Friday Film : X Men: Apocalypse film review

Ignore the tepid reviews. X Men Apocalypse is a fun night out for a superhero fix. Far better than bloated borefests like Man of Steel or Batman v Superman or even the never ending Iron Man saga. While other superheroes are being shoehorned into films together when they don’t really have any reason to be, X Men has always been a group effort. And the mutants all are together again here too, albeit there’s a valid criticism that there are simply too many to keep track of in one film.
The film ensures that each of the mutants gets a credible background which explains their later actions. With so many in the mix, it’s inevitable the script serves some better than others. As ever, Michael Fassbender, as the conflicted Magneto is the standout character. He has the most moving storyline and Fassbender imbues it with the emotion lesser actors might only save for an Oscar baity film.
He is matched by James McAvoy as Professor Charles Xavier, although the latter has less to work with in terms of tear jerking character arc.
So, Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac) has risen from 4th-Century Egypt and lands in a Michael Jackson thriller era 1983 (when the film is set). As the “first mutant” he has been acquiring powers over millennia, transferring consciousness from one body to another and now seeks 4 followers to whom he promises the dawn of a new age.
After tragedy destroys the quiet, ‘normal’ family life he has been building, a raging Magneto is ripe to join Apocalypse in a bit of destruction of the old order as are three new mutant characters.
Standing in their way, however, are Professor Xavier, his fresh to college students; telepathic Jean ( Sophie Turner), ‘Nightcrawler’ Kurt (Smit-McPhee), ‘Cyclops’ Scott (Sheridan), ‘Quicksilver’ Peter ( Evan Peters) and Jennifer Lawrence as Raven/Mystique as well as Nicholas Hoult, ‘Beast’.
Inevitably the two sides must clash. Too many mutants possibly spoil the end of the world action broth somewhat and the brilliant Isaac is wasted as the not very scary Apocalypse but this is still an entertaining, enjoyable way to spend an easy weekend movie night.