The last X-Men movie before Marvel has greater control over the franchise, Dark Phoenix was probably the best one could hope for. The biggest problems were the franchise's continued resistance to keeping track of their own continuity (Mystique is alive in "the near future" of the very first movie but dies here in 1992?) and the seemingly random and definitely obscure choice of using the D'Bari as the villains. Apparently, the D'Bari homeworld WAS destroyed by the Phoenix Force in the comics but after Jean Grey purged herself of the power, not before... My first thought when seeing the shape-shifters was "If you didn't want to copy Captain Marvel, why use the Skrull?" Though I can't think of any other examples, making an Easter egg a major plotline leaves me unsettled...
Speaking of Captain Marvel, apparently, the climax of this film setting was changed from space to a military train to avoid comparison. The best part of the film was the beginning where the team goes to space to rescue the crew of the space shuttle Endeavor which revealed the Blackbird has a gun turret fitted for Cyclops' optic blasts. This leads me to believe they should have just left it alone... I mean how many times do we need to see the military doggedly shoot at aliens even after it's clear that bullets don't hurt them?
It doesn't need to be said, but this was much better than Last Stand, the last attempt at bring the Dark Phoenix Saga to the screen...
Notes:
1. Surprised there was no post-credit scene especially given it's supposed to be a prequel. Jean's dead? Xavier retired?
2. Why did Mystique and Beast show their "true blue selves" in public but appear normal in the privacy of the school? Wouldn't the opposite make more sense even with the world already knowing what they looked like?
3. Apparently, Magneto's female lieutenant was Selene the Black Queen. I think race-bending worked against them here... Also, I still have no idea who "Dreadlock Medusa" was supposed to be...
4. Writer/director Simon Kinberg must hate helicopters. I can't think of another movie where so many were brought down...
Speaking of Captain Marvel, apparently, the climax of this film setting was changed from space to a military train to avoid comparison. The best part of the film was the beginning where the team goes to space to rescue the crew of the space shuttle Endeavor which revealed the Blackbird has a gun turret fitted for Cyclops' optic blasts. This leads me to believe they should have just left it alone... I mean how many times do we need to see the military doggedly shoot at aliens even after it's clear that bullets don't hurt them?
It doesn't need to be said, but this was much better than Last Stand, the last attempt at bring the Dark Phoenix Saga to the screen...
Notes:
1. Surprised there was no post-credit scene especially given it's supposed to be a prequel. Jean's dead? Xavier retired?
2. Why did Mystique and Beast show their "true blue selves" in public but appear normal in the privacy of the school? Wouldn't the opposite make more sense even with the world already knowing what they looked like?
3. Apparently, Magneto's female lieutenant was Selene the Black Queen. I think race-bending worked against them here... Also, I still have no idea who "Dreadlock Medusa" was supposed to be...
4. Writer/director Simon Kinberg must hate helicopters. I can't think of another movie where so many were brought down...
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