Genre: Action/Superhero/Comedy
Directors: Phil Lord & Chris Miller
Writer: Chad Taylor
Based on DC Comics characters
Cast: Billy Magnussen, Dan Stevens, Jason Clarke, Camila Mendes, Alexandra Daddario, Julia Roberts, Ralph Ineson, Camille Kostek, Julia Fox, Jake Weary
Plot: 1815. At the Battle of Waterloo, General Michel Ney (Jason Clarke) fights for Napoleon’s army but is on the losing side. After Napoleon is dethroned, Ney is arrested for treason and put to trial as a part of the Second White Terror. His lawyer tries to argue that Ney cannot be prosecuted in French court because his hometown has recently been annexed by Prussia but Ney himself objects as he proudly proclaims that he is French. He is sentenced to death by firing squad. The executioner asks Ney if he has any last words but he just smiles and shakes his head. He is brutally executed by a team of five. Hours later, the gravediggers go to retrieve his body but it is missing. They shrug and walk away.
The next morning, the executioner wakes up to start his day. He yawns and opens his eyes to the horror of a decapitated head on the pillow next to him. It is the judge who sentenced Ney to death. The executioner panics to get up but finds that four other heads lay in the bed with him - his four colleagues on the firing squad. “Any last words?” he hears as he turns around and finds Ney, seemingly fully healed, with a sword at his throat.
“Skeets, play ‘Superman’ by Goldfinger.”
A repaired version of Skeets plays the song as Booster Gold (Billy Magnussen) begins heating a dish in the microwave. The camera pulls out to reveal that he is on roller blades as he begins to skate his way throughout the Vanishing Point - home to the Time Masters. As he dances, he realizes he forgot to add water to his dish and furiously skates his way back to the kitchen to find that he has started a small fire. The music continues to play as he frantically searches for a fire extinguisher while also trying to keep his balance on the skates. His search is fruitless so he moves on to plan B and throws a towel over it so that he can pick it up. In a panic, he skates the burning microwave to the Point’s door and throws it out as it evaporates into the timestream. Elsewhere, a loud thud is heard as Rip Hunter (Dan Stevens) returns in his Time Sphere.
Booster nervously skates his way to see Rip and they both look a bit exhausted. “The craziest thing just happened,” they say at the same time. “Aw, was that a father-son moment? You go first…” Booster says as Rip shows off his bloodied hand and describes his adventures with the Justice League. Booster is wide-eyed and walks back his statement that the craziest thing just happened to him. Rip asks what happened and Booster says nonchalantly that they’ll just need a new microwave.
In the present day, the camera sits on a reclusive mansion in the dead of night. The man (Jason Clarke) sleeps soundly in his bed but is startled awake by a sudden cough. He rushes to the bathroom where he begins coughing up blood. Hours later, his personal physician arrives and performs a check-up. The doctor says that he will need to perform more blood tests but it appears that his patient has an aggressive form of cancer. After the doctor leaves, the man angrily punches a wall. When he returns to bed, he looks down to his hand and discovers that his wounds are not healing.
Booster tosses and turns in his bed, unable to sleep. He looks at his bedside table of pictures of April and Ted. Rip enters and asks him how he’s feeling, immediately realizing he should be the one being asked that. Booster can sense that Rip is going to invite him on a mission and says that he is not sure if he’s ready yet. Emotionally. Rip lets out a sigh and says he understands but that he really needs Booster to join him for this one. Rip says that it will all make sense later but that this is more than a one-man job. Booster agrees to listen.
The man goes by many names but the Time Masters know him by the codename Vandal Savage. A neanderthal who interacted with gasses from a meteor that gave him immortality. He’s been an agent of chaos throughout history, becoming the wealthiest man in the world and amassing a body count in the tens of thousands in the process. But he has always been difficult to track down. Now it appears that the actions of Extant and the Justice League have caused a disruption in the timestream that has him losing that power. Booster asks why can’t they just let him die. Rip says that Savage has his sights set on something - somewhere - more dangerous.
The Eye of Antiope sits in its impenetrable case as the camera zooms out to reveal the majestic land of Themyscira. Booster and Rip, dressed like Miami Vice characters, ride in on a boat as they survey the land. Booster asks for clarification that men are not allowed on this island. Rip says that it is a little more complicated than that. Booster is befuddled as he says they won’t even be able to explain their mission because they’ll be killed immediately. He asks if they should’ve dressed up like women and Rip gives him a disapproving look. He says that he has done his research and knows of a weak spot that they can make their entry.
Donna Troy (Camila Mendes) and her friend Epione (Camille Kostek) sit on a dock, smoking an herbal substance from Epione’s healing kit. In the distance, Epione spots the boat quickly approaching. Donna wonders if it is Diana returning from her mission in the outside world but springs into action upon realizing it is strangers. Epione asks if Donna is sure she wants to do that given that they’ve been smoking and Donna says she will be fine. Booster enters a near-trance upon seeing Epione as time slows down and 'My Eyes Adored You' plays. He asks Rip if he believes in love at first sight. Rip laughs and says Booster must really have a type - but he better make sure she’s not his ancestor this time. Booster raises his hands up and says that they come in peace. Before he knows it, a spear strikes his shoulder and he falls in shock. Donna turns to Epione and says “see?”.
Donna leaps down to the boat and begins hand-to-hand combat with Rip and defeats him rather quickly, much to his chagrin. With her hand at his throat, she asks why she shouldn’t pierce him like she did his friend. Struggling for breath, he explains that they are here to warn of an attack that could lead to the death of all Amazons. Donna says that is not possible but he explains that an evil force is intent on taking the Eye of Antiope, which grants immortality, for himself. Donna is shaken by this news and backs away as Epione, one of the chief Amazonian healers, rushes to Booster’s aid and begins treating his wound. When she places her hands on his shoulders, they lock eyes and time slows down. “Did it hurt?” she asks. Booster smiles, quipping back “when I fell from heaven?”. Epione giggles but looks confused and says no, she was referring to the pressure on his wound. Rip interrupts this little moment and says they need to get on the move and Donna says they need to go see Queen Hippolyta.
Vandal arrives via ship to a stormy beach that is reminiscent of Themyscira but more ravaged. His body is already noticeably thinner. Two male guards quickly approach and threaten him but he surrenders and says he is here to see Hephaestus. They ask who is visiting and Vandal says “an old friend”. He is taken to see Hephaestus (Ralph Ineson), the god of fire and the blacksmith for every weapon in Themyscira and the rest of the Greek pantheon. “Theseus?” Hephaestus asks, recalling their previous interactions during Herakles’ siege, when Vandal went by a different name. Vandal requests they sit down and talk.
Vandal reveals his plan to attack Themyscira and obtain the Eye of Antiope. Heph warns against this as their weapons are very well-equipped given that he created them. Vandal removes his gear and shows Heph his weakening body and says that it is his last hope. Heph asks why Vandal has come to him after all of these centuries. Vandal says that this has all come on very quickly and so he hasn’t had time to amass an army to support him. And he knows Heph has the manpower to help him as they look out on Heph’s village, flush with muscular young men working in his factory. Heph asks what he would get out of sacrificing his workforce. Vandal, with a smile, says the one thing that Hephaestus wants the most in this world.
Back on Themyscira, the quartet move up a trail towards the palace of Queen Hippolyta. Ahead of the boys, Epione comments that Booster is pretty easy on the eyes and Donna scoffs, saying he is no Steve Trevor. Rip, overhearing this, asks if they rate every man on the scale of Steve Trevor and Epione points out that is the practically the only man they know. Donna says that the scale is now Steve Trevor to Booster Gold, with Rip in between. Rip looks to his father and feels bad about this teasing and says that surely he himself should be the low end.
Booster, now exasperated, asks if they can take a break. Hiking is his least favorite leisurely activity. Epione offers him her hand and says that she can carry him on her back if he’d like. Booster perks up and says he would like that. They are interrupted when a large owl attacks Rip and then sets its sights on Booster. Frightened by a bird the size of himself, Booster cowers in fear while Donna is quick to lasso the bird into control. Epione looks down to Rip and sees that he has been mauled across his back pretty badly. She begins to tend to his wounds and Rip tells Donna and Booster to go ahead without them since they are running out of time.
Hephaestus gives Savage a tour of his village. Savage asks Heph to remind him of how he met Aphrodite. Heph’s story stretches back to his birth, when he was rejected from Mount Olympus because of his deformities and subsequently raised to be an ironworker. In an attempt to win back the admiration of his father, he arranged for a golden throne to be sent to Olympus for his mother but in reality it was trap that bound her to it. Zeus promised his daughter Aphrodite’s hand in marriage to the first person who could free Hera. Everyone assumed it would be Ares but only Hephaestus knew the way to unlock it. While his marriage with Aphrodite was rocky initially, he considered himself lucky everyday to be wed to the most beautiful woman in the world.
And then came the attack on Amazonia and she has not been seen since. He suspects that Ares has something to do with. Savage promises to return to her to him. Hephaestus then offers Vandal in on the secret of his workers. Like him, they too were rejects. The lost sons of Themyscira. Due to Amazonian customs, every boy born on the island is sent away at birth, never to return. And that is where Hephaestus saw an opportunity to offer guidance to generations of orphans like himself. Savage’s eyes widen and he asks Heph to confirm that the men he will be bringing into battle are Amazonians with a grudge to hold. Heph nods and introduces Vandal to his finest soldier: Jason (Jake Weary), twin brother of Diana. Jason kneels before them and says it will be an honor to serve them.
As Booster and Donna make their way to see Hippolyta, there is an awkward tension in the air after Booster’s previous cowardice. He tries to break the silence by asking what an owl’s favorite rock band is. Donna looks confused and asks what is a rock band. Booster explains that the answer is The Who but then he seems befuddled and asks if they don’t have music here on the island. She says they have traditional folk songs but has never heard of rock music…is it like people playing drums on rocks? Booster laughs and then asks if this means they don’t have karaoke. She raises her eyebrows at the sound of that word and he says he can’t believe she’s lived her whole life without karaoke. “Strix,” she says. Booster looks confused. She says he can use his big fancy words then she can too. That was a Strix back there, an Ancient Greek bird, not an owl. They don’t like men. Booster says that is good to know and says that should justify his fear.
As Epione treats Rip’s wounds, she asks what he does for a living. He says that this - time-traveling, saving the world, yada yada - his kind of his full-time gig. She asks if that is what he wanted to be when he grew up. He admits that he had pretty good role models to look up to but he was actually studying to get his doctorate in Anthropology when he got roped into this line of work. Epione smiles widely upon hearing doctor and asks if he is a healer like her. He laughs and says it’s not really the same kind of doctor. But he is certainly more of a healer than a fighter, pointing to his back wounds and injured hand from the Extant fight. Epione suggest they go to the Temple of Aphrodite as that is where the Eye of Antiope is kept.
As the other two near Queen Hippolyta’s palace, Booster asks Donna if she knows Wonder Woman. Herface lights up and she describes Diana as her best friend in Themyscira. When she is around anyway. Booster asks if she ever wishes she could go out in the real world like Diana does. After a beat, Donna says that Diana is the best representative that Themyscira could have. But she would be lying if she didn’t feel like her talents are wasted here being purely in defensive mode. There’s an urge in her to go out and help people. He says it is pretty great. But then she begins to backtrack and says she is helping people, her people. And without the Amazonians, the rest of the world would be in peril. She says that, to be honest, sometimes she misses her friend too. This makes Booster momentarily pause before saying he gets that.
The guards at the palace take a defensive stance but Donna says that she has a visitor here to see the Queen. They looks skeptical and Donna then says that he is a friend of Diana’s. Upon hearing this, they quickly let their guard down and they are welcomed in to see Queen Hippolyta. The Queen hugs Donna and then tells Booster that she heard he knows her daughter. Booster goes along with the lie and says they’ve fought a few battles. Donna slowly looks back at him angrily and he is confused before Hippolyta clarifies if they were enemies. Booster laughs and then says that was his bad, they’ve fought a few battles together.
They lay out the Vandal’s planned attack on the island to the Queen. Booster apologizes for coming short-handed but he says that the Justice League is pretty battered at the moment so it was the perfect moment for Vandal’s attack. Hippolyta says she will make a call out to Diana but Booster says that the attack is imminent and that they need to mobilize every soldier on Themyscira as Savage has Hephaestus on his side. Hippolyta’s face drops and Donna asks what that means. Hippolyta tells her that the man who made all of their weapons surely knows all of the weaknesses of those weapons as well. She thanks Booster for coming and says that they will prepare for battle immediately.
Vandal, Hephaestus, and their fleet sail into the beaches of Themyscira. Savage, although weakened physically, gives his soldiers a fiery speech. He removes his shirt to reveal many scars across his body. lists some of the many battles he has fought in over the centuries and one thing has always remained the same: those who show no fear are those who yield victory. And for them, victory means immortality. Immortality that was stolen from them. Jason raises his sword in the air and lets out a battle cry as the rest of the soldiers follow suit, some of them touting guns. When Booster sees this, a look of fear rushes over his eyes as he says they have guns. Donna shrugs and says they have arrows. Booster says “oh great” but nervously whispers “exactly” under his breath.
Savage and his men launch a full-scale attack on the island. Bullets and arrows are exchanged as the Amazons stand their position. Hephaestus charges forward with The Aegis, the strongest shield in all of the world. While things are fairly even initially, the artillery of the Savage’s men allows them to gain an early advantage as their line continues to move forward.
Leading the charge, Vandal reaches the Temple of Aphrodite. Hephaestus, just behind, takes a break from battle to look in awe at the temple made in honor to his love. Rip and Epione stand in front of the gates of the Temple and Rip says that Vandal’s journey ends him. Vandal turns to Heph and asks who the hell this is. Heph shrugs his shoulders. Vandal says that he fought beside Genghis Khan, do you think he is afraid of a little blonde man. Rip charges at him and they battle it out over the Temple steps. While Vandal’s cancer means that he is not at full strength, he still proves to be a better fighter than Rip. Vandal gets his hand around Rip’s throat but is interrupted by an arrow from Epione. He slowly turns to look at her and just laughs as Jason emerges from behind her and shoves a sword through her back.
Savage and his men overtake the Temple and are able to retrieve the Eye. As he holds it in his hands, Hippolyta enters the room and says that she just wants to ask why he is doing this. She then turns to Heph and asks how he could help in such an act. Vandal says that is bold of her to talk after what she did to all of these men, once boys who were exiled from this beautiful land. And for what? Because of their reproductive organs? Hippolyta says she does not know what he is talking about. Jason walks up to the queen with his sword but Vandal says there is no need and holds up the Eye. He says now that they have this, she will die naturally…just like everyone else.
Booster, Donna, and other Amazons continue fighting but things begin to halt once it seen that Savage has obtained the Eye. Donna then spots a bloodied Epione on the ground and her eyes begin to well up as her fists clench. Murmurs then begin to spread amidst the Amazons and now it is Savage’s soldiers who stop and stare. Everyone looks to the beach as Wonder Woman (Alexandra Daddario) stands in full armor and she calls out to her fellow natives, saying that this is battle is not yet over. Donna, amidst her tears, smiles and tells Booster she is ready to put her body on the line to save Themyscira, if it’s the last thing she does on Earth. Booster whispers to himself that that was kind of hot.
Wonder Woman fiercely charges into the battlefield as her arrival has seemed to rejuvenate the Amazon soldiers. They begin to valiantly fight back as Booster and Donna prove to be a formidable fighting duo, which grows to a trio when Diana reaches the heart of the battle to help. The tides turn in the fight and the Amazons begin to win the upper hand, defeating the invaders when their weapons do not prove as powerful compared to the fight knowledge of the Amazons. The soldiers are clearly outmatched. After seeing what he did to Epione, Donna personally takes on Jason and handily defeats him after repeatedely punching her metal wrist bracelets into his throat.
Vandal sees his soldiers being defeated and comes to the realization that Hippolyta must’ve been right and that Heph was lying about the origins of the soldiers. He goes to confront Hephaestus about it and Heph pushes back, asking Vandal if he took him as a fool. He pulls Vandal closer and says that he knows the truth. The film flashes back to Vandal’s days as Theseus. While Hephaestus is away, Theseus discovers Aphrodite (Julia Fox) alone and has her cornered. He begins to forcibly kiss her but she valiantly fights him off, causing him to stab her repeatedly with his dagger.
Back on Themyscira, Vandal’s dagger is now firmly planted in Hephaestus’s stomach. Heph drops The Aegis and falls down on top of it as Vandal hurries to his ship with the Eye, where Booster is there waiting for him. Vandal asks who this is - the twin of the blonde boy from earlier. Booster shakes his head and says “I’m his father.” Vandal is weirded out about this but, like Rip earlier, Booster uses this moment to attack and the two of them begin battle on the ship. As they fight, Vandal’s gun falls from his holster and they struggle over it. Booster, stronger than Savage, is able to gain control and holds the gun to his enemy’s head. His finger hovers on the trigger. He closes his eyes.
In a flashback, we see the moment where Brother Blood similarly holds a gun to Ted Kord’s head. Elsewhere, Booster is sitting in his time sphere watching as the time hits the moment of Ted’s death. He is crying uncontrollably as he must let it happen.
Back on the ship, Booster’s hand is trembling and he drops the gun. Vandal hits him with an uppercut and then pulls out his sword, saying he always preferred these. Now back to full strength, Savage watches as the bruises on his hands heal. Savage’s sword presses against the throat of a helpless Booster. “What is a man worth without his life?” he asks Booster. The blade pierces Booster’s skin as he struggles for to speak.
“His legacy.”
Savage is hit in the head by The Aegis, temporarily knocking him down. Rip climbs on top of Vandal and begins delivering punches left and right. With Rip on the edge of death, Booster intervenes and tells his son that he has more than proven himself. They should let him die the natural way, pointing to Donna retrieving the Eye of Antiope. They turn Savage’s ship around to return the Eye of Antiope back to Themyscira. The ship comes to shore and Donna gives the Eye to Diana to return it to its rightful place. When she does, they look on as the Amazonians slowly start to regain their strength and promptly defeat the soldiers once and for all.
With his army defeated and lacking the strength to reach the Eye of Antiope, Savage lays weak on the ground with resignation in his eyes. Suddenly, a burning sensation emerges in the sky. Savage, upon seeing this, recognizes it as a comet similar to the one that gave him his immortality in the first place. He musters the strength he can to celebrate in joy, realizing that this is his last hope for restoring his life. The Amazons rush to take cover while Donna steps forward and examines the comet more closely.
Savage continues laughing maniacally while Donna squints and comments “...that’s not a comet.” The flaming object gets closer as Booster’s eyes light up in excitement. “It’s...a...MICRO-WAVE!” he shouts, as a roar of celebration emerges from the warriors. Savage dies on the beaches of Themyscira. Rip hugs his father and says that he knew that they could help get this job done.
As they leave, Donna shouts out Booster’s name and he freezes. ‘Donna’ by Ritchie Valens begins to play in his head as we see flashbacks to Rip desperately convincing Booster to come on this mission and then interrupting Booster’s multiple attempts to flirt with Epione. His eyes widen and he turns to ask Rip “it’s her, isn’t it?”. Booster then looks disappointed as he remembers the rule that he can’t get attached to anyone from the past as they can’t move beyond their own death in the timestream. Rip simply points to the Eye of Antiope and reminds him that Amazons live forever. Booster kisses Rip on the forehead and turns around to see Donna smiling at him.
2263
A well-equipped team of bandits attack a bank in Metropolis. Booster Gold responds to the call with Donna Troy by his side. Between the two of them, they handedly take down the robbers and high-five afterwards. This moment is interrupted by a small boy entering the bank and they both freak out. Goldstar (Natalie Dormer) rushes in chasing after him, profusely apologizing and saying that he wanted to join the fun. Young Rip approaches one of the criminals and tries to kick him but misses and falls to the ground. Booster and Donna laugh as they pick him up. Goldstar says that he’ll need to work on that and Booster responds: “Don’t worry, he’s gonna be great.” Booster smiles at the camera and waves goodbye.
Credits: We hear the song ‘Ladies Night’ playing somewhere on Themyscira. We enter a tavern to find that Booster has installed a karaoke machine on the island as a few Amazons sing the song while Booster and Donna watch on and laugh. Someone tells Booster it is his turn up next and he scrambles to pick a song. He passes by ‘How Will I Live’ on the list but he chooses to pass on it, simply smiling to himself instead.
He takes the stage and giddily says he is going to introduce them to one of the greatest bands to ever grace this Earth. He then spots Donna in the crowd and says he’s dedicating this one to the winner of his heart. ABBA’s ‘The Winner Takes It All’ plays as Booster drunkenly sings it. A friend turns to Donna and says this sounds like a song about a break-up. She shrugs her shoulders and says it sounds romantic to her as Booster sings the final note off-key to end the credits.
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