By Matt Espineli on May 27, 2017 08:30 pm
Universe At Large
Ever since its first game's release in 2013, the Injustice series has spawned a critically acclaimed universe comprised not just of games, but a wealth of comics as well. The lore that surrounds these has shaped and formed many of the interactions between characters in Injustice 2, and much of what you see are actually fun details that subtly nod to important events surrounding the Injustice universe. There are also a few references to other games, like Super Mario Bros. and NetherRealm's other fighting game series, Mortal Kombat. With so many little details to discover, we've gathered nine of the coolest references that you might've missed in Injustice 2. Be wary, there are potential universe spoilers ahead. For more on Injustice 2, read our in-depth review, or watch our footage of high-level battles in the game's Multiverse mode. You can also check out our feature showcasing our favorite epic gear in the game, all the premiere skins and how to unlock them, and our beginner's guide with 9 essential tips.
Shazam Is Dead
The death of Shazam, AKA Billy Batson--a teenaged hero given superpowers by a mysterious wizard--is directly referenced during some of the introductory battle banter you hear in-game. It's heard specifically between Batman and Superman, Blue Beetle and Superman, and Flash and Cyborg. For the uninitiated, in Injustice: Gods Among Us, Shazam served Superman's tyrannical regime as a messenger and enforcer. But when Superman plotted to level both Gotham City and Metropolis as an example to the heroes that continually defied him, Shazam rebelled, pointing out that Lois Lane would've never wanted this. That prompted Superman to murder Shazam in cold blood with his heat vision.
Mirror Master: The Man Who Almost Had Superman
A criminal known as Mirror Master is mentioned during the introductory battle banter between Cheetah and Captain Cold. This is a reference to the moment in the Injustice comics when Captain Cold gave up the location of Mirror Master, who had kidnapped Superman's parents sometime after his fall from grace. The villain had used his abilities to imprison Superman's parents in an alternate dimension, attempting to use them as collateral to convince the hero to cease his activities. However, when Superman's enforcers found out that Captain Cold knew of Mirror Master's whereabouts, they quickly interrogated him, easily extracting the information he knew.
Dick Grayson Is Dead, Too
In the Injustice comics documenting the first year of Superman's fall from grace and rise to power, Dick Grayson--the first Robin and bearer of the Nightwing mantle--is indirectly murdered by Damian Wayne. This is referenced during the introductory battle banter between Batman and Robin. Batman says he cannot forgive Robin for the deaths he caused, to which Robin replies that he's Batman's only son. However, Batman quickly asserts that Grayson was his son too.
Suicide Squad And Amanda Waller
The Suicide Squad is mentioned during the introductory battle banter between Harley Quinn and Deadshot. For the uninitiated, the Suicide Squad is a team of death row villains assembled by high-ranking government official, Amanda Waller, to take on black ops missions. Speaking of Waller, she's also mentioned during Deadshot's introductory banter with both Black Adam and Cyborg.
The Movie Marquee
In the downtown stage, there's a movie theater in the background. It's possible to use an environmental attack that smashes your opponent into the Now Showing marquee. If you keep doing it enough, you'll begin to notice that it says "Finish Him." Mortal Kombat fans will instantly recognize this familiar end-match phrase.
The Second Blue Beetle
When Black Canary engages in a Clash with Blue Beetle, she mentions that she keeps thinking that he's Ted Kord. This is a direct reference to the second person to take on the mantle of the Blue Beetle. The current Blue Beetle in Injustice 2 is Jamie Reyes.
Reference To Mario
When Supergirl fights Brainiac, she says that his princess is in another castle. Nintendo fans will recognize this familiar phrase from the first Super Mario Bros.
Cyrax Override
During Story mode, Catwoman and Cyborg sneak into the Batcave to access Brother Eye. When Catwoman approaches the machine, it attempts to trigger its defense systems. However, before it has the chance to attack, she triggers the override authorization code, which is LK-4D4. Those familiar with Mortal Kombat will know this as the codename for the series' robotic fighter, Cyrax. It's also the name of one of Cyrax's variations in Mortal Kombat X.
The God Of Thunder
When the Joker clashes with Black Adam, he asks, "Meet that other lightning guy?" Black Adam then responds, "With the bamboo hat? Yes." This is a reference to none other than the iconic Raiden from the Mortal Kombat series.
By Chris E. Hayner on May 27, 2017 02:18 am
29. Doom
Few actors in Hollywood are harder working -- or more marketable -- than the iconic Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. His last two films, The Fate of the Furious and Moana, have already brought in nearly 2 billion at the box office. With even more of his blockbusters around the corner, we thought there was no better time than to rate the action hero's entire filmography. To start, let's consider the truly terrible video game movie Doom. In theory, a sci-fi movie featuring The Rock fighting alien demons sounds like a winner. Unfortunately, though, it just didn't translate to the big screen. This film received a 34 on Metacritic. (Image credit: Universal Pictures)
28. Tooth Fairy
When it comes to Johnson's time starring in family movies, this is the bottom of the barrel. The Rock plays a hockey player that that becomes the Tooth Fairy as a form of punishment. Even with all the charisma the actor can muster, this movie turned out boring and predictable. This film received a 36 on Metacritic. (Image credit: 20th Century Fox)
27. Be Cool
While most of this sequel to Get Shorty is forgettable, its one shining spot is Johnson's turn as bodyguard Elliot. The role led to some very funny comedic moments, proving the wrestler is more than just a tough guy. This film received a 37 on Metacritic. (Image credit: MGM)
26. Baywatch
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, Johnson has adapted the classic-yet-very-silly TV series Baywatch for the big screen. The movie is a whole other kind of silly, thanks to many R-rated antics that miss out on the campiness that made the original so special. This film received a 38 on Metacritic. (Image credit: Paramount Pictures)
25. Planet 51
Moana isn't Johnson's first time voicing a cartoon. In Planet 51, he plays an astronaut on a mission to save alien life on another planet. The problem is it didn't aim to be more than a kid's movie, leaving the end result not all that interesting. This film received a 39 on Metacritic. (Image credit: TriStar Pictures)
24. Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (tie)
Johnson has made quite a career of joining franchises in progress, with this movie being one of the earliest examples. Replacing Brendan Fraser, who starred in the first Journey film, Johnson is paired with a much younger cast and gets to play action hero for one of the first times. This film received a 41 on Metacritic.
23. G.I. Joe: Retaliation (tie)
Stepping into the spotlight as the film's lead allowed Johnson the chance to lead a very fun blockbuster movie, even if it was nothing like the cartoon fans grew up watching. Then again, after the first G.I. Joe film failed to deliver on fan expectations, there wasn't much hope for that anyway. This film received a 41 on Metacritic. (Image credit: Paramount Pictures)
22. San Andreas
Who better to battle a monstrous earthquake than The Rock? San Andreas put the actor against Mother Nature herself in a disaster movie that sees the destruction of California. It's a big, mindless, wild affair that somehow makes you forget he plays a firefighter who abandons the people he's supposed to be saving to steal a helicopter and save his own child. This film received a 43 on Metacritic. (Image credit: Warner Bros.)
21. Southland Tales (tie)
Director Richard Kelly's sci-fi epic is remembered fondly... by practically nobody. It should be, though. Johnson's Boxer Santaros, an action movie star with amnesia, helps set the stage for one of the most unique post-apocalypse worlds one could imagine. Unfortunately, it totally bombed at the box office. This film received a 44 on Metacritic. (Image credit: Samuel Goldwyn Films)
20. Faster (tie)
This is Johnson's final movie before appearing in Fast Five, turning him into a bonafide box office success. It showed a distinct move away from family movies--a step in the right direction to redefining his career. This film received a 44 on Metacritic. (Image credit: CBS Films)
19. The Game Plan
Given that his co-star was an eight-year-old, you can guess how good this movie was--or wasn't. Johnson plays a cocky professional quarterback who finds out he has a daughter nobody ever told him about. From there's, it's pretty formulaic: He hates it and he doesn't want to ruin his image, but he ends up falling in love with being a dad. Go figure. This film received a 44 on Metacritic. (Image credit: Walt Disney Pictures)
18. Walking Tall (tie)
If you're waiting for a buddy cop comedy starring Johnson and Jackass alum Johnny Knoxville, you're in luck: It already exists! Walking Tall was never going to win Oscars, but it's exactly what it should be: Lots of fun, very funny, and loaded with Johnson kicking butt. This film received a 44 on Metacritic. (Image credit: MGM)
16. Pain and Gain (tie)
This definitely isn't the movie you'd expect from a collaboration between Johnson and Transformers director Michael Bay. The action-comedy teams him with Mark Wahlberg, and the chemistry between them is instant and hilarious. There are plenty of gratuitous shots of them pumping iron, too. This film received a 45 on Metacritic. (Image credit: Paramount Pictures)
16. The Scorpion King (tie)
Johnson's first leading role spun his character from The Mummy Returns off onto his own adventure. While it may not have been as memorable as The Mummy, it did spawn some direct-to-DVD sequels, letting Hollywood know that Johnson was taking his movie career seriously. This film received a 45 on Metacritic. (Image credit: Universal Pictures)
15. Hercules
With two Hercules movies released in 2014, Johnson's turn as the mythical son of Zeus was clearly the better one. While the wig he wore throughout was laughable at times, it's not hard to believe that the very muscular actor has the character's power and might. This film received a 47 on Metacritic. (Image credit: Paramount Pictures)
14. The Mummy Returns
This was Johnson's first substantial film role and the one that ignited his aspirations to become the biggest movie star on Earth. Of course, his Scorpion King is a very dated CGI creation that looks downright silly now. This film received a 48 on Metacritic. (Image credit: Universal Pictures)
13. Snitch
You can't blame Snitch for being an underappreciated and little-remembered Johnson movie--after all, it was just one of five movies he released in 2013. That said, it casts the former wrestler as a dad going undercover with the DEA, a simple enough action plot for Johnson to elevate. This film received a 51 on Metacritic. (Image credit: Summit Entertainment)
10. Gridiron Gang (tie)
Gridiron Gang is a movie people have seen a million times: A nice guy helps mentor at-risk youth to help them achieve more from life. In this case, it's through football. This movie was the beginning of Johnson's descent into family-friendly movies that ultimately led him to play the Tooth Fairy. This film received a 52 on Metacritic. (Image credit: Columbia Pictures)
10. Race to Witch Mountain (tie)
Remaking a Disney classic like Race to Witch Mountain is tough going. That said, this version turned out as good as one could hope--possibly even better. Johnson comes across like the leading man he is and while the movie is aimed at kids, it's also entertaining for adults. This film received a 52 on Metacritic. (Image credit: Walt Disney Pictures)
10. Central Intelligence (tie)
Putting one of action's biggest stars together with one of comedy's biggest stars for an action-comedy worked perfectly with Central Intelligence. It allowed both actors to stretch outside of their comfort zones, delivering a very successful film. It also left the door open for sequels. So get on it, Hollywood. This film received a 52 on Metacritic. (Image credit: Warner Bros.)
9. Get Smart
It's not often you see Johnson in a supporting role but, go figure--he knocked it out of the park in Get Smart. He also got the opportunity to play a bit of a villain in this classic TV remake, to very funny results. This film received a 54 on Metacritic. (Image credit: Warner Bros.)
8. The Fate of the Furious
The latest edition in the Fast & Furious franchise pits Johnson and the team against Vin Diesel's Dominic Toretto, which is appropriate given their reported feud on the movie's set. Though it may be the least cohesive entry in the franchise, Johnson and co-star Jason Statham have plenty of great scenes together. This film received a 56 on Metacritic. (Image credit: Universal Pictures)
7. The Rundown
Otherwise a fairly by-the-numbers action movie, the chemistry between Johnson and co-star Seann William Scott makes it standout. Little known fact: The film's original title was Helldorado, which sounds a lot more badass. This film received a 59 on Metacritic. (Image credit: Universal Pictures)
6. Fast & Furious 6
After being adversaries in Fast Five, Johnson and Diesel become allies in the sixth installment of the franchise. It also introduced the Shaw family, who would go on to become central figures in future movies. Above all that, however, this movie will be best remembered as the one where they crash a car through an airplane. This film received a 61 on Metacritic. (Image credit: Universal Pictures)
5. The Other Guys
While he may not have survived the first half of the movie, Johnson and co-star Samuel L. Jackson certainly made their marks as the rock star cops most desk jockeys only dream of being. This film received a 64 on Metacritic. (Image credit: Columbia Pictures)
4. Fast Five
Johnson's arrival to this epic franchise signaled a big change from street racing-centric stories to general action plots that take the crew all around the world. Strangely enough, Johnson's Luke Hobbs is a bit of a villain in this, but he still goes on to become one of the family. This film received a 66 on Metacritic. (Image credit: Universal Pictures)
3. Furious 7
The best movie in the Fast & Furious franchise is also the most heartbreaking. Actor Paul Walker died during the movie's production, leaving the creative team with the task of finding a way to write his character out. In the end, the movie is an emotional affair that delivers in every single way. It's also the movie that fully integrates Johnson's character into the family. This film received a 67 on Metacritic. (Image credit: Universal Pictures)
2. Beyond the Mat
Before he was a movie star, Johnson was one of the subjects of this excellent wrestling documentary. Released during WWE's famed Attitude Era, the film showed the behind-the-scenes realities of professional wrestling and put the spotlight on the I Quit match between The Rock and Mankind, which resulted in severe injuries for the latter. This film received a 73 on Metacritic. (Image credit: Universal Pictures)
1. Moana
While Planet 51 may not have set the world on fire, Moana sure did. Johnson, in the role of demigod Maui, joins Moana (Auli'i Cravalho) on her adventures through the ocean. He also has his own song called You're Welcome, which is positively perfect. This film received a 81 on Metacritic. (Image credit: Walt Disney Pictures)
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