Riveting and exciting, but a step down from First Class and Days of Future Past

Rating: 7/10 (21 May 2016)

Since the first ¬X-Men movie was released way back in 2000 this mutant series has been quietly carving out its own piece of the cinematic comic-book pie, with both highs (X2, First Class) and lows (Last Stand, Origins: Wolverine) but a respectably solid overall output. This 'new cast' trilogy closer can't reach the heights of the franchise's best instalments, or its two immediate predecessors, although demonstrates just how thrilling and engaging this universe can be even when not performing at its peak. Centred on the eponymous ancient mega-mutant who wakes up after a few millennia to reclaim the world as his, the dramatic undercurrent is as compelling as the all-powerful villain (despite his underwhelming look) and generates a handful of genuinely intense and evocative scenes. A second-act tete-a-tete between Professor X and Apocalypse – during which the latter is causing mass destruction accompanied by Beethoven's stirring Symphony No 7 (Algretto) – is absolutely riveting, almost matched by a potent telepathic showdown within the climax. At this stage in the X-Men evolution there is also a certain level of competence that guarantees the action scenes will be nothing less than exciting and, with Bryan Singer at the helm, constructed and executed with endless ebullience and flair. The CGI struggles on the odd occasion, which is a bit strange for such a big-budget flick, however this is a minor blip amongst a collection of otherwise rousing set pieces that, just like in Days of Future Past, boasts a superb Quicksilver sequence that tops the list. There are a few missteps that weaken the film's lasting power though: bland henchmen surrounding the big bad, Wolvie's unsatisfying involvement, and an atrociously placed Stan Lee cameo that raises giggles at the most inappropriate moment. From the returning cast James McAvoy (Professor X) and Michael Fassbender (Magento) reliably bring the gravitas – although Jennifer Lawrence looks a tad disinterested in her third time out as Mystique – whilst Oscar Isaac (as Apocalypse) and Sophie Turner (Jean Grey) impress the most out of the newcomers. Undeniably a rung below the two preceding entries on the X-Men ladder, Apocalypse is still operating at a high enough standard to be thematically absorbing in addition to entertaining on a popcorn level.