning to use it to battle Superman by building a powered exoskeleton, creating a kryptonite grenade launcher, and a kryptonite-tipped spear. Meanwhile, Luthor enters the Kryptonian ship and accesses a vast technology database accumulated from over 100,000 worlds.
Later, Luthor kidnaps Lois and Martha Kent, Clark's adoptive mother, to bring Superman out of exile. He reveals to him that he manipulated Superman and Batman by fueling their distrust for each other. Luthor demands that Superman kill Batman in exchange for Martha's life. Superman tries to explain the situation to Batman, but instead Batman attacks Superman and eventually subdues him. Before Batman can kill Superman with the spear, Superman urges Batman to "save Martha", whose name is also shared with Bruce's late mother, confusing him long enough for Lois to arrive and explain what Superman meant. Realizing how far he has fallen and unwilling to let an innocent die, Batman rescues Martha, while Superman confronts Luthor on the scout ship.
Luthor executes his backup plan, unleashing a genetically engineered monster with DNA from both Zod's body and his own blood. Diana Prince arrives unexpectedly; revealing her metahuman nature, she joins forces with Batman and Superman to eliminate the creature. When they are all outmatched, Superman realizes its vulnerability to kryptonite, and retrieves the spear to kill it. In the creature's last moments, it fatally wounds Superman.
Luthor is arrested and Batman confronts him in prison, warning Luthor that he will always be watching him. Luthor gloats that Superman's death has made the world vulnerable to powerful alien threats. A memorial is held for Superman in Metropolis. Clark is also declared dead, with various friends and family members including Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince attending for him in Smallville. Martha gives an envelope to Lois, which contains an engagement ring from Clark. After the funeral, Bruce expresses his regrets to Diana about how he failed Superman. He reveals to her that he plans to form a team of metahumans, starting with those from Luthor's files, to help protect the world in Superman's absence. After they leave, the dirt atop Clark's coffin levitates.
Cast and Crew[]
- Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne / Batman
- Henry Cavill as Clark Kent / Superman
- Amy Adams as Lois
- Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor
- Diane Lane as Martha Kent
- Laurence Fishburne as Perry White
- Jeremy Irons as Alfred
- Holly Hunter as Senator Finch
- Gal Gadot as Diana Prince / Wonder Woman
- Scoot McNairy as Wallace Keefe
- Callan Mulvey as Anatoli Knyazev
- Tao Okamoto as Mercy Graves
- Lauren Cohan as Martha Wayne
Quotes[]
Notes[]
See Also[]