Rapid Fire (Film) Review - X-Men: Apocalypse!

In Realm Beyond Sight's "Rapid Fire Review" I hit the good, the bad, and try to get out before the review becomes too long winded. (If you missed it check out my first Rapid Fire Review of Captain America: Civil War.) In this new review I take a look at the film X-Men: Apocalypse.

I have been an X-Men fan my whole life and I can safely say that overall this was an enjoyable film but it was by far not a great film. As a fan I unfortunately thought there was more wrong than right in it. Director Bryan Singer and screenwriter Simon Kinberg just didn't deliver the story that I wanted. Even though Quicksilver's big scene is a reimagined version of what we saw in Days of Future Past, it is still one of the best scenes in the film and having "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" play in the background was great. Sophie Turner and Ty Sheridan as Jean Grey and Cyclops, in my opinion, top their predecessors. James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender have perfectly grown into the roles of Professor X and Magneto respectively but at times it feels like Magneto isn't being used properly. Oscar Isaac does a good job at portraying Apocalypse but the villain of the film just doesn't feel dangerous enough to be the big bad that he is supposed to be. He doesn't have enough bulk to his body and I was upset that he only grows in size during a telepathic sequence. Oddly, this film jumps another 10 years yet the characters have hardly aged. Speaking of time, X-Men: Apocalypse is supposed to be set in 1983 yet aside from some clothing choices and a few references (like with Star Wars: Return of the Jedi) this film never feels like it's truly in the 80's. This was something X-Men: First Class and Days of Future Past nailed with the 60's and 70's but this film never grasps with this decade. The mutant newcomers Angel (Ben Hardy), Psylocke (Olivia Munn), Storm (Alexandra Shipp), Jubilee (Lana Condor), and Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee) all get shafted in their own ways. Angel and Nightcrawler are forgettable, Psylocke is one dimensional and completely underutilized, Storm shines in her own way but not bright enough but looks great with the mohawk, and poor Jubilee had her scenes cut. Again! The Blob and Psylocke get fantastic comic inspired outfits but the X-Men team once again receive the comic outfits that every fan wanted in the closing scene to which they'll probably never be seen again like in the past. This feels like a cheat. Though seeing the Danger Room was fantastic. Another big scene to touch on is the Weapon X scene in which Wolverine escapes Alkali Lake in his "berserker rage". This was a fun scene but a fail for me. Weapon X's helmet did away with the red visor so that you could see Hugh Jackman's face and therefore looked wrong. His hair looked more like a mullet than overgrown and wild and the "berserker rage" had no rage in it. That was the same angry attack we have seen many times in other films. Also, although they really nailed the look of it, it is just way too early to be introducing the Phoenix. Finish introducing Jean Grey before you bring in the Phoenix! Then there are the unanswered questions. For example, is Nightcrawler Mystique's son like in the comics? Is that why she went to rescue him?

Again, this is an enjoyable film but has so much to pick at. Sadly, Fox has not yet figured out, after 8 various X-Men films, how to properly do an ensemble film. X-Men: Apocalypse falls short of expectations and lacks any real depth but does establish the new X-Men team by the end of the film.

Rating: Enjoyable but not great.

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