Superman: The Last Son of Krypton

**Superman: The Last Son of Krypton** is a 2010 superhero film based on the DC Comics superhero Superman. The film was directed by Zack Snyder and stars Henry Cavill, Keri Russell, Topher Grace, Michael Shannon, Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Ayelet Zurer, Laurence Fishburne, and Russell Crowe. It was released on July 2, 2010 and grossed $615.7 million against a $150–215 million budget. It ran 115 minutes and received praise for its visuals and cast. *Superman: Doomsday* was released on July 6, 2012, followed by *Batman v. Superman*on May 1, 2015.

## Plot

In 1980, the alien planet Krypton prepares for its destruction after its core has overheated. Councilman Jor-El and his wife, Lara, send their infant son Kal-El in a spaceship to escape the destruction to allow their lineage to live on. After several months of travel, Kal-El arrives on Earth in the rural Smallville, Kansas, where he is found by childless couple Jonathan and Martha Kent, who adopt him and raise him as their own, naming him Clark Kent. As Clark grows up, they discover that he has abilities due to his alien heritage. When Clark is a teenager, Jonathan reveals his spaceship to Clark, before dying of a heart attack. Thirty years after arriving on Earth, Clark works at the Daily Planet in Metropolis, along with Lois Lane, and their chief editor Perry White. Clark is close friends with Lex Luthor, the billionaire CEO of LexCorp, and the owner of the Daily Planet. At LexCorp, experiments with a mysterious green crystal-like substance opens a portal to the Phantom Zone, a Kryptonian prison. Kryptonian criminal General Zod escapes from the prison through the portal, along with his wife, Faora, and many of their followers. After killing several LexCorp employees, the aliens leave.

Clark and Lois investigate the murders for Luthor, though they conclude that no ordinary human could have killed the employees. Clark realizes that the way the people were killed is similar to his own strength. He returns to Smallville to visit Martha, as it has been fifteen years since Jonathan was killed. Clark reveals his investigation of the murders to Martha, who refuses to believe that there could be more Kryptonians. Martha also suggests that he has a crush on Lois, which he quickly dismisses. In Metropolis, Zod leads the aliens to an energy plant, also run by LexCorp, which they take over to begin collecting energy. Luthor visits the plant, though the aliens have disguised themselves as workers. Luthor senses something is off but leaves them alone. Clark asks Lois to come with him to see a movie, but she turns him down. However, the two are forced to work together again to investigate the plant. Both also sense something off in the plant but are confused until they find the bodies of the real workers. They are attacked by the aliens, and Clark discovers that his invulnerability does not apply to fighting other Kryptonians. He is beaten easily but recoups enough power to save Lois and escape.

Lois wants to go to the police, but Clark reveals his true identity to her and knows that he is the only one capable of taking them on. Lois does not believe him at first but Clark shows her his abilities. Returning to the plant, Lois sneaks in through the air ducts and shuts off the power flow. Clark attacks the aliens and manages to take them on. However, when he meets Zod in the main room, Clark is defeated and Zod reveals he is using the energy to create a portal to the Phantom Zone, so he can release all the other prisoners and they can take over Earth and turn it into New Krypton with the energy they have. Clark tries to destroy the plant, but Zod transports Clark away, while Lois is captured. Clark awakens in the Arctic and discovers an energy source similar to the plant. When he comes closer to the source, he witnesses the creation of an ice cavern. Entering the cavern, Clark discovers it was created by Jor-El decades before to prepare for Clark's arrival. Jor-El has preserved his consciousness in the "Fortress of Solitude", and created a suit for Clark to wear, including the El family crest, which is similar to an "S". Clark regenerates using the power of the Fortress and, donning the suit, returns to Metropolis stronger than ever.

Zod opens the portal to the Phantom Zone over Metropolis and the city attempts to evacuate, while Luthor drives to the plant and is captured as well. Clark arrives and rescues Lois and Luthor, who does not recognize him without seeing his face. Clark levels the plant, but Zod and Faora have already left with a Kryptonian ship. Downtown, near the Daily Planet, Zod begins terraforming the planet early, while the Phantom Zone prisoners escape. Clark arrives and takes them on. Lois takes command of the ship and begins killing the escapees and Faora. Clark and Zod fight one-on-one, which ends with the former winning. Before closing the portal, Zod is sucked back into the Phantom Zone, along with the surviving army, and the spaceship is destroyed. Clark and Lois kiss. LexCorp assumes responsibility for the portal opening, due to their experiments with the rock substance, which is deemed Kryptonite after the Kryptonians, while Clark's heroic identity is labeled Superman by the public, and while many praise his efforts to save the city, others fear he will one day turn on them. In a post-credits scene, Amanda Waller collects LexCorp's supply of Kryptonite as an emergency precaution.

## Cast

* Henry Cavill as Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman
* Keri Russell as Lois Lane
* Topher Grace as Lex Luthor
* Michael Shannon as General Zod
* Diane Lane as Martha Kent
* Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent
* Ayelet Zurer as Faora
* Laurence Fishburne as Perry White
* Russell Crowe as Jor-El

## Reception

### **Box office**

**Superman: The Last Son of Krypton**grossed $211.4 million (34.3%) in the United States and Canada and $404.4 million (65.7%) in other territories for a total of $615.7 million. Worldwide, it is the ninth highest-grossing 2010 film. It achieved a worldwide opening weekend of $157 million.

### **Critical reception**

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reports an 89% approval rating with an average score of 7.3/10, based on 344 reviews.