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By Nathan Hurlbut
The X-Men film franchise has just missed a golden opportunity. The movie “Logan,” released in 2017, gave a spectacular send-off to one of its most popular characters of Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). The film not only worked as a flashy superhero movie, but also as a hard-hitting drama as well. An aging Wolverine was forced to confront his own mortality and find new meaning in his life after he has seemingly surrendered his former superhero identity for good. It was an emotionally devastating conclusion for a memorable character, becoming a highpoint of the entire X-Men series that could have served as a fitting finale to the entire franchise.
Alas, it was not to be. We now have “Dark Phoenix” gracing movie screens to revive the X-Men franchise once again. However, this time the response is mostly an indifferent shrug.
After eight-year-old mutant Jean Gray uses her powers to inadvertently cause her mother’s death, Professor Xavier (James MacAvoy) agrees to take Jean in to his Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. He uses his mental powers to block Jean’s painful memories from her mind as he helps her realize the full potential of her unique abilities.
Years later, some of the X-Men are sent into space to save a failing space shuttle mission, and Jean/Phoenix (Sophie Turner) ends up absorbing a powerful energy field in the process. Rather than killing her, Jean feels empowered after the encounter, although the incident has also destroyed the memory blocks holding back her traumatic past. She quickly becomes emotionally unstable and finds herself at odds with the other X-Men, especially Professor Xavier. The resulting battle threatens to tear the X-Men apart for good.
All the familiar X-Men themes are present here: the struggle to convince the human race that the mutants should be appreciated rather than vilified, the potential dangers that the abuse of unique powers can possess, the internal disagreements between fellow X-Men of their role in the world.
However, this is also part of the problem. Much of what the movie parades onscreen we’ve already seen before. Unlike “Logan,” “Dark Phoenix” actually brings very little that’s new to the table.
At least we do get a fresh storyline with the introduction of the film’s title character. Jean’s traumatic childhood and her subsequent repression of memories and emotions make for a compelling story of emotional damage and its unforeseen consequences. Likewise, Professor Xavier’s role in her story becomes a moral dilemma, and his behavior forces him to confront his own arrogance, and causes him to question his actions. Herein lies the most compelling part of this story, and both Sophie Turner and James MacAvoy create effectively conflicted characters.
Unfortunately, apart from Jean’s tormented soul and James MacAvoy’s internally conflicted Xavier (and perhaps Michael Fassbender’s eminently watchable Magneto) the other actors aren’t given much in the way of character development here. They end up delivering perfunctory performances that suggest much of the cast is merely fulfilling contractual agreements.
It’s typical of the film itself, as much of the execution here never feels particularly inspired. The movie’s plot predictably rumbles forward, inevitably leading to a final confrontation between Jean and her fellow X-Men, as well as a mundane group of aliens.
Fortunately, when this conflict finally reached its apex in the movie’s final act, the ensuing violent confrontation does help bring the film to life. With all the movie’s melodramatic character confrontations behind it, director Simon Kinberg is able to focus on the sheer spectacle of an all-out superhero battle. Though the results feel a bit chaotic and occasionally undisciplined, it injects a much need shot of adrenaline into the arm of the movie.
Even this dramatic final showdown has its detractions, however. As the alien leader, Jessica Chastain is mostly wasted here as the token nemesis who spouts cliched dialogue as she seeks to control Jean’s powers for her own cause. This whole part of the story feels underdeveloped, leading these alien characters to become faceless antagonists that don’t elicit much of an emotional response.
It all gives the film an air of indifference, as if the series is attempting one last gasp before the life-support plug is finally pulled. While a phoenix may be a figure that rises out of the ashes to live again, all “Dark Phoenix” suggests is that the X-Men series may have unceremoniously taken its final breath.
Rated PG-13.