X-Men: Apocalypse Review

By Adam Roberts,

It’s the year 1983 and Charles Xavier is teaching the first generation of Mutants. And that’s what X-Men: Apocalypse is really all about – building for the future. Approached squarely on those terms, the entertainment factor is just absolutely phenomenal, and the new cast are in my opinion, more than likeable and take well to the iconic roles they are to portray. But like the end of Future Past shows, this is a completely new and different time-line than what we had come to know before it, so expect a lot of things to be different.

A decade has passed since we last saw Xavier, Magneto, and the rest of the team left off. Not a lot has changed. Xavier along with Beast have taken in a new line of students since the failing of the first line as explained in Future Past, and started teaching them so they can eventually take their place in society (especially those who can’t) Meanwhile, Magneto has begun a new life under a new identity. But this is all destroyed after Apocalypse – who many believe to be the world’s first mutant who after centuries awakens to rebuild the world in his own image.

At the centre of it all, of course from First Class, Professor X (James McAvoy) and Magneto (Michael Fassbender), were basically the main characters and it had been about their complex relationship, but the pair barely seem to share any screen time together in this film. I personally see this as a good thing, as this is supposed to be about a new generation… or should I say the first generation if that makes sense… these timelines are so confusing! It’s a shame but to do a story revolving around the two of them again would’ve been overdoing it a little I think. McAvoy has matured wonderfully into the role of Professor X. While Fassbender has certainly portrayed the character’s mix of menace and tragedy very effectively. Now Fassbender gives a strong performance as Magneto is recruited by Apocalypse and transformed into so much more than just the hired muscle.

The new generation of X-Men are extremely likeable, well-cast, and have great chemistry. Director Bryan Singer finds enough time to set up the characters for Cyclops and Jean in greater detail. Apocalypse’s acolytes fair less well. We at least find out a lot more about Storm, but once again Psylocke and Angel are completely wasted on the big screen. But in retrospect guess theirs only so much you can fit in to 144 minutes!

Of course returning to steal the show is (Evan Peters) Quicksilver. He undoubtedly gives by far the best scene in the entire film. It not only shows the sheer magnitude of his abilities but it also gives us an insight to his personality… he kind of reminds me of Jim Carry a little! I give a rating of 10 out of 10.

As for Apocalypse played by Oscar Isaac, (who you may remember as Po Dameron in Star Wars: The Force Awakens), gives an immaculate performance as the ancient mutant, and shows that he is capable of delivering a degree of menacing tongues… seriously, he gave me chills! He spends a lot his screen time recruiting his four horsemen and expresses at great length about how humanity has created ‘false gods’, eventually he begins to initiate his world domination, and see everything just crumble before us. We see many cities being destroyed, cities such as New York and Sydney. This is a film which I give the highest marks and will not hesitate to watch agein.