| Injustice | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Promotional poster | |
| Directed by | Matt Peters |
| Written by | Ernie Altbacker |
| Based on | |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Edited by | Craig Paulsen |
| Music by | Robert J. Kral |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Home Entertainment |
Release date |
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Running time | 78 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Injustice is a 2021 Americanadult animatedsuperhero film based on theprequel comic series of the 2013NetherRealm Studios video gameInjustice: Gods Among Us, and based on characters fromDC Comics. Produced byWarner Bros. Animation andDC Entertainment, and distributed byWarner Bros. Home Entertainment, it is the 47th installment in theDC Universe Animated Original Movies line. The film is directed by Matt Peters from a story byErnie Altbacker and starsJustin Hartley andAnson Mount asSuperman andBatman, respectively. The film, set in a separate continuity from the mainDC Universe, follows Superman’s descent into madness after being tricked byJoker into killing his pregnant wifeLois Lane and detonating anuclear weapon that destroysMetropolis. As Superman transforms the Earth into apolice state to enforce global peace, Batman forms an underground resistance to oppose Superman and his allies.
The film was announced in May 2021, with Altbacker writing the script. The film adapts elements from both theInjustice video game and itsprequel comic book series (primarily theYear One arc), but tells an original narrative which diverges from the source materials.
On an alternate Earth,Joker andHarley Quinn killJimmy Olsen, kidnap a recently pregnantLois Lane, and steal anuclear weapon, which they connect to aheart rate monitor linked to Lois's heart. Upon hearing of Lois's capture,Batman calls theJustice League to find her. TheFlash finds theScarecrow dead in his lab and his supply of fear toxin missing before being killed by a trap laid by Joker.
Lois's husband, a panickingSuperman, eventually finds Joker and Harley hiding on a submarine but is attacked byDoomsday, whom he punches into space. As the other heroes arrive and apprehend the Joker and Harley, Batman realizes that they have mixed the fear toxin withKryptonite and used it to make Superman hallucinate that he is fighting Doomsday; in reality, he has beaten Lois to death. When her heart stops, the bomb attached to her detonates, destroyingMetropolis and killing 11 million people. Joker reveals to Batman that he was tired of losing to him, so he decided to target Superman and the Flash instead. Suddenly, a grief-stricken Superman then kills Joker in revenge.
WhileGreen Arrow takes Harley to his hideout to protect her from Superman, the latter reveals his identity before theUnited Nations and announces his intentions to bring peace to Earth, by force if necessary. The Justice League is left divided over Superman's actions; some members, such asWonder Woman, support his new methods, while others, like Batman, keep their no-killing vow. Other heroes, such asAquaman,Shazam, and the other magic users, refuse to choose sides and leave the League.Hal Jordan also leaves, stating that he and his fellowGreen Lanterns are being recalled to Oa.
Meanwhile, the United States government becomes concerned that Superman will interfere in their operations, and haveMirror Master kidnapJonathan Kent as leverage against him. Superman begins to question his actions, but Wonder Woman reassures him that he is doing the right thing and offers to help him find Jonathan. Confronting Mirror Master, Wonder Woman learns Jonathan's whereabouts, allowing Superman to rescue him. Elsewhere, Batman confronts thePresident and warns him that Superman will kill him if he finds out that he ordered Jonathan's capture.
Later, Superman visits Batman in theBatcave to make peace, but they get into an argument over their ideological views, and Batman refuses to join Superman. While trying to stop Superman from relocatingArkham Asylum inmates to a more secure facility, Batman andNightwing are shocked to discover thatRobin has joined Superman. Harley, who escaped Green Arrow's capture and decided to become a hero, releases the inmates, forcing Batman and Superman to temporarily put their differences aside to fight them. During the battle, Robin lashes out in anger and unintentionally kills Nightwing, leading to Batman disowning him. In the afterlife, Nightwing meetsRama Kushna, who transforms him intoDeadwing.
Robin attempts to convince Superman to ally withRa's al Ghul, but the latter declines. Batman forms an underground resistance and plans to steal a red sun cannon from theFortress of Solitude. During the break-in, Superman overpowersCaptain Atom, Ra's kills theAtom and destroys the cannon, and one of Green Arrow's shots is casually deflected by Superman, accidentally killing Jonathan, whom Superman had been keeping safe at the Fortress, causing Superman to murder him in response. After Superman transforms the Earth into apolice state using surveillance drones, Batman hasPlastic Man breakMister Terrific out of prison and leaks video footage of Superman killing a group of partying teenagers inspired by Joker to ruin his public image, shocking Wonder Woman as a result.
In response, Superman allies with Ra's and dispatchesAmazo to enforce global peace. However, the android quickly turns violent in Smallville as Ra's had secretly programmed it to kill Superman. Amazo killsHawkman andCyborg, but Batman and his allies arrive and help Superman and Wonder Woman destroy the android. Meanwhile, Robin, having had a change of heart, defeats Ra's with Deadwing's help in a duel, sparing Ra's life.
Despite their aid, Superman prepares to have the Insurgents arrested and incapacitates Wonder Woman after she turns on him, but is confronted by a Superman from an alternate Earth, whom Mr. Terrific had summoned. Mr. Terrific claims the other Superman is from Earth-9 and their world is Earth-1, but the other Superman corrects him, saying that his Earth is Earth-1 and the Injustice universe is Earth-22. Injustice Superman defeats his counterpart as the latter was holding back, but surrenders after being met with a Lois from another alternate Earth who lost her Superman after becoming pregnant with his child. Lois reminds Injustice Superman that, just like for hers, all life is sacred. Realizing how far he has fallen, Superman willingly agrees to be imprisoned.
Although unsure of what will happen next, Batman makes preparations to rebuild the world and his life withCatwoman.
In June 2021, an animated film based on the 2013 video gameInjustice: Gods Among Us was announced.[2] The voice cast for the film was announced the following month on July 21.[1]
Unlike the games, which are Rated T from theESRB,[3] the film is Rated R for Bloody Violence.[4] The film was released on October 19, 2021 onBlu-ray,4K Ultra HD and indigital format.[5][6] TheDVD was exclusively released forWalmart stores.[7] On October 9, the entire film was leaked online, ten days before its planned release date.[8]
The Blu-ray includes thefeaturette titledAdventures in Storytelling: Injustice – Crisis and Conflict, where the filmmakers discuss the production and themes of the film, as well as theJustice League episode "Injustice for All".[9]
The film made its linear debut in the United States onAdult Swim'sToonami block on February 19, 2023.[10]
Injustice received mixed reviews. On thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, 50% of 6 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.60/10.[11]
The film debuted at the third position on the "NPD Videoscan First Alert" weekly rankings for overall home media sales andBlu-ray sales in the United States.[7] According toThe Numbers, it sold 43,317 Blu-ray units and 7,568 DVD units in its first week of release for a revenue of $1.16 million.[12] It also ranked fifth on bothGoogle Play andVudu's VOD charts.[13] In the United Kingdom, it debuted at the tenth rank on theOfficial Film Chart.[14]
In the second week of its release in the United States,Injustice fell to the fifth rank on the Blu-ray sales chart and eighth rank in overall disc sales.[15] At the end of October, it ranked tenth in overall disc sales during the month.[16] The film re-entered Google Play's top 10 films chart in its third week, ranking fifth,[17] falling to the tenth rank in the following week.[18]
