I always wonder how a realist would direct a blockbuster superhero movie.
X-Men: Apocalypse is directed by Bryan Singer. It is the ninth installment in the X-Men franchise and the third film in the reboot series. It is a direct sequel to 2011’s X-Men: First Class (set in the 60’s) and 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past (set in the 70s).
It’s 1983, and the ancient mutant Apocalypse is accidentally awakened from the dead. Considered the first and most powerful mutant, Apocalypse woke up to see the world changed. Believing that without his presence humanity has lost its way, he decides to destroy the world and rebuild it in his image. So he starts recruiting his four horsemen to help him cleanse the earth.
That’s the main plot at least. The movie is an ensemble piece that focuses on multiple characters. We are reintroduced to Erik Lehnsherr, Professor X, Mystique, who seem to be repeating themselves at this point, and a bunch load of new on-screen mutants. X-Men: Apocalypse is a polarizing movie. It’s one of those films you either love or hate and I’m stuck somewhere in the middle leaning a little towards liking it.
It has its flaws and some of it are really just me nitpicking. It’s one of those films that I’m not sure what to feel about it. Let’s start with the characters. The story is written by Simon Kinsberg who wrote Future Past and X-Men: The Last Stand (2006). I feel that the characters are repeating themselves. I get it, life is hard for the mutants. It seems like it’s the only thing these mutants talk about since the movie series’ inception in the 90’s. It’s getting stale for me, or maybe it could just be annoyed at how superhero movies are so formulaic these days. Nothing ever surprises me anymore.
Despite the predictable characterization, the acting in the movie was superb, (except for one actor, I’ll get back to that later.) James McAvoy who played Charles Xavier/Professor X did a really amazing acting performance. It’s one of the best acting I’ve seen in a superhero movie. He has this great nuances in his facial expressions that you can quickly recognize and empathize with. Not wanting to be typecast as Sansa Stark, Sophie Turner was also able to deliver a good job. And of course we don’t have to explain Michael Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence's excellent performances.
However, there is one actor I was most disappointed with. Oscar Isaac, why? He is one of the best actors working today; Inside Llewyn Davis, Drive, Star Wars The Force Awakens, and my most favorite performance of his, Ex Machina. I didn’t know who was playing Apocalypse in the movie and so when I read Isaac’s name in the end credits, I cried what? I didn’t like his performance at all. It felt really clichéd and corny and it also didn’t really help how his character’s exposition was poorly written and directed. The first act of the film was so slow. I got bored and didn’t really care for Apocalypse or what his goal was. I lost investment in his character when I felt it was beginning to become corny especially during a scene where Apocalypse was lost and wandering around a marketplace. It becomes too predictable and unthreatening. It is like when you get into an accident and get a nasty scar from it. A few days later, you’d look at your scar and say “meh... it kinda looks okay”. Oscar Isaac’s performance was generic. Apocalypse was a generic villain. I’m not sure if it’s because he was poorly written, or if Isaac’s acting wasn’t just that good. So I’m going to give Isaac the benefit of the doubt, but I’m still not that sure.
The movie is ambitious but at the same time trying to play things very safe, especially when it came to the writing. There are elements that are still being recycled; the mutants are still unwelcomed in the world, Erik is still mad since Auschwitz, Mystique is still advocating to embracing mutations. Even that cool slow motion sequence from Future Past was recreated in Apocalypse just for eye-candy. I got to admit it was cool to watch but it felt kinda forced. And speaking of things in the movie that felt really forced. That cameo appearance. It was on the trailers so this is not a spoiler. Wolverine only came in as a deus ex machina device. It was cool to watch and all but it felt really forced. It could have be cooler if we were introduced to a new character that helped the mutants instead.
Despite all the negative things I’ve said about the movie, I got to admit the movie was hella fun to watch. The action sequences are heavy and pretty to look at, but some of the characterizations felt flat. X-Men: Apocalypse is another generic superhero movie, but you’d still have a good time watching it.
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