Run time: 144 mins Certificate: 12A
Director: Bryan Singer
Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence.
Release Date: May 27, 2016.
Days of Glory Passed
After Matthew Vaughn injected new life into the tired X-men franchise with First Class, Bryan Singer managed to follow up his groundwork with the well crafted Days of Future Past. Its disappointing then to see that after this turnaround for the series it slumps right back into Last Stand territory with its newest entry. Its predecessors haven’t been perfect, but they have committed to seeing through some of their more complex themes rather than chase the usual comic book action schtick. Apocalypse however is generic in the worst possible sense. Its story half baked, the characters barely see any development, and those that do have been through these motions before. Being generic isn’t necessarily a bad thing if the quality is there, but when each and every scene is run through to the next as if Singer has switched into auto pilot for super hero blockbusters the end result can’t be viewed as anything but lazy.
X-men: Apocalypse isn’t necessarily a write off, but it only achieves success on the most base of levels. It ticks many of the boxes for X-men film fans, but when its predecessors have done that and more you’re left asking yourself whether it was worth building to this point. There’s mass destruction as the title implies, some genuine heart behind Magneto’s out of character but well executed arch and some genuine fun to be had seeing Xavier’s school for gifted youngsters come along. Its just that much of this is what’s expected of the franchise at this point, a given if you will, and its all that there is to enjoy amidst the uninspired chaos the screenplay doles out.
An early discussion of Star Wars (the students viewing of Return of the Jedi being perhaps the only reference to it being the 80’s apart from the costume design) is oddly self referential, their agreement that “the third one was the worst” a shameless stab at Ratner’s much maligned Last Stand. But what they’re saying is worryingly true of this third installment as well. “There wouldn’t be any without the first” chimes Jean Grey as you begin to realise Days of Future Past owed far more to First Class than you initially thought. Now in Ratner’s shoes Singer desperately tries to recapture the past glories of the franchise, losing sight of creating something original along the way. One sequence involving nuclear warheads falls flat in its attempt to replicate the similar tensions found in First Class. Likewise a repeat trip to Stryker’s lab is seemingly random in terms of plot and once more fails to match the effectiveness the setting had in X-men 2. Oh and Quicksilver? He’s yet another one scene wonder, and that one scene harks heavily back to his brilliant Days of Future Past moment.
What’s new in Apocalypse is a fairly mixed bag. The big bad himself is both intimidating and comical in appearance, succeeding in conveying a genuinely ominous presence whilst at the same time remaining disappointingly vague in terms of motivation. He’s certainly on a mission, but you’ll never know why; a particularly confusing omission considering the claims of his powers of persuasion. The young batch of new but familiar mutants all serve their purpose but nothing more, and the four horseman (once horsemanified) do even less apart from Magneto.
Again this may not have been so bad if they delivered in terms of spectacle when it came to the action, but the battle royale it culminates in is oddly bland given the array powers there are to play with. The final confrontation is perhaps the greatest offender; putting forth a solid ten minutes of action seemingly devoid of any movement (quite literally). Its even finished with a lack luster flourish after teasing what could have been a far more clever twist to end the monotony. Haphazard CGI doesn’t help matters either when so much of the destruction relies upon it, with some shots such as Psylocke running across a rooftop (fully computer generated herself for no reason) frankly being hard to take seriously. With so much destruction happening off screen it all comes across as jarringly detached, with the staggeringly high death toll barely affecting those on screen let alone the viewer.
James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender once more slip into their roles effortlessly, but its a shame that all the material they’re given is the same they’ve tackled twice before with no new ground to tread. Oscar Isaac certainly shows range as Apocalypse despite being caked in prosthetics but his efforts rarely land given that the script offers zero depth for its titular character. Jennifer Lawrence’s Mystique is once again placed in the spotlight despite everything, an even more difficult choice to get behind given her fatigued delivery of each and every line. Evan Peters still has fun as the likeable Quicksilver, but is hampered by being utilised as a set piece early on only to be overlooked as a character. The newer faces are all serviceable, though some such as Jubilee and Angel offer nothing to the proceedings, but are mostly lost in the mix given the size of the cast. And last but not least, the trailer spoiled cameo of Wolverine is a delight to see, but is made harder to enjoy given the fact that the film goes out of its way to make it possible, pacing be damned.
Verdict
X-men: Apocalypse ticks all of the boxes for a summer blockbuster, and the Fassbender/McAvoy duo deliver once more. But apart from a handful of well executed moments and laughs it all seems hollow, trudging from scene to scene with little heart or care for the characters the series has built up. Unfortunately these characters are robbed of their individuality long before they’re suited back in the matching black leathers. Bryan Singer’s Last Stand then, an uninspired end to what could have been so much more.
Hits
+ McAvoy and Fassbender chemistry.
+ Brutal cameo delivers.
+ Goes big in terms of action and cast…
Misses
– …but fails to make either of these resonate.
– Apocalypse undermined by his lack of motive.
– Reliance on past material to carry the film.
– Newcomers are given little chance to make an impression.
– Jennifer Lawrence lacks charisma.
– Poor effects hamper the grander action.
Overall Rating
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