Dark Phoenix Makes Some Inspired Choices, But Fails To Make An Impact
Plagued by reshoots and release delays, Dark Phoenix has finally made it to theaters, and is quite possibly the end of the X-Men franchise as we know it, since Disney officially acquired 20th Century Fox earlier this year. The fate of the spin-off film, The New Mutants, is still up in the air. However, there is no denying the impact and longevity of the X-Men films, and the multiple times they’ve been able to win back audiences after missteps like X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine. 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past would go on to be the most critically and commercially successful film in the franchise, while 2017’s Logan earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. Like a phoenix, resurrection has certainly been one of the defining qualities of the X-Men franchise.
Taking place in 1992, Dark Phoenix finds the X-Men hailed as heroes by humans as well as mutants, and when a team of astronauts is at risk of being exposed to a solar flare in Earth’s orbit, they are tasked with initiating a dangerous rescue mission. Left behind on the damaged space shuttle after the astronauts are safely extracted, Jean Grey is exposed to the massive surge of energy, but miraculously survives. Upon returning to Earth, however, it becomes clear that Jean has been changed both physically and mentally in ways that make her a powerful threat to not only the X-Men, but the entire world.
Those who feel this film merely rehashes X-Men: The Last Stand aren’t entirely wrong. Certain set pieces and narrative beats are reminiscent of the 2006 film, but it is important to consider the greater context and elaboration of some of those story elements on display in Dark Phoenix. What was treated almost as a subplot in The Last Stand is now the main attraction, and the film does a good job of keeping the focus on Jean struggling to understand her newfound power. This drives a great deal of dramatic tension in the film, and leads directly into the development of Charles Xavier as a character.
His motivations and methods in regards to achieving peaceful coexistence between mutants and humans are truly put into question, and this is a major point of contention as it relates his upbringing of Jean since being left in his care after a traumatic accident as a child. Furthermore, Charles is beginning to like the spotlight and public adoration that has come with the X-Men’s heroic endeavors just a little too much, and it ultimately causes tension between him and his surrogate sister Mystique. This is an element of the film that I appreciated, considering the fact that Xavier’s ideology is usually the prevailing element in any given X-Men film. It was a bold decision to truly ask the question, what if Xavier is wrong? One of the best lines in the film comes when Magneto and Xavier confront each other, and Magneto tells him, “There’s always an apology, and there’s always a speech, and nobody cares.”
Unfortunately, one of Dark Phoenix’s biggest failings is the character played by Jessica Chastain. My frustration with her in Dark Phoenix stems from the fact that her character is just . . . there. She’s extraterrestrial in origin, but beyond that, she has no foundation, and nothing about her made me feel like I was supposed to be intimidated by her. The scene of her introduction to Jean showed promise, but the film ultimately did nothing with it, beyond providing exposition for the entity that has possessed Jean. For a character that has a substantial amount of screen time, most of her scenes removed from her interactions with Jean grind the film to a halt, lacking energy or any semblance of purpose.
Development for most of the characters in Dark Phoenix is rather hit-and-miss for that matter. Alexandra Shipp’s Storm may have even less lines in this than she did in X-Men Apocalypse, although there is a fair share of weather manipulating action in the film, and one great exchange of dialogue where she rightfully checks Xavier for trying to sideline her from a mission. I’ve enjoyed Nicholas Hoult as Hank McCoy since X-Men: First Class, and he remains one of the highlights in the cast throughout Dark Phoenix, especially in one particular scene between him and James McAvoy as Xavier. You truly see how their relationship falling apart, and both actors do an incredible job of conveying anger and resentment towards one another. Michael Fassbender continues to wear the role of Magneto like a tailor-made suit, tackling the emotional weight of a character that’s had a lifetime of hardship, and balancing that with the desire to fall back into his more ruthless tendencies. Characters like Quicksilver and Mystique, unfortunately, get considerably less to do by comparison.
Sophie Turner obviously has a lot on her shoulders as Jean Grey, and does an admirable job of bringing the character to life for the most part. Eight years on Game of Thrones evolving from a naive girl to a confident and resolute young woman has more than prepared her to play this character who, at her core, is experiencing an evolution of her own. There are moments where she’s believably frantic, immediately followed by moments where she exhibits a focused rage that at times can be legitimately terrifying. The “Walk to me” scene, in particular, certainly gave me pause. I also appreciated that her interactions with Tye Sheridan as Cyclops made it abundantly clear that they are a romantic couple. More so than any preceding X-Men film, I feel like Dark Phoenix shows us these two characters in a loving relationship with actions, rather than just telling us that.
Another point of contention to consider with Dark Phoenix is how the film, like other previous X-Men films, seems bound and determined to dismiss its own established continuity. Several story developments in Dark Phoenix, as well as its ending, most assuredly contradict previous films in ways both trivial and monumental. To say nothing of the fact that it’s been 30 years since the events of X-Men: First Class and none of the characters who originated in that film have aged. If nothing else, can you imagine how many people would have swooned over a silver-maned Michael Fassbender as Magneto? That alone is a wasted opportunity for thirst-trapping right there!
For a film that may signal the end for these characters in their current state, Dark Phoenix isn’t some epic disaster, but it doesn’t quite succeed in offering a satisfying conclusion to a series of films that has lasted almost two decades either. It aims to be more of an understated character drama and less of a flashy superhero film, but in doing so, it lost some of the spark that made some of the previous films stand out. The result is a film that features some inspired moments and a handful of strong performances, but the overall execution struggles to make any real impact.
[2.5 out of 5]
