Review // X-Men: Apocalypse

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X-Men: Apocalypse is the ninth film in the X-Men universe. Set in the 80s it’s the third to feature the younger cast first introduced in the 60s set X-Men: First Class (2011) and further develops the origins of Marvel’s mutant superhero team, the X-Men. Despite some truly impressive set pieces, including an opening sequence that shows the mega mutant Apocalypse’s (Oscar Isaac) fall in ancient Egypt, the film is plagued by plot holes and an inability to develop new characters. Instead of bringing a new chapter to the franchise director Bryan Singer and writer/producer Simon Kinberg decide to beat an old horse, making the focus of the film the relationship between Professor Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and his best frienemy Magneto (Michael Fassbender).

Picking up 10 years after the events of X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) is an unwilling hero to young mutants, Professor X (James McAvoy) and Hank McCoy (Nicholas Hoult) run a thriving school for “gifted” youngsters, and Erik (Magneto) lives in exile with his wife and young child, hiding his mutant powers. When Dr. Moira MacTaggert (Rose Byrne) uncovers the rise of an ancient all powerful mutant it spurs the team to reunite to save the world – wait no, that’s not true. This movie isn’t about the X-Men taking on one of the most epic, nightmare inducing villains in the franchise’s canon it’s about how Magneto constantly needs redemption and how Professor X will always be there for him. Can we give it a rest Singer? I get it, Professor X and Magneto share a unique friendship but maybe this film could have dealt with a crisis faced by a new mutant or given the demi-god Apocalypse some fearsome gravitas.

For example, Storm is Apocalypse’s right hand, his first horseman and we don’t ever delve into the tale of how a future leader of the X-Men started off as a supporter of an indestructible madman whose end goal was to destroy the world as we know it and re-establish mutants as the ruling class. She has a very internal change of heart by the end of the film. I shouldn’t be surprised that Storm is downplayed in Apocalypse, in the Singer directed X-Men (2000) Halle Barry’s Storm was essentially an ornamental beauty queen who creates clouds when prompted. Now the younger version played by Alexandra Shipp echoes the same utility: floating eye candy. With so much energy focused on Professor X and Magneto as well as extended screen time for fan favourites Mystique and Quicksilver (Evan Peters) we don’t see much character development for the future X-Men, Jean Grey (Sophie Turner), Cyclops (Tye Sheridan) and Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee) either. Their “development” scene is basically a set up for the upcoming Wolverine film. While Jean gets a little more attention, it’s more likely just to give weight to the horrible Deus Ex-Machina ending. Character motivations aren’t really important, unless its Magneto, then scene after scene is spent extrapolating on his grief while Cyclops suffers a similar loss which is quickly brushed away.

The one redeeming factor of Apocalypse is the movie looks pretty freaking cool. A two minute scene with Quicksilver running through an explosion and saving all the people (and pets) is pretty darn entertaining. Quicksilver in battle is a little less cool but still fun to watch. Magneto’s powers are on full display as are those of the other horsemen, Psylocke (Olivia Munn) and Angel (Ben Hardy).

The end of X-Men: Days of Future Past allowed Singer & Kinberg to re-write the established cannon so they weren’t slaves to continuity (not like they ever were) for X-Men: Apocalypse. They creatively erased the events of the critically panned blemish of the X-Men franchise, X3: The Last Stand (2006) with the conclusion of Days of Future Past. After watching X-Men: Apocalypse I can’t help but feel like they’ll be forced to pull the same time travel trick again. Do yourself a favour and don’t wait for the Hollywood powers that be to devise a somewhat plausible way to erase the events of Apocalypse from the X-Men cannon, just avoiding seeing it all together. The easier, and much cheaper way to preserve an otherwise enjoyable franchise.

Reviewed by Vithiya Murugadas.