🦸‍♂️ Samaritan (2022) – Plot Summary
Samaritan (2022), directed by Julius Avery, is a dark superhero action-drama starring Sylvester Stallone as a mysterious man with a hidden past. The film reimagines the superhero genre with a gritty, street-level tone, focusing on redemption, aging, and the blurred line between heroism and vengeance.
The story takes place in the crumbling city of Granite City, plagued by crime, poverty, and corruption. Years earlier, the city was protected by twin brothers with superhuman strength: Samaritan, a hero who sought justice, and Nemesis, his vengeful brother who blamed the world for their suffering. After a catastrophic showdown between the two in a power plant, both were presumed dead — leaving only legends behind.
Now, decades later, the city has fallen into chaos. Sam Cleary (Javon “Wanna” Walton), a curious and brave 13-year-old boy, grows up idolizing Samaritan. He believes that the hero is still alive, hiding somewhere among the city’s ordinary people. Sam’s suspicion grows when he meets his quiet, reclusive neighbor, Joe Smith (Sylvester Stallone), a garbage man who keeps to himself and possesses incredible strength.
After witnessing Joe survive a brutal hit-and-run accident, Sam becomes convinced that Joe is actually the long-lost Samaritan. Despite Joe’s denial, Sam follows him, determined to uncover the truth. Meanwhile, a local gang leader named Cyrus (Pilou Asbæk) idolizes Nemesis and seeks to reignite his legacy by spreading chaos throughout the city. When Cyrus and his men steal Nemesis’s legendary hammer, Granite City erupts into violence.
Reluctantly drawn into the conflict, Joe is forced to reveal his true identity — but with a shocking twist: he isn’t Samaritan, he’s actually Nemesis. Joe admits that after his brother’s death, he abandoned his violent ways and has lived in hiding, trying to make up for his past sins by doing good quietly.
In the explosive finale, Joe battles Cyrus and his gang to save Sam and the city from destruction. Though the world believes Samaritan has returned, Joe remains in the shadows, content to let the legend inspire hope while he continues seeking redemption.
Samaritan is a powerful story about second chances, moral complexity, and the burden of legacy. Stallone brings emotional depth and world-weary gravitas to his role, proving that even heroes — and villains — can change.
