A Messy and Mangled Mutant Melee

Rating: 4/10 (5 June 2016)

I've liked many of the X-Men films, but is it just me, or do we all collectively forget this franchise exists until the next one is released? This is especially a problem with 9 films in 15 years, with so many sequels, prequels, sidequels, spin-offs, and jumps-in-time that keeping track of the plot and the multitude of characters requires mutant-esque power in itself. The unbridled success of the last film, Days of Future Past, would discount those worries of franchise amnesia, only it's appeal was mostly in its 70s nostalgia and intention to stick with what we know. Apocalypse, an intense series continuation that requires much of its audience and offers little, may be the least inspired film in the bunch. There's nothing to the plot: an ancient being with seemingly endless power rises from the ashes to end the world, and only the X-Men can stop him. It's boring and over-done. Sure, McAvoy and Fassbender continue to enhance all the material they're given with a gravitas and depth beyond anything else in these films. However, those great central performances can't save a movie whose villain is so dumb, uninteresting, and paper-thin that the normally-great Oscar Isaac even comes off as plastic. The rampant deus ex machina and muddled motivations give the high-danger plot a feeling of having no stakes at all. It's a shame the overall experience is so muddy and ill-advised seeing as how there are definitely some great scenes found throughout. Scene stealers Magneto and Quicksilver each get there times to shine, in moments both cool and emotionally interesting. Unfortunately, a collection of cool set pieces can't overcome the tired and hasty story.