Why Bad Reviews Don’t Stop Me from Watching X-Men: Apocalypse
Rotten tomatoes rated
X-Men: Apocalypse, the latest installment of X-Men universe, rotten, with only 49 percent of approval. Critics’ consensus in the website mentioned that
the movie had wasted several “strong performers” and “resonant themes.”
Meanwhile, Metacritic gave a mixed review for X-Men: Apocalypse with a 52 Metascore, making the movie to be the lowest rated of the X-Men movie adaptation since X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), which has a 58 Metascore. An X-Men movie which is even worse than The Last Stand? How bad can it be?
Apocalyptic reviews have indeed slammed Bryan Singer’s latest take on X-Men. However, I still went and watched the movie last night. I was satisfied. love it. And I want more …
X-Men: Apocalypse is set 10 years after Magneto’s
attack to the White House in the acclaimed movie X-Men: Days of Future Past
(2014), which was also directed by Singer. In Apocalypse, Charles Xavier aka
Professor X (James McAvoy) has finally started his School for Gifted
Youngsters. Along with his longtime friend, Hank McCoy aka Beast (Nicholas
Hoult), Professor X teaches young mutants, including Scott Summers aka Cyclops
(Tye Sheridan), Jean Grey (Sophie Turner), Jubilee (Lana Condor) and
Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee), to learn to control their power and abilities.
The world, however, soon plunges into a terror when a group of people in Cairo, Egypt, revives an ancient God and a tyrant, En Sabah Nur, who is also known as Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac). CIA Agent Moira MacTaggert (Rose Byrne) then reveals to Charles and Beast that Apocalypse is the world’s first mutant, with a Godly power.
The revived Apocalypse then recruits Angel/Archangel (Ben Hardy), Psylocke (Olivia Munn), Ororo Monroe aka Storm (Alexandra Shipp) and Erick Lehnsherr aka Magento (Michael Fassbender) as his four horsemen. Together, they attempt to conquer the world. The young X-Men team, led by Beast and Raven aka Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence), then tries to stop Apocalypse and his four horsemen from bringing Armageddon to the world.
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| Apocalypse's Four Horsemen: Psylocke, Archangel, Storm and Magneto |
Critics argued that Apocalypse wasted the talents
of the many strong performers. This may be true, in some extent. However, in my
opinion, that is a classic problem for a movie which includes so many cast. The
original X-Men trilogy (X-Men, 2000; X2 United, 2003; and X-Men: The last
Stand), for example, had the same problem, in my opinion. In those three
movies, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) becomes the center of the spotlight. He
overshadows other characters, which includes Academy Award winner Halle Berry,
who acted as Storm, or diminishing the role of Cyclops (James Marsden), from an
X-Men leader to be a jealous boyfriend. Both Storm and Cyclops were given
little room to shine and develop their character in that movies.
X-Men: Apocalypse, despite the many casts, is able to develop some of the key characters, such as Cyclops and Jean Grey, who play important roles in X-Men Universe. Cyclops, for instance, who is introduced as a fragile and anxious teenager can turn into a youngster with apparent leadership skill by the end of the movie. Meanwhile, Jean in the first part of the movie is depicted as a young lady who is insecure with her power. In the last part of the movie, she can channel her Phoenix power and seem to have her power in check. Even, veteran character, such as Mystique, also experience character development in this movie.
However, it is true that several supporting
characters, need more screenplay and development. Jubilee, for instance. Since
her appearance, I thought that X-Men: Apocalypse would allow her to have more
dialogues or a chance for her to showcase her power. The same can be said to Storm, another contender in X-Men universe. Although this movie narrates Storm’s past live, a
milestone on its own since Storm’s past was never revealed in other movies,
X-Men: Apocalypse unfortunately still gives little screenplay for Storm to
fully exhibit her weather controlling power. It causes her for not having her
own glorious moment in this movie compared to other characters.
Another thing that critics said about this movie is that it relied heavily on computer generated imagery for most of the destruction scenes. Pardon my cheap taste, but I actually enjoyed this.
In the movie, thanks to Apocalypse, Magneto is now fully aware of the extent of his power i.e. metals are everywhere to be found on earth. Magneto then decided to obey Apocalypse to alter Earth’s magnetic field in order to restart the world. Magneto, who has felt nothing toward humanity, then went on rampage, tried to destroy the very earth itself. Although the movie does not show any human casualty caught up in Magneto’s rampage, for me, this movie part is still significant to make me think that Apocalypse is happening.
I was in awe when watching Magneto at his full power in all of the X-Men movie franchise. There was a sense of admiration to the extent of his power, believing that he is indeed an omega level mutant, and a fear of his power that could bring the world to an end. This kind of effect and feeling, in my opinion, will not be reached if CGI was not overtly used.
I felt the same feeling when when Jean taps to her true power and exhibit her Phoenix persona. I cheered! Finally! The Phoenix is properly presented. Fiery bird envelopes her body when Jean is tapping to her true potential. This image is the closest depiction of the Phoenix as it originally appears in comic book and television animated series. This is much better than how the Phoenix is seen in X-Men: The Last Stand, where Jean (Famke Jensen) causing havoc by only standing in the center of destruction. This CGI-ed Phoenix is nothing but awesome.
The other thing to cheer on the movie is the character of Quicksilver (Evan Peter).. Since his first appearance in Days of Future Past, Quicksilver has been able to win the heart of the viewer. His cheerful and glee character is very different than the rest of X-Men characters who are very serious. In X-Men: Apocalypse, Quicksilver has more screenplay that will make viewers even love his character more.
Some critics also argue that this movie lacks of philosophical meaning and plays around a straightforward good-vs-evil conflict resolution.I have a mixed feeling to this critique. True, X-Men: Apocalypse lack of philosophical significance compared to Batman v Superman (2016) or Captain America: Civil War (2016), which indeed play around philosophical concept of human with superpowers.
X-Men: Apocalypse, despite the many casts, is able to develop some of the key characters, such as Cyclops and Jean Grey, who play important roles in X-Men Universe. Cyclops, for instance, who is introduced as a fragile and anxious teenager can turn into a youngster with apparent leadership skill by the end of the movie. Meanwhile, Jean in the first part of the movie is depicted as a young lady who is insecure with her power. In the last part of the movie, she can channel her Phoenix power and seem to have her power in check. Even, veteran character, such as Mystique, also experience character development in this movie.
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| All new Jean Grey, Nightcrawler and Cyclops |
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| While Psylocke has her own shining moment, Storm has none despite her importance in X-Men universe |
Another thing that critics said about this movie is that it relied heavily on computer generated imagery for most of the destruction scenes. Pardon my cheap taste, but I actually enjoyed this.
In the movie, thanks to Apocalypse, Magneto is now fully aware of the extent of his power i.e. metals are everywhere to be found on earth. Magneto then decided to obey Apocalypse to alter Earth’s magnetic field in order to restart the world. Magneto, who has felt nothing toward humanity, then went on rampage, tried to destroy the very earth itself. Although the movie does not show any human casualty caught up in Magneto’s rampage, for me, this movie part is still significant to make me think that Apocalypse is happening.
I was in awe when watching Magneto at his full power in all of the X-Men movie franchise. There was a sense of admiration to the extent of his power, believing that he is indeed an omega level mutant, and a fear of his power that could bring the world to an end. This kind of effect and feeling, in my opinion, will not be reached if CGI was not overtly used.
I felt the same feeling when when Jean taps to her true power and exhibit her Phoenix persona. I cheered! Finally! The Phoenix is properly presented. Fiery bird envelopes her body when Jean is tapping to her true potential. This image is the closest depiction of the Phoenix as it originally appears in comic book and television animated series. This is much better than how the Phoenix is seen in X-Men: The Last Stand, where Jean (Famke Jensen) causing havoc by only standing in the center of destruction. This CGI-ed Phoenix is nothing but awesome.
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| Lame portrayal of the Dark Phoenix in X-Men: The Last Stand |
The other thing to cheer on the movie is the character of Quicksilver (Evan Peter).. Since his first appearance in Days of Future Past, Quicksilver has been able to win the heart of the viewer. His cheerful and glee character is very different than the rest of X-Men characters who are very serious. In X-Men: Apocalypse, Quicksilver has more screenplay that will make viewers even love his character more.
Some critics also argue that this movie lacks of philosophical meaning and plays around a straightforward good-vs-evil conflict resolution.I have a mixed feeling to this critique. True, X-Men: Apocalypse lack of philosophical significance compared to Batman v Superman (2016) or Captain America: Civil War (2016), which indeed play around philosophical concept of human with superpowers.
Compared to those two box office movies, indeed, X-Men: Apocalypse’s theme is very usual: a Godly evil mutant arises to bring chaos to the world that needs to be stopped. However, should it be more complicated than that? I personally do not think it necessary. For once, I spent my money for a movie that I can watch purely as an entertainment without having to think what is the contextual meaning behind it. I believe, however, Singer is capable of making this movie more complicated. Just see what he has done in Days of Future Past, which combine storyline between two timelines of X-Men universe. It takes a genius to film that complicated concept.
All in all, I enjoyed the 2 hours and 27 minutes of X-Men: Apocalypse. I truly did. My eyes were always fixated to the screen, as I enjoyed the action, the story and the effect. I do have one regret, though. I regretted the casting of Oscar Isaac as Apocalypse. Oscar himself, however, has actually warned that his image of Apocalypse may not be liked by X-Men fans. Sorry Oscar, but I did not really like it, too. In comic book and television series, Apocalypse is portrayed for having a giant body. When watching him in television series or comic book, his posture itself sends a message that he is very powerful and a troublesome foe. However, in this movie, Apocalypse is seen with small body that diminishes the eerie image of Apocalypse. I wish other actors with bigger bodies could take the role as Apocalypse.
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| Apocalypse encounters Cable in X-Men animated series in the 90's |
Rate: 4/5
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