"X-Men: Apocalypse"

Title: X-Men: Apocalypse
Director: Bryan Singer
Writer: Simon Kinberg, Bryan Singer
Category: Action, Sci-fi, Adventure, Fantasy
Duration: 144 min
Rate: 

When it comes to the Marvel franchises, the X-Men are my favourites superhero movies. All the past films were amazing. The new ones, with the added talent of James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, added something more to this world and they made the story of each character more interesting.

As one may think, the x-men's narration is always the same one for each movie. However, the plot is never dull and the actors always give it all in portraying these mutants, fighting to get accepted in a world in which everyone is afraid of the differences.

With X-men Apocalypse I had major expectations, and, luckily, they were all met in this last installment.

In the film, we are once again in the past. Everything is set 10 years later, following the events in Cuba. After being badly injured by his old friend, Xavier has opened his school for the gifted in a world in which the mutants are more feared than ever because of what Magneto did.

Even though he is providing a safe heaven for young mutants, who are learning to control and master their abilities, around the world the rest of the humans are still scared of them.

However, this time, the enemy is not humankind, but another mutant, the first one. 

After being trapped for centuries, En Sabah Nur, is brought back to life to restore his power and eradicate all the false gods that the world has been idolising. In his quest to rise again, he will enhance the power of four promising mutants, along with a heartbroken and desperate Magneto, to bring destruction on Earth and force the whole world to kneel at his feet.

The plots employed in the x-men movies always revolve around the rejection of what is different and how important it actually is to embrace diversity instead of antagonising it or refuse to accept it. However, these themes are always developed in a different and fresh way, enriching them with other actual topics, like remembering that family will always be there to support you no matter what and that heroism lies within all of us.

In X-men: Apocalypse, the story is more powerful thanks to the actors bringing it to life on the screen. Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy brought an intense interpretation of their characters, digging deeply into their core to understand the motivation and the reasons behind their actions. The bond that both Xavier and Magneto had in these more recent films grows stronger and it builds from the mutual respect that they have for each other.

Jennifer Lawrence keeps on making Mystique/Reven a complex and well rounded character that still shows loyalty to both Xavier and Magneto, almost ready to sacrifice herself to save them both. With her, the rest of the cast, with few exceptions, bring to the screen complex characters with virtues and flaws.

The antagonist of this story, the old God En Sabah Nur, played by Oscar Isaacs, is like a mirror for Magneto. His ideals of mutant supremacy reflect's the ideals promoted by the Magneto from the first X-men Trilogy, but they are brought to their extremes by Apocalypse's thirst for power over everything. He sees the other mutants as expendable pawns instead of brothers in arms.

What makes this film interesting, is the chance that the audience gets to see Xavier's prodigies when they were young and inexperienced. How Jane, Scott and Storm became the X-men and Xavier's protectors.

Of course the movie could have been better. The directing wasn't strong throughout the movie and the story seems rushed at times, while still dragging a little bit. However, the cinematography is spectacular and the CGI brings to the screen some of the most spectacular effects seen in an action movie, especially with the power exhibited by the mutants.

All in all, X-men: Apocalypse is a highly entertaining action movie that provides food for thought while still bringing the right amount of action packed scenes. Worth every penny are the scenes with Evan Peters as Quicksilver, his performance is spectacular and bring some needed comic relief to break the heaviest scenes.

Till next time,

Fred.

Here's the trailer: