'X-Men: Apocalypse' - Review

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Bryan Singer’s finale to the second X-Men trilogy is nominally set in 1983, but begins millennia before: ancient, all-powerful being En Sabah Nur transfers his consciousness into a new body (Oscar Isaac in a loincloth, wahey!), but is encased beneath the pyramids by his enemies. Centuries later, a cult re-awakens him as Apocalypse, whereupon he takes four of the most powerful mutants under his wing: the newly-bereaved Eric Lensherr/Magneto (Michael Fassbender), Storm, Psylocke and Angel (Alexandra Shipp, Olivia Munn and Eastenders breakout Ben Hardy, respectively). Determined to prevent oncoming cataclysm, Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and the redeemed Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) are joined by the younger iterations of classic heroes Jean Grey (Sophie Turner), Cyclops (Tye Sheridan) and Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee). 

Matthew Vaughn’s First Class was a cheery romp, whilst Days of Future Past took itself a little more seriously in an effort to repair the damage done by more turgid entries. Tonally, Apocalypse meanders awkwardly in-between the two. Chucklesome back-and-forth between Charles and old flame Moira (Rose Byrne) is followed soon after by Eric’s return to the scene of his parent’s death in Auschwitz, before we’re back for more zippy escapades with Evan Peters’ Quicksilver (stealing the film out from under his cohorts once more).

Tonal differences aside, both preceding films at least kept focus on a single overarching narrative, but Apocalypse is far too long and overstuffed when it needn’t be, Singer and co. often sacrificing coherence in the main plot for a plethora of fan service and eighties references. At one point the younger mutants exit a screening of Return of the Jedi, voicing their certainty that the third instalments of famous trilogies are a consistent let-down (a jibe intended for The Last Stand, but which hits a little closer to home by the end). When the period aesthetic is better integrated into key sequences, there’s a genuine thrill: Angel is christened by Apocalypse to the sound of Metallica’s The Four Horseman, and Eurythmics provide the backing track to Quicksilver’s moment in the sun.

With the baton firmly passed onto the new generation, the fresh-faced versions of previously-performed characters are more than up to snuff: Turner arguably makes a far more believably tortured Jean than Famke Janssen, whilst Sheridan and Smit-McPhee provide accessible, lively impressions of original trilogy actors. This affably bright trio is what ultimately helps Apocalypse rise above the glowering humdrum of the similarly baggy Batman v Superman. 

Oscar Isaac’s snake-tongued line delivery as Apocalypse lands on the amiable side of camp (fitting comfortably with the naff Duran Duran costumes), but does little to stifle concerns that – due to excessive make-up – it could be anyone in that armour. Singer’s committal to serving up the vast array of characters is also blighted by a constant, almost incestuous referral to the series’ tourist spots (we spend close to twenty minutes in a location explored by at least three previous films).

Whilst the finale is thematically much more interested in character development, the effects overload surrounding it could be swapped with any number of sky-tumbling climaxes from a dozen comic book movies and still yield the same result. The audaciousness of the Auschwitz sequence and some weird mind-game antics recall the unique desire to be different that we all remember from X-Men and X2. Such idiosyncrasy needs to be kept in mind, lest the series fall in line with the smash-n-dash super-heroics that Civil War so deftly avoided. 

Regardless, I think this is a superhero franchise more deserving of forgiveness than I’m perhaps letting on. Maybe it’s because the series has survived the entire MCU, outlived two attempts at Spider-Man and bounced back after several near-death experiences at the hands of Brett Ratner and Fox, or that I’m just very easily swayed by John Ottman’s pulse-pounding main theme. Stretched, stuffed, CGI warts and all, this remains a decent entry in the franchise and has finally given us what the noughties failed to deliver: a consistently enjoyable X-Men trilogy.