Movie Review: X-Men: Dark Phoenix

It's the end of an era for fans of the X-Men Movies franchise, as the curtain call comes with the release of this long awaited final entry to the "revised timeline" saga of films that began with 2011's "X-Men: First Class". After a number of reshoots and delays that postponed production of the movie, "X-Men: Dark Phoenix" finally graces theaters worldwide and picks up right where the last mainline entry left off - putting the X-Men right at the top of their game and becoming worldwide heroes and celebrities. However as the title suggests, one of their own becomes unstable and a danger to everyone she is close to - leading to a conflict that will test and break the very foundation of the team and everything they have done to help and protect their fellowman.

Thanks to 20th Century Fox Philippines, I was able to watch this final installment at the studio's office for a private press screening - and it was both an X-citing and emotional experience since this is truly the end of an era. With Disney's purchase of Fox and all of its assets, Marvel's Merry Mutants are now going to be incorporated into the growing Marvel Cinematic Universe when the proper time comes. It's just a matter of waiting for that moment to happen... But at least with Dark Phoenix, we have a true ending that while isn't quite the perfect sendoff many expect and wanted, it's still something to watch if you have been following and keeping tabs with this cinematic universe and storytelling that helped build the foundations of the superhero movie genre we all know and love today.

So without any more delays and diving straight into the review proper - here's my thoughts on "X-Men: Dark Phoenix".

Taking place a decade after the events of "X-Men: Apocalypse" and set in 1992, "Dark Phoenix" sees Charles Xavier and his X-Men hailed as superheroes and protectors of mankind. When a space mission goes horribly wrong, the mutants scramble to save the astronauts from an incoming solar wave. Unfortunately Jean Grey, one of Xavier's most gifted and powerful students, gets caught in the blast - unlocking her dormant latent powers and causing her to remember memories that have been locked away from her. As Jean becomes more unstable, it ultimately leads to conflict with her loved ones and a path of destruction that attracts the presence of beings who have studied the power she now wields.


X-MEN: DARK PHOENIX | International Trailer
As the fourth movie in the new saga, "Dark Phoenix" is not a bad entry and fits well enough into the long drawn narrative that began with First Class and changed with the events of Days of Future Past and Apocalypse. Longtime X-Films writer Simon Kinberg steps into the director's chair, and gets the veterans back one last time to finish a promised reinterpretation of the "Dark Phoenix Saga" from the comics that was loosely adapted by "X-Men: The Last Stand" but was not exactly true to the source material. Unfortunately it doesn't really adapt the comic material faithfully either, choosing once again to chart its own path for the film universe in the revised timeline that DOFP created and Apocalypse teased at the end when Jean Grey unleashed her Phoenix powers the first time to defeat the titular villain. The story in itself is all over the place, and while it barely holds its own compared to its predecessors - it's still a chapter that tells what is literally the end of a saga we have invested in since 2011.

Thankfully the primary cast of First Class return - with James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, and Nicholas Hoult all reprising their roles as Professor X, Magneto, Mystique, and Beast respectively. Special shoutouts go to McAvoy and Fassbender - who have struggled and delivered some of the most compelling character performances throughout the X-Men Movies they've appeared in, and Dark Phoenix is no exception as the film would utterly crumble without both men serving as the foundations to which the rest of the cast rely on. I'd say the same about Jennifer Lawrence's Mystique, but her time in this movie isn't as expansive as past films and that's unfortunate considering all the build up her character got. I would have wanted more, and certainly it would also have helped Nicholas Hoult's Beast - whose budding romance with Raven/ Mystique was one of my favorite dynamics of the entire saga besides him being a really smart guy.

Of course the movie's star power goes to the titular Jean Grey/ Dark Phoenix herself, played by Game Of Thrones actress Sophie Turner. We only got a taste of how powerful her younger version of the character previously played by Famke Janssen was - and now the kid gloves are off and the Phoenix is unleashed to do as it pleases. Turner is absolutely stunning in looks as she is in displaying how uncontrollable and dangerous she is, and it's fun to see that as it is where the entire movie hinges its plot and narrative to. We also get to see Tye Sheridan back as a more mature and highly invested Cyclops, whose relationship with Jean is the core to his character's determination to save her no matter what. Then Alexandra Shipp and Kodi Smit-McPhee return as Storm and Nightcrawler, who delightfully showcase more of their abilities and powers to great effect. There's also Evan Peters running back as Quicksilver, but like Mystique it's not as extensive as the previous films Finally there's Jessica Chastain playing a villain that isn't really compelling and just serves the plot by acting as the other force interested in Jean and her newly awakened powers. She's a compelling looking actress, but could have been given more to do if the film went on a different direction.

As a movie that ends the run of one of the longest superhero movie franchises, X-Men: Dark Phoenix can be called an acceptable epilogue to a saga that earned its stars and stripes as well as the respect and admiration of many fans. It is far from being the perfect sendoff we would have wanted for the franchise, but it is still fun to watch if you just want to see these merry mutants and the actors that play them go into the sandbox one last time to end things on a tolerable note.

X-Men: Dark Phoenix is now playing in theaters c/o 20th Century Fox Philippines.

Rating - 3.5/5