X-Men Apocalypse - a damp squib?

[amberdreams]

Finally got to see the film so I can read other people's reactions now!

What did I think of it? Well, the time went quickly, I enjoyed it while I was watching but it left me empty. I have no desire to go and see it again, and no real sense of engagement with it.

My main problem was that it totally failed to give me anything new.

I really disliked Magneto's Polish idyl because it basically repeated Wolverine's idyl from his traumatic past, just added a child to the equation. Otherwise it was almost exactly the same - hero/anti-hero in rural, simple life with beautiful wife, whose life is then shattered by said beautiful wife's needless death. Then Magneto's Auschwitz destruction made me cringe - that just seemed wrong on so many levels. Had it been his decision to wipe the place off the face of the earth because it held so many painful memories, maybe it could have been justified, but that didn't seem to be the raison d'etre.

It really felt like the whole Polish set of scenes were solely there to provide a plot device for Magneto joining the baddie, not to show any character development.

Oh that baddie. Yeah, that was my other problem with the film - for goodness sake, Hollywood, just STOP with the Egyptian god that's really an alien theme will you? Tired and cliched doesn't cover it.

But the cast are so strong they make up for the bad writing - I mean MacAvoy and Fassbender somehow gave the terrible plot and dialogue gravitas, Jennifer Lawrence is awesome and I loved Nightcrawler and Quicksilver. I'd definitely love to see more of them. That was what made the film enjoyable - the performances, and the fun that was had with the 'side' characters. It was nice to get their back stories - like how Storm became Storm was pretty cool, and yeah, Quicksilver too. In fact, that was one part I take away that made me smile - his scenes. That and James MacAvoy's lustrous eyes. Yup.

Comments

[caranfindel.livejournal.com]

I've never had any interest in these movies for some reason. And you didn't change that. ;-)

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

I like them, but they don't grip me like the Avengers ones have done. I'm not sure why.

[expectative.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's it. Also, I thought the make up for Apocalypse was hideous and ridiculous. Like, you have Oscar Isaac and you put all this crap on his face?

Also, way too many characters who're useless or under-used. I was so excited to see Jubilee and... nope, she barely had any screen time. And I didn't get Apocalypse's choices for his four knights. Magneto, I get, but Archangel? Really? And I love Storm, I do, but one of the most powerful mutants in the world? I'm not so sure about that.

And the finale battle was too lackluster.

It was funny, but disappointing.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

I just looked up Oscar Isaac - wow I hadn't recognised him at all, and yes! What a waste! He was gorgeous as Po Dameron!

[expectative.livejournal.com]

The only moment we see him without makeup is in the beginning, when he's lying on the table, when Apocalypse is about to take his body.

[geckoholic]

Yeah, good point. It wasn't terrible and I had fun, but that wasn't exactly a masterclass in in screenwriting.