'Dark Phoenix' Review

Synopsis: During a life-threatening space rescue mission, Jean Grey is hit by a cosmic force that transforms her into one of the most powerful mutants of all. Wrestling with an increasingly unstable power as well as her personal demons, Jean spirals out of control, tearing the X-Men family apart and threatening to destroy the very fabric of our planet.

Runtime: 113 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, including some gunplay, disturbing images, and brief strong language)

Who should see it? Marvel fans who are eager to see the end of Fox's X-Men Saga.

Written and directed by longtime X-Men writer/producer Simon Kinberg as his feature directorial debut, Dark Phoenix is the twelfth and, presumably, final entry in 20th Century Fox's X-Men universe. In nineteen years, there have been six prior X-features, three spin-offs starring Wolverine, and two Deadpool side-adventures. Though the studio delivered a series of superhero installments with inconsistent quality and jumbled continuity, there were genuine gems among the bunch, and Bryan Singer's X-Men was at the forefront of the comic-book movie craze alongside Sam Raimi's Spider-Man in the early 2000s. Those films were largely responsible for driving interest in the cinematic superhero offerings seen today, so it's bitter-sweet to see the franchise come to an end on account of Disney's recent Fox acquisition.

One notable implication regarding the Disney/Fox merger is that Marvel Studios will finally have creative control over the Fantastic Four, X-Men, and other related comic entities. Free to integrate these popular comic characters into their cinematic universe, I imagine we'll see rebooted incarnations from Marvel and Disney soon enough. Of course, there are plenty of troubling concerns and silver linings pertaining to the merger, but that's a discussion for another day. Between numerous release delays and extensive reshoots, Dark Phoenix experienced a troubled production and many wondered if Dark Phoenix and The New Mutants would ever see the light of day under Disney's dominion. While the jury's still out on The New Mutants, Dark Phoenix finally flew into cinemas this weekend but is looking to crash and burn with the lowest respective Rotten Tomatoes score and opening weekend box office gross of the entire franchise.

Honestly, Dark Phoenix is far from the worst X-Men film though. X-Men Origins: Wolverine, X-Men: The Last Stand, and X-Men: Apocalypse are each more deserving of that distinction in my mind. Dark Phoenix contains plenty of interesting ideas which are unfortunately fumbled in execution and will be overlooked due to some cheesy moments and awful dialogue. However, the bad is balanced out by moderately engaging action, a gifted ensemble, and another astounding score from Hans Zimmer. I genuinely appreciated the opening fifteen-twenty minutes, but the film teeters out and loses steam in the second act's sea of angsty melodrama. Above all, the biggest issue facing Dark Phoenix is that we barely know this younger iteration of the X-Men, and Kinberg's narrative depends on audience investment.

Jean Grey, Cyclops, Nightcrawler, and Storm were all briefly introduced and scarcely developed as supporting presences in X-Men: Apocalypse. Apocalypse was overcrowded with characters, so barely anyone did anything remotely consequential in that movie or much less experienced character growth, but there needed to be at least one other film between Apocalypse and Dark Phoenix to flesh them out as individuals. Instead, the development occurs off-screen. As a result, I didn't really care about the team's melodrama because they'd barely been defined as characters.

As for the cast, most everyone gets a moment to shine in-spite of thin characterization. Sophie Turner never reaches her full potential as Jean Grey but does the best with what she's given and lends weight to the dramatic, under-written heel turn of her character. Turner sells Jean's conflicted and complex emotional state, as well as her menacing qualities when faced against her fellow mutants. On the other hand, Jessica Chastain portrays Vuk as an uninspired alien antagonist void of all personality. The character's meant to be detached, and her motivation's clearly laid out, but Vuk fails to resonate as a person of interest because it may as well be played by a cardboard cut-out of Chastain.

The First Class crew of James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Nicholas Hoult, and Jennifer Lawrence reprise their roles for the fourth time, finally ready to bow out as Professor X, Magneto, Beast and Mystique. Fassbender and McAvoy continue to be series MVPs, lending further nuance to the ongoing debate between Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr, while Hoult's Hank McCoy grapples with an emotional dilemma and Lawrence arrives to set caked in cheaper-looking blue make-up to collect her paycheck and fulfill the remainder of her contract. Carrying over from Apocalypse, Tye Sheridan's Cyclops, Alexandra Shipp's Storm, Kodi Smit-McPhee's Nightcrawler, and Evan Peters' Quicksilver are unfortunately relegated to meager supporting roles with the occasional impressive display of their abilities. Their narrative contributions are inconsequential, and it's a shame that these characters were side-lined once more.

Viewers are ultimately left with a watchable superhero flick, but those are now a dime a dozen. The Fox X-Men franchise finally burnt out, but I'm looking forward to seeing what rises from the ashes in the capable hands of Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios. Hopefully, Marvel can reignite audience interest in these classic comic characters.

Film Assessment: C

'Alien: Covenant' Review

Sorry that all my Alien Anthology reviews this past week have been published later than expected but I should be making up for that soon with early reviews for Baywatch, Wonder Woman, and Baby Driver all on the way. I'm trying something different with this review and if it's well received, I'll be going back and altering previous reviews and use the template for future reviews.

'Alien: Covenant' Review

Alien: Covenant escorts the coupled crew of the colony ship Covenant bound for prospective planet Origae-6. En route the Covenant encounters a space storm and whilst making repairs, the crew receives a foreboding human transmission. The crew investigate its source only to find an even closer planet and head there in hopes of discovering a pristine paradise. Of course, as things always do in these Alien flicks, nothing goes according to plan and the crew are forced to fend for themselves on an unfamiliar world against an unknown entity. 

Alien: Covenant takes place between Prometheus and the original Alien, acting as a bridge between the two in more ways then one would suspect. Ridley Scott returns to the director's chair after experimenting with Prometheus and brings both his creative children together for an impressive amalgamation. The best way for me to describe Alien: Covenant would be that a studio executive locked Prometheus and Alien in a room and told them to play nice, only to return a while later and discover the two are now the best of pals. However, it's worth noting that Alien: Covenant bears the resemblance of a Prometheus sequel more than the guise of an Alien prequel. 

Jack Paglen and Michael Green set the story while John Logan and Dante Harper penned the film's screenplay, building upon the groundwork Prometheus laid out to weave a satisfying tale that answers some pressing questions Prometheus ignored (don't expect answers to every disregarded inquiry though). Ridley Scott and his team of screenwriters effectively meld the excellent elements of each (Prometheus and Alien) to great effect, finding a deft balance between horror and philosophy. At times the film strays too close to the plotting of both those films, feeling a tad formulaic and predictable, but Alien: Covenant will still successfully startle and surprise viewers. If you haven't watched Prometheus or the promotional Alien: Covenant prologues released on YouTube, I'd recommend checking them out before seeing Alien: Covenant to enhance your understanding of things but none of them are essential viewing and it won't affect your level of uneasiness if you opt out of watching any of them. 

Ridley Scott and crew demonstrate terrific technical prowess with commanding cinematography, magnificent visual effects, and striking scenery. Dariusz Wolski's camerawork amplified the serene essence in the film's quiet moments and instantly instilled a frantic vitality when things got terrifying. On the long list of Alien: Covenant's accolades, the hair, make-up, and production design teams collaborated seamlessly along with the vfx artists to craft some chilling chest-bursting sequences and an idyllic aesthetic to juxtapose opposite the gruesome bloodbath. The computer generated Xenomorphs manage to move with a fervent frenzy that simply can't be brought to life any other way so hats off to the animators behind that monstrosity. Meanwhile, Jed Kurzel's musical score fittingly intensified the proceedings. Kurzel's compositions strike a sweet spot, boasting vacant volume and an eerily intense, ethereal sound matching the duality of Scott's vision. 

Elsewhere, Alien: Covenant accommodates an accomplished ensemble who exceeded my expectations. Katherine Waterston offers an all-encompassing performance demonstrating her range, thus making Daniels a serviceable female lead. Billy Crudup also digs deep as Captain Oram and Danny McBride's serious turn as Tennessee was a shocking delight. The remaining crew members are serviceably portrayed by Demián Najera, Carmen Ejogo, Jussie Smollett, Callie Hernandez, Amy Seimetz, Nathaniel Dean, Alexander England, Benjamin Rigby, Uli Latukefu, and Tess Haubrich respectively, but these characters wound up feeling shallow in the grand scheme of things. I can say the ensemble worked together well as the sense of the crew's camaraderie is felt from the very beginning, aided by the fact each character has a spouse among the crew. The real scene stealer unsurprisingly turns out to be Michael Fassbender, who's definitely a proven commodity at this point. Michael Fassbender exceptionally brings a two-pronged performance playing the respectable robot Walter and reprising his role as sinister synthetic David. Fassbender excels in both facets, impressively playing against himself as two different droids with a similar basis. I won't say much else about these characters because that would approach the dreaded spoiler territory but I can say there's one scene that will make Fassbender fangirls around the world squeal in giddy joy. 

In conclusion, I highly advise a trip to the theater to see Alien: Covenant for fans of horror or the Alien franchise itself. If you're wondering about tamer offerings, I can vouch that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 holds up well for repeat viewings (I've now seen it three times) or you could give poor King Arthur a hand at lifting that epic sword and check out King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (which hasn't had the greatest run at the box office). However, Alien: Covenant definitely delivered the thrill-ride I was hoping for and stands as another strong science fiction entry in this summer season's blockbuster catalogue. Alien: Covenant is tense, riveting, and bursting all-around with accomplished aspects, making it the most satisfying suspenseful sci-fi epic this franchise has seen in years!

Film Assessment: B+

Throwback Thursday Review: 'Prometheus'

I apologize for yet another delayed review but this week's Throwback Thursday is over Prometheus to coincide with the release of its sequel Alien: Covenant. If you happened to miss any of my Alien Anthology series of Retrospective Reviews, you can find those at the subsequent blue hyperlinks: Alien, Aliens, Alien 3, and Alien: Resurrection. Next week I'll be finishing out my series of Pirates of the Caribbean reviews as I review Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides to tie in with Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Other reviews you can expect to see over the course of May and June include Throwback Thursday Reviews over Cars, The Mummy (1999), Cars 2, Transformers: Age of Extinction, and Despicable Me 2 and new reviews for Alien: Covenant, Baywatch, Wonder Woman, The Mummy (2017), Cars 3, Transformers: The Last Knight, Baby Driver, and Despicable Me 3.

'Prometheus' Review

Nominated For: Best Visual Effects.

Prometheus follows an expeditionary team to the far reaches of space as they believe they've discovered a hint towards the origins of humanity. The team arrive to planet LV-223 (not LV-426, the planet shown in Alien and Aliens) and soon discover the answers they seek will lead them to horrifying conclusions.

At the time of Prometheus's release, it was ambiguous exactly how Prometheus fit into the Alien-universe. Since then, it's been given the distinction of being a quasi-prequel to Alien. This essentially means Prometheus certainly exists within the Alien Anthology but isn't a direct setup to Alien. After 33 years, Ridley Scott returned to his roots to helm Prometheus and thankfully delivered one of the Anthology's most coherent creative works in quite some time, for more on this read my reviews of Alien 3 and Alien: Resurrection. 

Even when accounting for Prometheus' flaws, distinctive and persistent philosophical ponderings surround the story. From beginning to end, Scott and his terrific technical crew paint a pretty picture using space as their canvas. Scott and cinematographer Dariosz Wolski capture exceptionally breathtaking images of the hushed, lovely landscape while the vfx team create resonant renderings that pair perfectly with the immense, spectacular sets constructed by the prime production designers. Marc Streintenfeld's sumptuous space score bodes well as accompaniment, filling the vacuum of space with ethereal tones played by a swelling, harmonious orchestra.

However, Prometheus is easily one of the most frustrating movies I've seen in recent memory because it poses plenty of questions but doesn't ever get around to granting any clear-cut answers. I'm not particularly bothered by a few dangling threads but screenwriters Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof leave Prometheus' monumental mysteries to be ill-defined, only painting broad strokes but never retracing their steps to refine any blemishes. I'm sure this was intentional incorporation into the grand scheme of Prometheus' philosophical nature but it's not fortuitous that they didn't fill in any gaping plot-holes. I will say that turns things around with a thrilling third act but up to that point you'll be peeved by the dumb decisions the expedition team partake in. This team is made up of intellectuals so their brainless behavior on the planet's surface is inexcusable.

Unfortunately, many of the crew members feel vaguely characterized as only the prominent players are given substantial depth and corresponding complexity. This in turn detracts from the supporting ensemble's subsequent portrayals but magnifies the principal characters. Noomi Rapace offers an excellent portrayal of devout archeologist Dr. Elizabeth Shaw, playing into the frantic uncertainty Prometheus provides. Rapace's Shaw isn't quite up to par with Ripley as a fascinating female lead but she's superb nevertheless. On the other hand, Emum Elliott showcases a steel-faced wooden portrayal of Shaw's partner and love interest Charlie Holloway. Guy Pearce also has an odd arc as an aged Peter Weyland. Charlize Theron and Idris Elba are sufficient as mission director Vickers and charming captain Janek respectively, each adding a dosage of star power to the mix. Elsewhere the crew composed of Logan Marshall Green, Sean Harris, Rafe Spall, Benedict Wong, and Kate Dickie are fine in their distinctive roles but none of the bunch bring anything particularly memorable to their characters.

On all accounts, it is certainly Michael Fassbender who steals the show. Fassbender's intricate android David is the most interesting character among the bunch as he demonstrates unconventional, individualistic autonomy. Fassbender brings a clout of gravitas that melds well with David and projects an ominous and unsettling disposition that plays out perfectly.

In conclusion, Prometheus boasts proficient performances, tremendous technical work, a splendid space score, and accomplished aesthetic but gets dragged down by presenting weighty philosophical questions and failing to conjure an adequate answer to any of them.

Film Assessment: C

'Assassin's Creed' Review

In Assassin's Creed, criminal Callum Lynch is administered a lethal injection only to wake up inside a mysterious facility ran by a shady organization, Abstergo. Abstergo recruits Callum for a research project known as the "Animus Project" where he's asked to relive the memories of his ancestor in hopes of locating the lost Apple of Eden artifact, a device with the power to eliminate freewill. Calum is soon enlightened that his ancestor Aguilar Nerha was a member of a secret Assassin's brotherhood involved in an eternal struggle opposite a rival Templar society during the Spanish Inquisition.

Assassin's Creed is the latest cinematic adaptation of a popular video game franchise following this year's summer release Warcraft and while I was unfamiliar with the lore behind the fantasy massive multiplayer online role playing game, I have indeed played a few Assassin's Creed games and so I'm familiar enough with the mythology that I had an easier time jumping into this world. 

Assassin's Creed re-teams 2015's Macbeth director Justin Kurzel and lead stars Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard in an effort to make a credible adaptation but only do so half-heartedly, nailing the aesthetic but falling short when it comes to character depth and storytelling. The slick well-choreographed action sequences are admittedly one of the the best aspects of Assassin's Creed as the combat and practical parkour brilliantly materializes crucial game mechanics and the style hardcore fans are familiar with while director of photography Adam Arkapaw offers gorgeous escapist views of renaissance Spain. 

Unfortunately, unsteady shaky-cam and jarring jump cut editing detract from the grandiose nature of the action as viewers will find it difficult to keep track of what's happening amidst the chaos. Kurzel flourishes in the exhilarating 1492 Spanish synchronizations but the present day Abstergo facility sequences are dull, lifeless, and characters feel restrained in their flat environment. The script penned up by Michael Lesslie and rewritten by Adam Cooper and Bill Collage disappoints in almost all regards; the story's generic, the characters aren't fully fleshed out, lack development, and simply aren't likable. 

Neither the present day characters or those running around Spain in 1492 receive substantial arcs or any real character growth for that matter. One really nice touch for the Spanish Inquisition sequences though was that all the dialogue was spoken in Spanish which makes logical sense because it's always a bit odd to see foreigners depicted as unrealistically speaking English with ease in many blockbusters. 

Despite all the problems present in the film's story, the acting talent doesn't slouch with the material. Michael Fassbender inhabits dual roles as both Callum and Aguilar and makes both at least look cool amidst the action but due to the lackluster screenplay fails to really bring out any human element in Callum and lack of screen-time for Aguilar doesn't afford him enough to explore the character.

Marion Cotillard and Jeremy Irons exchange some interesting dialogue highlighting their opposing viewpoints and make a compelling father-daughter pairing as Sofia and Rikkin but aren't allowed a character journey for them to accentuate and even they can't improve their dour surroundings in the Abstergo facility. 

Ariane Labed has little dialogue, primarily serving as Aguilar's companion in his mission to keep the Apple out of Templar hands. She has some cool action moments but other than that probably won't register with the viewer and remaining cast members have even less to do than Labed as the focus is placed on the three headliners. 

In conclusion, Assassin's Creed's insistence and focus on being faithful to the source material prevents it from reaching the heights it could have as the Spanish Inquisition sequences show promise for a better film. About a year ago Assassin's Creed and Warcraft were poised to potentially be the first great video game film adaptations but fast forward and both seem to have fallen flat. Assassin's Creed doesn't fall short because it's a video game movie, it fails because it doesn't have the right end goal in sight. Assassin's Creed leaves the door wide open for a sequel but failed to convince me future installments would be worthwhile.

Film Assessment: D+

'The Light Between Oceans' Review

The Light Between Oceans tells the tale of Tom, a World War I veteran who maintains a lighthouse off the coast of Australia with his wife Isabel, the couple longs to have a child but are unable to due to circumstances I won't divulge. One day Isabel stumbles upon a dingy washed ashore and what should be inside but a baby girl. The story that follows involve the complex decisions the couple must make as they continue their life including how to proceed when Tom meets the biological mother. 

The Light Between Oceans is a very beautiful film; it's both well-directed and well-acted, and the cinematography and score are visual/auditory splendors. Derek Cianfrance both writes and directs The Light Between Oceans, oddly enough elevating his own screenplay. Cianfrance roots his screenplay in the original source material, M.L. Stedman's novel of the same name, and maintains consistency throughout the film with a slogging, somber turn of events to have fleeting moments of glee sprinkled within, a case for why The Light Between Oceans doesn't warrant repeat viewing. Cianfrance's screenplay lets down the viewer most by not tugging hard enough at the heart strings in it's pivotal moments, I was on the verge of tears but the droplet never materialized. Cianfrance tackles complex themes at surface level but I would have preferred to see him further explore them rather than just acknowledge the issues. 

Visually, Cianfrance and cinematographer Adam Arkapaw are able to convey serenity amidst chaos using the Australian and New Zealand coast, a nice parallel to the lighthouse couple's relationship. Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander are wonderful in the film as the two expertly portray the lighthouse lovers' chemistry. By no fault of their own, the characters of Tom and Isabel felt like hollow dolls to me because they aren't particularly well developed as well rounded characters in the films' script. 

Another enlightening performance was Rachel Weisz's turn as the child's biological mother Hannah Ronnfeldt. Weisz's character brings some intriguing perspective and moral questions to the piece that again weren't covered as extensively as I would have liked but salivated my interests. The Light Between Oceans also features an enchanting score composed by Academy Award winning composer Alexandre Desplat which helps compensate for the film's other shortcomings. 

The Light Between Oceans is comparable to a pretty painting, it's great to look at but doesn't really have the necessary depth. The plot was predictable, the pacing was rather slow leading to a melancholy two hour thirteen minute runtime, and it's only thanks to it's strong performances, focused direction, spellbinding cinematography, and a fascinating score that it becomes a sweet story. 

Film Assessment: B-

'X-Men: Apocalypse' Review

Wednesday evening I attended an early screening of X-Men: Apocalypse and I'm just now publishing my review for a few reasons: first off, it will likely get the most attention today, secondly yesterday I was focused on a barrage of reviews for Alice in Wonderland, X-Men: First Class, and X-Men Days of Future Past - The Rogue Cut, and last but not least I had more time to reflect on the film to give a fairer review. Anyways, I've been looking forward to this film ever since watching the post credits scene of X-Men: Days of Future Past and so I've had about two years for my anticipation to build. Naturally this would mean my expectations were pretty high. Keep that in mind as you're reading my review because if you have tempered expectations this movie will probably be awesome in your eyes. 

'X-Men: Apocalypse' Review

When the early screening of X-Men: Apocalypse I attended Wednesday night ended, I found myself a bit underwhelmed. Therefore, I think it was for the best that I waited to review this film and let my opinion of it settle in. By no means is X-Men: Apocalypse a "bad movie", rather along the lines of underwhelming. X-Men: Apocalypse just wasn't able to measure up to it's predecessors in the young X-Men Trilogy (I'm not sure if there's an actual name for these or not but I'm referring to X-Men: First Class and X-Men Days of Future Past). 

Bryan Singer returns to helm his sequel to Days of Future Past, the first time he's directed two consecutive X-Men flicks since X-Men and X2, and X-Men: Apocalypse picks up a decade after Days of Future Past allowing Singer to tackle the 80's, something reflected in the believable hair, costume, and production design. 

There's actually a brief Star Wars reference where the characters discuss trilogies and Singer effectively takes a jab at X-Men: The Last Stand. Too bad the joke held true for this installment in comparison to First Class and Days of Future Past. It's a hilarious moment that Star Wars fans will definitely appreciate that takes full advantage of the 80's setting. 

Singer sizes down the scale of the film as there's no time travel elements to be found, but the stakes have never been higher for the X-Men as global destruction is certainly possible thanks to Apocalypse. The screenplay penned by Simon Kinberg finds itself muddled as there are just too many characters and storylines to properly service. The film tasked itself with not only continuing the saga of a younger Professor X, Magneto, Mystique, Quicksilver, and Beast, but also introducing a new baddie in Apocalypse, his subservient horseman, and younger versions of Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Nightcrawler. I can confidently say that Kinberg pulls most of it off. 

I say "most" as I found the creative team did a wonderful job depicting Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Nightcrawler and even continuing the ongoing arc from all the way back to First Class, but failed to give many of the characters the time and attention they deserved. For example, two of Apocalypse's horseman had no more than five lines of dialogue, with Storm having scarcely more than that to say. 

The Horsemen were basically around to give the X-Men someone to fight other than just Apocalypse and as fan service, not to say I didn't find the horseman cool just that some were underused. The makeup, costuming, and visual effects have never been better in the X-Men films as is to be expected with today's marvelous technology and modern filmmaking. However, there were a few spots here and there were some of the CGI looked a little fake. 

The film doesn't disappoint with it's action though, as there's one sequence featuring Magneto that's just heart wrenching, two showstopper sequences from Quicksilver that actually managed to top his incredible sequence in Days of Future Past, the action packed third act finale, and of course a cameo appearance from a fan favorite mutant in a gruesome sequence that will probably make any comic book fan a little giddy. If you've seen the final trailer you probably know who I'm referring to. 

So you're probably wondering if there's more to the movie than just spectacle to which I'll say there's a terrific cast amassed, whoever cast the new young mutants deserves a pat on the back. James McAvoy's back as a more seasoned Charles Xavier that I feel can finally adopt the monicker Professor X. 

Michael Fassbender gets a fresh arc for Magneto where he gets to really show off his dramatic acting chops and emotional gravitas that ties up his character arc in a satisfying manner (I wouldn't be surprised if he comes back in a future X-Men film though). 

Jennifer Lawrence's performance is quite bland as Mystique. It's difficult to tell if she really wants to be a part of this franchise anymore given her voiced complaints about Mystique's makeup and the franchise in general but it seems like she mailed this performance in due to contractual obligations. She's only in the Mystique guise when she's forced to be and just serves as an inspiration to the other mutants. Lawrence isn't terrible but her performance is certainly lacking compared to her previous turns as Mystique. 

Nicholas Hoult sadly is given very little to do as Hank McCoy, but if you want to get the most out of his performance I'd recommend watching both X-Men: First Class and X-Men: Days of Future Past - The Rogue Cut. He gets some awesome fight scenes as Beast in the third act and I can't praise the makeup work for his look as Beast enough. 

Evan Peters' Quicksilver is given significantly more to do as a result of the positive response to his turn in Days of Future Past. Quicksilver has a more emotional arc once he learns of his parentage, but that doesn't stop the speedster from having fun along the way. 

Newcomers, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, and Kodi Smit-McPhee are all delightful as Jean Grey, Cyclops, and Nightcrawler. I particularly took a shine to Smit-McPhee's Nightcrawler and he's definitely my favorite character in this franchise after seeing him steal just about every scene he's apart of. 

The film also brings back Rose Byrne's Moira Mactaggert and Alex Till's Havok from First Class who I don't feel were vital to the film's story but had some great moments nonetheless. 

Oscar Isaac gets to go full baddie as Apocalypse, and I've got to say he was terrifying so I was satisfied with his portrayal. One little nitpick regarding Apocalypse was that his motive wasn't convincing and Apocalypse was evil for the sake of being evil and wanting power, etc. 

Under Apocalypse's control we find the four horseman, Magneto, Storm, Archangel, and Psylocke. Alexandra Shipp is serviceable as Storm but I don't think she's the definitive version like Turner's Jean Grey, Sheridan's Cyclops, and McPhee's Nightcrawler. Storm was cool in the action sequences she partook in but she didn't get enough development in my opinion. It's not like Berry's Storm was that developed either though. Ben Hardy's Angel/Archangel and Olivia Munn's Psylocke have virtually nothing to do as they're purely around for spectacle in the third act finale. 

When it comes down to it, there's enjoyment to be had and the film is fairly good. but just didn't meet my expectations. I can say that it excites me to think of the possibility of a 90's followup featuring the same cast but it's a shame that X-Men: Apocalypse just ultimately serves to setup that potential sequel rather than stand on it's own. Longtime fans of the X-Men movies should have a good time as it's shameless entertainment, but just be aware that the film ultimately feels like hollow spectacle and is missing the heart and care given to First Class and Days of Future Past.

Film Assessment: C+