When I saw this film, all I knew of it was the title and it was a horror. I didn't know the plot, the cast, I didn't see a trailer so I had no idea what to expect. I suspected it was an anthology type horror based on the title but that was the most I could guess at and what I saw was a very well made and genuinely scary film with a really good ghost story.
First the film is quite fast paced. It wastes no time getting to the 6 main characters of the film and most of the characters are quite likable. A chain of events leads them to explore a haunted house and just them being in the house is creepy enough. One of the characters takes a book filled with scary stories from the house and that leads to the rest of the plot of the film.
Now this could have been a lazily written ghost film where the ghost kills most of the characters for taking the book and leaves just one so she can return the book, apologize and move on. Instead the development of the story is very well done and written. You can understand the origins of the main antagonist and why she is doing what's she's doing.
Also the casting is also very well done. There are some real rising stars in this film who can act really well. You really feel for them as they fear for their lives. The character of Zoe is very sympathetic as we learn more about her and she becomes more interesting. I was also very impressed with the clever scripting and editing towards the films 3rd act.
Now what this film gets right are the clever twists and overshadowing to the characters fates. One character hates a scarecrow so much, he beats it constantly and he ends up becoming the scarecrow and can I just say that transformation was so harrowing to watch, one characters is obsessed with body parts in food and ends up actually eating a body part in a stew, another has a spider bite which gets ends up becoming a spider nest. All of this sounds like something from a bad tv movie but is executed so well, at times you can't help but look away as it happens.
Now I cannot continue this review without mentioning the creepy villains in this film. They are bloody scary to look at let alone watch them cause chaos. Whoever designed these visually terrifying and nightmare inducing creatures deserves more recognition. Possibly an award. The final monster in the 3rd act was a little cartoonish but it was still terrifying.
However there are some misteps that occur throughout the film mainly some cliches that make you question the characters decisions. In fact some fates are quite avoidable. One major cliche that occurs is the characters split up at one point. Have these kids never seen a horror film? You never split up during a horror film especially if you're next to die. The best thing to do is to stay together.
Another cliche there happens is the characters don't run away or do anything until it's too late. They literally stand in one spot and wait until the monster starts coming for them or stops forming before they realize it's time to run. One final cliche I need to point out is one character realizes there's a monster in his house so he decides to run upstairs, go into his room and hide under his bed. Why he didn't think of running out of the house to his friends is beyond me. It's like these kids want to experience to gruelling events that happen to them.
The final scene does hint at sequel being made but personally I don't think it should happen. This film seems perfect as a standalone horror film and I fear making a sequel would ruin it. Some sequels can appear risky and turn out to be great or just as good but the majority of horror sequels don't end up being that good..
Despite the cliches, this is a very well made and creative film that gives plenty of scares and is an enjoyable watch.
⭐⭐⭐
Saturday, August 24, 2019
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
Spiderman: Far From Home Review
I have been looking forward to this film after I saw Homecoming. I am a massive Spiderman fan and I have loved all of his films. Yes even Spiderman 3 and The Amazing spiderman 2 and I am pleased to say Far From Home was far from disappointing. In fact I would say it was slightly better than Homecoming.
Let's get the only criticism I have out of the way which is I thought the start of the film was a bit slow and wasn't as strong as Homecoming. However once we got to the scenes in Prague, it started getting stronger. Like Homecoming, the story was very relatable from a teenagers perspective, the fact that Peter wanted a break from being a superhero and be a normal 16 year old kid is told very well and connects really well with other young teenagers and possibly adults.
The story also focuses on Peters grief for Tony Stark and his pressured belief that he has to be the new face of the Avengers and that leads to him being smartly manipulated by Quentin Beck AKA Mysterio.
Jake Gyllenhaal is perfectly cast as the villain who's actions is first seen as sympathetic since Tony stole his invention ideas but as the film goes on, it becomes clear he's a psychopath who will stop at nothing to make people believe he's a hero. The writers decisions to borrow elements from Mysterios actions from the comics is both clever and very faithful.
The humour is spot on and perfectly timed and each cast member is given a moment to have their shot at a comedic moment in this film; from the hilarious relationships of Aunt May and Happy and Ned and Betty (which was just cute) to Mr Harrington being the naive easy going teacher who all students will probably love.
There's also some foreshadowing which seems irrelevant at first but actually becomes very clever and very meaningful when it arrives but what struck me the most is the character development. In the previous film, Peter wanted to prove he could be a big time superhero and he's not just a little kid. In this film, we see Peters vulnerable side a lot as he grieves for Tony and his desire to be normal for once before accepting he can be a normal teen and be a big time superhero.
Zendeya is also given more screen time as the awkward, down to earth but adorable at the same time MJ who is just as developed as well. We get to understand her as a character and she becomes a more fleshed out character. Yes she is essentially a love interest but she's not your one dimensional damsel in distress love interest. Plus Zendeya and Tom Holland have fantastic chemistry and they fit together just perfectly.
What made this film better than homecoming for me was it took bigger risks. The illusion scenes should be too much for this type of Spiderman film yet they work just right. These scenes become really psychological with mindbending visuals and Easter Eggs from the comics and the scripting part of it just hits you really hard which also shows what a menacing villain Beck really is. It feels like they directly come from a video game and it really pays homage and stays true to the character of Mysterio. There's even a zombie Avenger nod from the comics. Director Jon Watts constructs them really well and also does fantastically with the action sequences.
What I loved most about the 3rd act superhero showdown was the drones Beck uses to try to kill Spiderman have a reminiscence of the comic book robots Spider Slayers and realising it the 2nd time watching it, I definitely felt a big sense of nostalgia. I really hope Beck wasn't actually killed off because he seems to good a character to get rid of and I would love to see a Sinister six adaptation sometime in the future. We already have The Vulture and Mac Gargan who becomes The Scorpion in the comics introduced in homecoming, Mysterio in this movie and the minor character Dimitri who becomes The Chameleon in the comics. Marvel studios would maybe need at least two more sequels before adapting the storyline but I have faith it can work and the more films we have Tom Holland as Spiderman the better.
There's also the mid credit scene which is by far the best MCU credit scene teased. With a hilarious cameo by a classic character, the 3rd film is teased which also makes Beck Spidermans biggest enemy so far. and it's looking like it'll centre on a story that's never been told before via screen adaptation or comic book wise. I really hope it isn't a highly anticipated moment that gets swept under the carpet in the first act otherwise I will be very disappointed.
Overall this is a fantastic and worthy sequel to its predecessor that boasts fantastic visuals, a memorable villain and a very relatable story and teases a potentially fantastic story. Let's just hope the film is better than the anticipation.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Let's get the only criticism I have out of the way which is I thought the start of the film was a bit slow and wasn't as strong as Homecoming. However once we got to the scenes in Prague, it started getting stronger. Like Homecoming, the story was very relatable from a teenagers perspective, the fact that Peter wanted a break from being a superhero and be a normal 16 year old kid is told very well and connects really well with other young teenagers and possibly adults.
The story also focuses on Peters grief for Tony Stark and his pressured belief that he has to be the new face of the Avengers and that leads to him being smartly manipulated by Quentin Beck AKA Mysterio.
Jake Gyllenhaal is perfectly cast as the villain who's actions is first seen as sympathetic since Tony stole his invention ideas but as the film goes on, it becomes clear he's a psychopath who will stop at nothing to make people believe he's a hero. The writers decisions to borrow elements from Mysterios actions from the comics is both clever and very faithful.
The humour is spot on and perfectly timed and each cast member is given a moment to have their shot at a comedic moment in this film; from the hilarious relationships of Aunt May and Happy and Ned and Betty (which was just cute) to Mr Harrington being the naive easy going teacher who all students will probably love.
There's also some foreshadowing which seems irrelevant at first but actually becomes very clever and very meaningful when it arrives but what struck me the most is the character development. In the previous film, Peter wanted to prove he could be a big time superhero and he's not just a little kid. In this film, we see Peters vulnerable side a lot as he grieves for Tony and his desire to be normal for once before accepting he can be a normal teen and be a big time superhero.
Zendeya is also given more screen time as the awkward, down to earth but adorable at the same time MJ who is just as developed as well. We get to understand her as a character and she becomes a more fleshed out character. Yes she is essentially a love interest but she's not your one dimensional damsel in distress love interest. Plus Zendeya and Tom Holland have fantastic chemistry and they fit together just perfectly.
What made this film better than homecoming for me was it took bigger risks. The illusion scenes should be too much for this type of Spiderman film yet they work just right. These scenes become really psychological with mindbending visuals and Easter Eggs from the comics and the scripting part of it just hits you really hard which also shows what a menacing villain Beck really is. It feels like they directly come from a video game and it really pays homage and stays true to the character of Mysterio. There's even a zombie Avenger nod from the comics. Director Jon Watts constructs them really well and also does fantastically with the action sequences.
What I loved most about the 3rd act superhero showdown was the drones Beck uses to try to kill Spiderman have a reminiscence of the comic book robots Spider Slayers and realising it the 2nd time watching it, I definitely felt a big sense of nostalgia. I really hope Beck wasn't actually killed off because he seems to good a character to get rid of and I would love to see a Sinister six adaptation sometime in the future. We already have The Vulture and Mac Gargan who becomes The Scorpion in the comics introduced in homecoming, Mysterio in this movie and the minor character Dimitri who becomes The Chameleon in the comics. Marvel studios would maybe need at least two more sequels before adapting the storyline but I have faith it can work and the more films we have Tom Holland as Spiderman the better.
There's also the mid credit scene which is by far the best MCU credit scene teased. With a hilarious cameo by a classic character, the 3rd film is teased which also makes Beck Spidermans biggest enemy so far. and it's looking like it'll centre on a story that's never been told before via screen adaptation or comic book wise. I really hope it isn't a highly anticipated moment that gets swept under the carpet in the first act otherwise I will be very disappointed.
Overall this is a fantastic and worthy sequel to its predecessor that boasts fantastic visuals, a memorable villain and a very relatable story and teases a potentially fantastic story. Let's just hope the film is better than the anticipation.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Saturday, August 17, 2019
Fast And Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw Review
Before I saw this to film, I expected a nonsense plot with OTT action, unbelievable stunts, Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham chemistry and a whole lot of humour and unsurprisingly, that's exactly what I got.
This film is absolutely absurd but it works. Its not to be taken seriously, it's not trying to win Oscars, it's just trying to be fun and fun is exactly what it is. It moves at a nice fast pace, it never seems to drag on, Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham seem to be having a very good time shooting this film as Luke Hobbs and Deckard Shaw and there's never an opportunity for them to be bored. To think before fast and furious films, these two have never acted together before is shocking. There are also some very funny cameos that weren't announced during the production or trailers so that was a very lovely treat.
The performances are very nice. Obviously the two main stars are superb and their chemistry is off the scale but it's the newcomers who are equally impressive Vanessa Kirby is greatly cast as Deckard Shaws sister Hattie Shaw. As well as an absolute stunner, she's also a rising action star and it's nice to have another female action star in the Furious franchise. We could have done without the forced Luke and Hattie sexual desires that are clearly played for laughs though and Hobbs referring Shaw as brother at the end felt a bit rushed considering they've hated each other in two films and throughout this film.
Idris Elba is another good addition to the cast who plays the main villain Brixton very well. When it's revealed he works for someone else more sinister than him, that's where it gets interesting but unfortunately I can't help but feel Brixton was a bit underdeveloped. First I think he could have been villainous enough without being a cybernetic human. Even for fast and furious, that seems a bit too much in the OTT department.
Also when it's revealed Brixton and Shaw has past together, they seemed to invest that mostly from Shaws perspective. I think it would have been nice to see it from both characters point of view. As well as Shaw talking to Brixton about the past, we could have had scenes with Brixton having flashbacks of the past. That could have made him a more memorable villain. What we got instead was a good villain but I just felt there was more depth to him that the film held back.
What really polarized me was the action sequences. Now I know this is fast and furious, it's in the era where we all now expect OTT stunts. I thought the action was spectacular and very creative but it felt like they went a bit too far with the action and it was a bit too overblown. Even with the finale act, they had an opportunity to do a sequence where less is more but they threw that away for more explosions and action.
Also bringing fast cars into the mix seemed a bit forced for me to bring nostalgia and what the series is known for. Hobbs and Shaw are not Dominic Toretto and his crew. They're not interested in fast cars. Only guns or a nice cold can of whoopass. There are some seeds planted for a sequel which is quite risky but hopefully it all pans out.
Overall this is a very funny action packed fun film with charismatic leads and a good enough villain with some missteps but since this is just supposed to be a fun film and nothing too serious, it doesn't hold back the film too much.
⭐⭐⭐
Friday, August 9, 2019
The Lion King review
When it was announced a live action remake was going to happen, I was mildly intrigued. Then Jon Favreau was announced as the director and I was officially excited. He did a fantastic job with the jungle book so I had faith in the movie. I defended it, I told people to wait for it to come out before judging it, I was confident it would be a great film. Then I saw it and walked out just before the 3rd act.
I have never been so disappointed watching a film. I became bored once Simba and Mufasa were patrolling Pride Rock. What made the Jungle book so fantastic was it told the same story but in a different way. It gave the characters more development and motivations. It had so much heart and originality at times and the only thing I can praise of this film is the visuals and design of the characters.
In no exaggeration, this remake is more than a shot for shot remake. It is quite literally a exact copy of the original. Exact same script. Exact same score. Exact same music and songs. Exact same story. There is nothing new whatsoever. It's like the makers put the original copy into a live action projector and waited months to build it all up. What angers me more is when you watch it, it's clear there was no effort made and they made it just for a summer cash grab.
Watching this, I found so many ways they could have made it new fresh and still faithful. They could have made Scar a villain with a redemption arc, they could have made Simba aware of Scars villainous ways but can't prove it, they could have explored why Scar hates Mufasa and why he's an outcast, we could have seen how Timon and Pumba first met and how they became friends, we could have even see Simbas journey growing up once he meets Timon and Pumba but no, they chose the lazy route.
The fact this film is a exact rehash, the emotional scenes all feel cheapened and quite frankly, very dull. Scar, in this film, is very dull, boring and a one note villain whereas Scar, in the original was a multi complex character with humorous one liners, cunning and charisma.
Now I don't like criticising acting. I defend actors all the time but on this occasion, it's necessary. The best actors in the film is Seth Rogen as Pumba and Billy Eichner as Timon. They are easily the best actors and the best thing about this film. They manage to get through a predictable script very well and quite humorously but not as funny as I would have hoped. James earl Jones as Mufasa is a nice throwback to the original but that's it. Chiwetel Ejiofor is such a talented actor but his performance is very one note and very bland though he's not entirely to blame when he's basically just repeating lines from the original.
The rest of the actors such as JD McCrary and Donald Glover as Simba, Beyonce Knowles as Nala and John Oliver (him especially) sound like they're reading the script whilst recording their lines. The worst thing about having an exact same script is at times during the film, it doesn't make sense such as the new rendition of "i just cant wait to be king" and Simba and Nalas play fighting. Its small and minor but still noticeable.
Ultimately this film could have had so much potential and could have been a massive mega hit like The Jungle book was but instead it's a lazily produced and dull remake with good visuals but no heart or soul.
⭐⭐
I have never been so disappointed watching a film. I became bored once Simba and Mufasa were patrolling Pride Rock. What made the Jungle book so fantastic was it told the same story but in a different way. It gave the characters more development and motivations. It had so much heart and originality at times and the only thing I can praise of this film is the visuals and design of the characters.
In no exaggeration, this remake is more than a shot for shot remake. It is quite literally a exact copy of the original. Exact same script. Exact same score. Exact same music and songs. Exact same story. There is nothing new whatsoever. It's like the makers put the original copy into a live action projector and waited months to build it all up. What angers me more is when you watch it, it's clear there was no effort made and they made it just for a summer cash grab.
Watching this, I found so many ways they could have made it new fresh and still faithful. They could have made Scar a villain with a redemption arc, they could have made Simba aware of Scars villainous ways but can't prove it, they could have explored why Scar hates Mufasa and why he's an outcast, we could have seen how Timon and Pumba first met and how they became friends, we could have even see Simbas journey growing up once he meets Timon and Pumba but no, they chose the lazy route.
The fact this film is a exact rehash, the emotional scenes all feel cheapened and quite frankly, very dull. Scar, in this film, is very dull, boring and a one note villain whereas Scar, in the original was a multi complex character with humorous one liners, cunning and charisma.
Now I don't like criticising acting. I defend actors all the time but on this occasion, it's necessary. The best actors in the film is Seth Rogen as Pumba and Billy Eichner as Timon. They are easily the best actors and the best thing about this film. They manage to get through a predictable script very well and quite humorously but not as funny as I would have hoped. James earl Jones as Mufasa is a nice throwback to the original but that's it. Chiwetel Ejiofor is such a talented actor but his performance is very one note and very bland though he's not entirely to blame when he's basically just repeating lines from the original.
The rest of the actors such as JD McCrary and Donald Glover as Simba, Beyonce Knowles as Nala and John Oliver (him especially) sound like they're reading the script whilst recording their lines. The worst thing about having an exact same script is at times during the film, it doesn't make sense such as the new rendition of "i just cant wait to be king" and Simba and Nalas play fighting. Its small and minor but still noticeable.
Ultimately this film could have had so much potential and could have been a massive mega hit like The Jungle book was but instead it's a lazily produced and dull remake with good visuals but no heart or soul.
⭐⭐
Friday, August 2, 2019
Toy Story 4 Review
Toy Story 4 Review:
When I heard Disney was doing a 4th imstallment of Toy Story, I was outraged. For me it seemed like an obvious and lazy cash grab and an unnecessary sequel since the 3rd film was the perfect way to end the franchise. Now that I've seen it, I take most of it back. It's still an unnecessary sequel but it's a great film.
The story is surprisingly fresh and interesting but not as strong as the previous installments. Woody, when we first see him, is no longer a favourite toy. He has no direction and seems forgotten. He then finds himself a new job by looking after and guiding Bonnies new toy, Forky who is a welcome and hilarious addition. The scenes with Woody trying to stop Forky running away is just hilarious.
After a chain of events leads Woody and Forky to a carnival, they bump into Bo Peep who is a much better character in this than the previous films. Before she was a one dimensional and boring character but now she's a breath of fresh air and very interesting. She seems like a strong character who represents women in a great way. Keanu Reeves as Duke Kaboom, Keegan-Michael Keane and Jordan Peele as Bunny and Ducky are also great and funny characters.
What is so interesting about this film is it actually leaves room for more films. The ending leaves potential for a Toy story 5 but some characters would have be left behind, I want to see a Duke Kaboom spinoff and I really want a Bo Peep prequel or trilogy. I'm really interested to see how she went from a boring character to one of the best things about Toy Story 4.
Now I said I take most of it back because there was some disappointments. There is literally a 2 second scene that cheapens the ending of Toy Story 3 and that is a big flaw. Also, I found the character of Gabby Gabby frustrating. She's a good character but an annoying villain. I could see how the film was developing her but I just didn't like her. Also I heard the ending was really sad. Sadder than Toy Story 3. I personally didn't think it was. It was a sad ending but it not as sad as I've seen in other films.
Ultimately this is a surprisingly great film though not the best, with lots of laughs, good vocal performances and a good story.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
When I heard Disney was doing a 4th imstallment of Toy Story, I was outraged. For me it seemed like an obvious and lazy cash grab and an unnecessary sequel since the 3rd film was the perfect way to end the franchise. Now that I've seen it, I take most of it back. It's still an unnecessary sequel but it's a great film.
The story is surprisingly fresh and interesting but not as strong as the previous installments. Woody, when we first see him, is no longer a favourite toy. He has no direction and seems forgotten. He then finds himself a new job by looking after and guiding Bonnies new toy, Forky who is a welcome and hilarious addition. The scenes with Woody trying to stop Forky running away is just hilarious.
After a chain of events leads Woody and Forky to a carnival, they bump into Bo Peep who is a much better character in this than the previous films. Before she was a one dimensional and boring character but now she's a breath of fresh air and very interesting. She seems like a strong character who represents women in a great way. Keanu Reeves as Duke Kaboom, Keegan-Michael Keane and Jordan Peele as Bunny and Ducky are also great and funny characters.
What is so interesting about this film is it actually leaves room for more films. The ending leaves potential for a Toy story 5 but some characters would have be left behind, I want to see a Duke Kaboom spinoff and I really want a Bo Peep prequel or trilogy. I'm really interested to see how she went from a boring character to one of the best things about Toy Story 4.
Now I said I take most of it back because there was some disappointments. There is literally a 2 second scene that cheapens the ending of Toy Story 3 and that is a big flaw. Also, I found the character of Gabby Gabby frustrating. She's a good character but an annoying villain. I could see how the film was developing her but I just didn't like her. Also I heard the ending was really sad. Sadder than Toy Story 3. I personally didn't think it was. It was a sad ending but it not as sad as I've seen in other films.
Ultimately this is a surprisingly great film though not the best, with lots of laughs, good vocal performances and a good story.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
X men Dark Phoenix review
X Men: Dark Phoenix review.
When it was announced X men would be redoing this hit comic storyline, there was global excitement from so many fans. Then it started going wrong.
First Simon Kinberg was announced as the director. Kinberg has had a long future with X men including some disappointing films and even produced the major misfire of the remade Fantastic Four and considering this is his directional debut, it's understandable why fans became worried.
Another worry was the constant date push backs the film received. First it was supposed to be released last November but then got pushed back to February. Then it received a 3rd push back to June which stayed it's permanent slot but since its a sign bad films get constant push backs, it was another worry for fans.
Finally Disney bought the rights to 20th Century Fox which made it likely this would be the final x men film produced by Fox and the X men would start appearing in the MCU so it's fair to say Dark Phoenix had it's fair share of problems before it was even released. And unfortunately it seems it's fate was sealed with the constant push backs.
The film starts off really well. It is a million times better than The Last Stand and it does the first half of the story justice. Sophie Turner does a fantastic job as Jean Grey as she struggles with her powers and emotions and finally succumbs to her devastatingly powerful abilities. The rest of the cast are impressive especially James McAvoy as Charles Xavier, Michael Fassbender as Erik Lensherr, Nicholas hoult as Hank McCoy and Tye Sheridan as Scott Summers.
Unfortunately after the first half, the film starts to fall apart. First Jennifer Lawrence deserves so much better as Mystique. She had a fair bit of screen time but really had nothing to do but bark orders and criticise decisions. And her death should have been a powerful moment but since it was spoiled in the second trailer, it's impact was really meaningless and afterwards it turns out to be a pointless plot device to turn Hank and Magneto against Jean, which if you think about it doesn't make much sense especially for Magnetos point.
Then we have unnecessary characters that bring the film down further. Jessica Chastain is a brilliant actress but she plays such a bland and pointless villain who ends up becoming very annoying. The shapeshifting alien race really did not need to be in this film. Also Evan Peters as Peter Maximoff in usually fantastic and charismatic but he feels really out of place and underused. Apart from the opening act, he has no place in the film and it's a wonder why he still appeared in it.
What was so much more disappointing about the second half was the major U turn in the film. It went from the X men trying to save jean from herself to them saving the world from the shapeshifting alien race and although that's the meaning of superhero films, it completely overshadows the original meaning of the Dark Phoenix story. This should have been an opportunity to reinvent the superhero genre but instead it's like the writers decided they got bored halfway through the original story and decided to change it entirely.
This really should have been the best and most powerful entry in the franchise but it ends up falling flat that can't be saved by fantastic performances or decent action. 2/5 Stars.
Another worry was the constant date push backs the film received. First it was supposed to be released last November but then got pushed back to February. Then it received a 3rd push back to June which stayed it's permanent slot but since its a sign bad films get constant push backs, it was another worry for fans.
Finally Disney bought the rights to 20th Century Fox which made it likely this would be the final x men film produced by Fox and the X men would start appearing in the MCU so it's fair to say Dark Phoenix had it's fair share of problems before it was even released. And unfortunately it seems it's fate was sealed with the constant push backs.
The film starts off really well. It is a million times better than The Last Stand and it does the first half of the story justice. Sophie Turner does a fantastic job as Jean Grey as she struggles with her powers and emotions and finally succumbs to her devastatingly powerful abilities. The rest of the cast are impressive especially James McAvoy as Charles Xavier, Michael Fassbender as Erik Lensherr, Nicholas hoult as Hank McCoy and Tye Sheridan as Scott Summers.
Unfortunately after the first half, the film starts to fall apart. First Jennifer Lawrence deserves so much better as Mystique. She had a fair bit of screen time but really had nothing to do but bark orders and criticise decisions. And her death should have been a powerful moment but since it was spoiled in the second trailer, it's impact was really meaningless and afterwards it turns out to be a pointless plot device to turn Hank and Magneto against Jean, which if you think about it doesn't make much sense especially for Magnetos point.
Then we have unnecessary characters that bring the film down further. Jessica Chastain is a brilliant actress but she plays such a bland and pointless villain who ends up becoming very annoying. The shapeshifting alien race really did not need to be in this film. Also Evan Peters as Peter Maximoff in usually fantastic and charismatic but he feels really out of place and underused. Apart from the opening act, he has no place in the film and it's a wonder why he still appeared in it.
What was so much more disappointing about the second half was the major U turn in the film. It went from the X men trying to save jean from herself to them saving the world from the shapeshifting alien race and although that's the meaning of superhero films, it completely overshadows the original meaning of the Dark Phoenix story. This should have been an opportunity to reinvent the superhero genre but instead it's like the writers decided they got bored halfway through the original story and decided to change it entirely.
This really should have been the best and most powerful entry in the franchise but it ends up falling flat that can't be saved by fantastic performances or decent action. 2/5 Stars.
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