X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) film review

Year: 2016

Running Time: 144 minutes

Director: Bryan Singer

Writers: Bryan Singer, Simon Kinberg, Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris (story), Simon Kinberg (screenplay)

Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Oscar Isaac, Rose Byrne, Nicholas Hoult, Evan Peters, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, Lucas Till, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Olivia Munn, Ben Hardy, Alexandra Shipp

X-Men: Apocalypse is now showing in Australian cinemas and is distributed by 20th Century Fox. To be released in the United States on May 27.

Just like the characters in the movies themselves, the X-Men franchise is truly one of a kind when it comes to the Marvel universe.

Juggling more than one protagonist in any given film is a complicated mission, let alone in a superhero action film as recent films of this genre have proved. Yet this has never really been a problem for the films of this Marvel franchise and X-Men: Apocalypse continues this tradition. Bryan Singer's fourth X-Men film is extremely character driven with themes that members of minority groups will be able to greatly relate to, but does not substitute emotion for exciting, high-paced and impressive action.

10 years after the group of mutants known as the X-Men were brought out into the open, much has changed in their lives and although mutants are greater accepted into society now, the more noticeably different are still treated as freaks. Professor Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) has opened his school for the gifted and it is one of his young students, Jean (Sophie Turner) who first sees the coming of the end of days. True to her vision, the being known as En Sabah Nur or Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac) rises to take the world as his own and cleanse it of humanity as we know it. He recruits mutants for his cause including the wounded man who tried so hard to leave behind who he was, Erik Lehnsherr or Magneto (Michael Fassbender). Xavier and his most powerful students and allies including Raven/ Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) take on this threat to mankind and also attempt to convince Magneto where he belongs.

What so many superhero films struggle to do in cinema these days is to find a way to reach out and tap into their audiences emotions while giving them spectacular entertainment in the form of action and special effects. X-Men: Apocalypse is one of the first hero films in a significant amount of time to be able to do this. The foundation which the whole franchise is built on is that of people who are physically or mentally different struggling to fit into society, which despite some of the fantastic mutations the X-Men have is something that many will be able to relate to and feel strongly about. Jennifer Lawrence's Raven puts it perfectly when she says that all may be happy and mutants readily accepted in Westchester, but out there people are still suspicious and non-accepting. The word "mutant" and destination of Westchester could be interchanged to incorporate any type of difference and any place where it is more accepted than others. There will always be groups of people who are afraid of what is different, but what X-Men also reminds us is that these minorities should never feel alone and that their families are not always people they are related to. Raven/ Mystique is also a wonderful example in this film of how sometimes by just being yourself and showing your difference, you are inspiring others who can relate to you even if you are often unaware of doing so.

X-Men: Apocalypse is also not afraid to shy away from more overt powerful emotions. Because of their mutations, characters such as Charles and Erik either intentionally push away the ones they love or lose their loved ones due to their point of difference. Both cases have particularly strong moments in the film which make one deeply feel their pain due to superb performance by both James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender. However, X-Men: Apocalypse doesn't remain serious and solemn for the full extent of the film as, like it's predecessors, Singer and screenwriter, Simon Kinberg have been able to incorporate some extremely amusing moments into the film. Although the film isn't completely free of some corniness, there are some very clever and witty moments of dialogue and Quiksilver's (Evan Peters) "Sweet Dreams" scene is absolutely hilarious and memorable.

One of the only things that lets X- Men: Apocalypse down is the lack of a convincing villain which is a foreseeable problem to have at this stage of the franchise. The X-Men are an extremely strong unit when they are placed together with all of their abilities and the films need to produce exceptionally strong villains that can have an unpredictable and convincing battle with this large group. Therefore, the writers have resorted to a character who represents the end of the world to take on the group of heroes. Apocalypse, as portrayed by Oscar Isaac, starts off as an intimidating presence, but his impact decreases throughout the film and he appears to be more of a run-of-the-mill bad guy than the danger who could potentially end the human race. Yet, the final battle is fantastic in it's computer generated extravagance and well-choreographed combat sequences.

As X-Men: Apocalypse is so character driven, there are some very well fleshed out and interesting personalities which are heightened by strong performances. As previously stated, both McAvoy and Fassbender give wonderful performances though vastly different ones. Fassbender in particular is superb as a very different Magneto than we met back in X-Men: First Class as he is now walking wounded and very much a tormented soul that was once softened by his family. Jennifer Lawrence does fine with her reprisal of Raven/ Mystique who is still coming to terms with her physical mutation, but is also a type of celebrity in her natural blue form.

With this film comes a handful of exciting new players who are revisiting roles from the earlier X-Men films. Sophie Turner shakes away her "Game of Thrones" persona and gives an extremely convincing performance as Jean Grey where she reaches her peak towards the end of the film. Tye Sheridan starts the film giving an atypical moody teenager performance as Scott Summers (better known as Cyclops) but his character evolves to capture emotional depth as the film progresses. Evan Peters' Quicksilver had a small role in 2014's X-Men: Days of Future Past, but makes a much greater impact here and his is a character to get excited about. Peters has a fantastic on-screen presence and buckets of charisma which make him a character one greatly looks forward to seeing in future films. On the other hand, Olivia Munn's Psylocke has very little to do despite her prime location on the film's poster. One suspects she will have more to do in future X-Men films, but she is an incredibly empty soul in this one.

X-Men: Apocalypse once again proves that it is one of the best superhero franchise films in cinema at the present time with it's healthy balance of the dramatic and the fantastic. It's ability to be able to handle a number of protagonists and introduce new and exciting characters is outstanding and makes for a whole lot of enjoyable and impressive entertainment.

7.5/10



X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

Year: 2014
Running Time: 131 minutes
Director: Bryan Singer
Writer: Jane Goldman, Simon Kinberg and Matthew Vaughn (story), Simon Kinberg (screenplay)
Cast: Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Peter Dinklage, Nicholas Hoult, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Ellen Page, Halle Berry, Evan Peters

X-Men: Days of Future Past is the film all X-Men fans have been waiting for with bated breath. The idea of the old joining the new in one film is extremely exciting for any fan of the franchise, but also a very worrying one as it is an extremely ambitious and potentially complicated task for any filmmaker to successfully undertake. Luckily, director Bryan Singer and the writers have overcome the potential continuity problems that were foreseeable in such an endeavour and have created an entertaining and enjoyable superhero film. More for X-Men fans than not, X-Men: Days of Future Past has a clever script and suspenseful action sequences which are only intensified by the performances of the outstanding cast.

Due to the actions of the mutant Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) in the 1970's, the future of both human and mutant are in doubt as Earth has been taken over by Sentinel's, which were initially made to rid the world of mutants. Professor X (Patrick Stewart) and Magneto (Ian McKellen) decide that the only way to save the world from these machines is to send someone back in time to stop Mystique from killing the Sentinel's creator, Dr. Bolivar Trask (Peter Dinklage) and setting the wheels of destruction in motion. They choose to send Logan/ Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) back to find the younger versions of Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Erik Lenhsherr (Michael Fassbender) and alert them to what is to come if they do not stop Mystique.

It is an absolute dream come true for X-Men fans to be treated with a film like X-Men: Days of Future Past. To be able to have the original Professor X and Magneto in the same film as the younger versions of themselves and be joined by other X-Men favourites such as Wolverine, Mystique and Beast just seems too good to be true. The concept itself was actually quite worrisome, as there were foreseeable problems in regards to continuity and the overcrowding of characters in the film. These problems are successfully overcome as a result of a strong and smart screenplay. The joining of all these characters in the same film is very well done and continuity problems solved in slick and smart fashion. The first scenes which are shot in the present do feel quite rushed and are in a hurry to explain things so they can return to the past where the film solidifies. After this time travel takes place, at no point does it become predictable or dull as it is constantly moving towards a tense and explosive finale. This film is probably one of the better superhero films in recent times as it encompasses all the elements which make a great film, not just a great superhero film. The outcome of the film is something which has not been seen before and changes the rules of it's franchise and for it's future films.

Being that X-Men films have been gracing our cinemas for 14 years now, there is a great deal of reference to past X-Men films which people who have seen the past films will understand and obviously those who haven't won't. It is fair to say that it is the already existing X-Men fans who will enjoy this film a great deal more than those who are not. It is impossible to get this far into a franchise and audiences not be expected to take just a little bit of back information in with them. So for those who haven't seen the past films, there is a tiny bit of information given about the past films, but not a great deal so much of it will not make any sense. Yet, if you just watch X-Men (2000) and X-Men: First Class (2011) than you have most of the information you need.

X-Men: Days of Future Past may not have as many explosions and extreme action scenes as many other films in it's same genre, but the scenes which are the most intense are very impressive. The special effects in the opening scenes and when Erik/ Magneto unleashes his fury are fantastic. The cinematography in the Pentagon when Peter/ Quicksilver does his work makes the scene incredibly fun. The make-up used for Mystique and Beast are very well done and the costumes depict the time period perfectly.

The great thing about all of the X-Men films which sets them apart from so many other genre films is that they rely so greatly on character. There is always a great amount of character to all of the X-Men characters. Their mutation is just the beginning of what sets them apart from each other, they are all different in behaviour and emotion. These distinctive characters have wonderful and acclaimed actors portraying them which makes them all even more exciting. Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry, Ellen Page and Nicholas Hoult all return to the roles they have played in previous X-Men movies.

Hugh Jackman is as ever charismatic as Logan/ Wolverine. He is a complex character, but one which the viewer loves. Jackman gives a hard exterior as Logan, but softens and shows his emotional side when heading towards the end. James McAvoy is wonderful as Charles Xavier. He plays a broken man in body and soul, who struggles with finding his way. His performance is heartfelt, but rough around the edges giving even more depth and personality to his character. Michael Fassbender is once again superb as Erik/ Magneto. Erik is a man with a tremendous amount of hurt and pain which he carries around, and that has been turned into vengeance. Fassbender does bad so very well. He is so subtle in his delivery and terrifyingly so.

Jennifer Lawrence has a very physical role as Mystique in this film, and even though her face is behind blue paint the large majority of the film and very rarely is shown without make-up, she still conjures a great amount of emotion in her key scenes. Peter Dinklage also does very well, as do Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen, particularly in their final scenes together. It is a shame that Anna Paquin's Rogue received an incredibly small amount of screen time, as she would have been as great addition to the journey.

X-Men: Days of Future Past is quite possibly the best X-Men film thus far. It gives endless possibilities of what is to come in future films of the franchise by doing something truly different and changing the rules completely.

8/10

Warm Bodies (2013)

Year: 2013
Director: Jonathan Levine
Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Analeigh Tipton, Dave Franco, John Malkovich, Rob Corddry
Now showing in cinemas everywhere

Review
Well, another zombie apocalypse film. That seems to be in fashion at the moment. And....it is another case of young love between the dead and undead.

However, don't be put off. Warm Bodies is not like any other typical teen romance with two unlikely lovers. A fantastic script makes this film funny, clever and witty and some perfectly cast young actors give some great performances. As a result, the appeal of this film reaches far beyond young adults and makes this a film that everyone will enjoy. Just as long as you don't mind seeing a few gory details because you couldn't really have any type of a zombie film without them.

R (Nicholas Hoult) is a corpse (another word for zombie) like no other. He is sure that he is the only one walking the Earth in this zombie apocalypse who wishes for more and desires to feel something once again. Out on a hunt for food he comes across a beautiful human, Julie (Teresa Palmer) and he decides to go against making her his next meal and takes her to safety. During their time together, R starts to feel again when he falls for Julie and he starts to change on the inside and out. The two have many obstacles in their way. Not only is R not of the same species as Julie, but he is also the one who made his last human meal out of her boyfriend, Perry (Dave Franco)!

If you look closely, you will see how Warm Bodies is based on William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. R and Julie are the zombie and human version of Romeo and Juliet, who are from "families" who are at war with each other. The first letter of several of the character's are the same as those in Romeo and Juliet who share a similar type of role. There is even a balcony scene.

The main thing that sets Warm Bodies apart from other films that it could be likened to is that this film knows what it is and embraces it. It knows that it is not a dramatic film and doesn't try to be. There is no young love angst involved. Warm Bodies is just entertaining and a great deal of fun. It doesn't want to be taken too seriously and as a result, is a much better film than all the others that it could be likened to.

The script, written by director Jonathan Levine and based on the novel of the same name by Isaac Marion, is very well written. The opening segment where R tells everyone who he is and what has happened to the world is absolutely hilarious. The use of a voice over in order to give R a voice works so well and provides some of the funniest moments of the film. The soundtrack of the film is also put to great use. It enhances the character's emotional moments and provides a bit more comic relief where needed.


Nicholas Hoult's star is certainly on the rise. This is a completely different role for him and he once again proves his abilities as the leading man. He is wonderful as R. He completely embodies the character and makes a very convincing besotted zombie. Hoult also proves that he has a great comedic ability too. He quickly gains the audience's sympathy and has everyone cheering for him by the end.

Teresa Palmer does well as Julie and is a very likable character. It doesn't seem like too far a cry from her previous roles, but she does well all the same. Analeigh Tipton also does well as Julie's best friend, Nora and is a character worth having in the film. Dave Franco does well with the limited amount of screen time he gets, but isn't there long enough for the audience to make an informed decision about whether they like him or not. Rob Corddry is hilarious as R's best friend, M.

Warm Bodies is an absolute treat. It is something unique and a brand of comedy which isn't forced.  If only there were more movies these days with the same kind of spirit.

8/10



On a side note....
What is the best thing to come out of "America's Next Top Model"?

Analeigh Tipton, of course!

Back in 2008 in the 11th season of "America's Next Top Model", a cute as pie ex- figure skater from Sacremento graced our screens in the first episode and ending up finishing third in the competition. Analeigh Tipton gained a large following during the show for her down to Earth personality, her beautiful looks and for how much girls could relate to her. Living in the USA at the time, she was certainly the favourite of all the girls I spoke to. Tipton was complimented in one particular episode as being quite a good actress and the judges saw her as having a Hollywood look.

They had this right.

While many talk of how the modelling and entertainment industry does not take the television show seriously, Tipton has proved that the show can definitely give birth to stars.

While she was signed by Ford Models after the show, she decided that she wanted to study film and the rest is history. Since then, Tipton has starred in The Green Hornet, Crazy Stupid Love, Damsels In Distress and now Warm Bodies.

I must say, though reality TV is frowned upon by many, I believe ANTM has given Tipton a leg up as many were able to see the true person she is and she is such a likable girl that so many people want to see her do well in any profession whether it be modelling or acting.

Her star is on the rise and I couldn't be happier for her!

And by the way, according to IMDb, she is also writing a zombie movie script!

You may have also seen Nicholas Hoult in......
X-Men: First Class as Hank/Beast
Jack The Giant Slayer as Jack

You may have also seen Teresa Palmer in....
I Am Number Four as Number Six

You may have also seen Rob Corddry in......
Hot Tub Time Machine as Lou

Jack The Giant Slayer (2013)

Year: 2013

Director: Bryan Singer

Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Stanley Tucci, Ewan McGregor, Eleanor Tomlinson, Ian McShane

Before I begin my review…

I know this has got hardly anything to do with the movie, but how good is the name Jack?

Jack will never go out of style. The name suits a little boy, a young man and an older man. It is such a distinguished and strong name. A Jack is not to be taken lightly. A Jack will do many great things. The fairy tale which Jack The Giant Slayer is based on, Jack And The Beanstalk does not have a Jack has the protagonist for no reason.  With a strong name comes a strong will.

I may be of a slightly bias opinion considering I did name my son Jack.

It is unfortunate that one of the most famous Jack’s in history is Jack The Ripper, but I think we can all get past the fact that it is highly unlikely the notorious serial killer’s name was actually Jack. I think it is safe to assume that whoever it was was a strong person, as well as being insane (we hope).

 I can assure you he is not the Jack I named my Jack after.

As he gets older, I am sure my Jack will love the fact that there is a film called Jack The Giant Slayer. I’m sure I will be watching this on DVD in years to come with my budding little film critic.

Review

Why not make a film based on the fairy tale Jack and The Beanstalk? It seems like everything has to be made into a movie, so why not?

It’s not necessarily a bad thing either, especially in the case of Jack The Giant Slayer. This is one fairy tale that could only be made in a time like now with the amazing cinematic techniques we have in recent times. Could you imagine how ridiculous the giants and the beanstalk reaching to the sky would have looked if made any time before the 1990’s? Animation probably would not have made the film too bad, but real life action would have meant complete B grade, and also maybe cult favourite status.

Jack the Giant Slayer is everything you would expect a fairy tale film to be. It is corny in the way that most fairy tales are, but is still entertaining enough and has some incredible special effects and cinematography.

Our hero, Jack (Nicholas Hoult)is a young farmhand who experiences a twist of fate when he visits the town market in order to sell his horse. He sells his horse to a desperate monk in need of transportation out of the city in exchange for a handful of beans. It is only when a terrible rainstorm occurs, that he realises that these beans are what grows beanstalks that reach high up to the land between Heaven and Earth where giants roam. Jack becomes a key part in the rescue of the Princess Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson), who has been taken prisoner by the giants and he also must stop Roderick (Stanley Tucci) from achieving his goal which could threaten the kingdom.

The bad things about fairy tales and other well known stories being made into films is that unless the film makers have put their own spin on it, the film is predictable and very rarely has any suspense. This is no surprise and just something we must accept. Sometimes this can be a bore, but Jack The Giant Slayer isn’t that.

As one would expect from director Bryan Singer, the film is very well directed and very entertaining. It is just a fun film and at times, it is more like watching a historical film rather than a fairy tale. The film travels along at a steady pace, but the end seems quite sudden and then almost a little confusing. This in itself is confusing as a story which is quite simple to understand shouldn’t have an ending which confuses people.

Fairy tales are in general entertaining to watch on the big screen, but visually Jack The Giant Slayer is better than most. A great thing about this version of the fairy tale, is that the giants are made to truly look terrifying. They are not just big men, but are all deformed and evil. The beanstalk is also an amazing creation. The CGI of even the tiniest detail of the stalk is incredible. The landscape of each of the two kingdoms are just magnificent.

The time period is very well recreated and quite a pleasure to see. The battle scenes are very well orchestrated and have a slightly Lord of the Rings touch to them.

Nicholas Holt does well as Jack. With his career currently on the up, Hoult shows here that he has no problem being able to carry a film. Ewan McGregor gives a steady performance and his character is extremely likable. Eleanor Tomlinson’s performance is not a huge stand out, but she does do well.

Jack The Giant Slayer is entertaining and well made. It is a visual delight that shows you just how far films have come in regards to special effects and cinematography,

7/10

You may have also seen Nicholas Hoult in....
X-Men: First Class as Hank McCoy/ Beast

You may have also seen Ewan McGregor in....
The Men Who Stare At Goats as Bob Wilton
The Impossible as Henry

You may have seen Stanley Tucci in.....
The Lovely Bones as George Harvey
Easy A as Gill
Captain America: The First Avenger as Dr Abraham Erskine

X- Men: First Class

X- Men: First Class

Year: 2011

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Rose Byrne, January Jones, Kevin Bacon, Jennifer Lawrence

In My Own Words

I must say, I am an X- Men fan. I’m not normally one to nerd out on comic book characters or superheroes, but there is something I really like about X- Men. I like the idea of a group of misfits feeling like they truly belong when they are together. I also like how there is the underlying theme of accepting yourself for who you are. In the first X- Men film, it was Anna Paquin’s Rogue struggling with her identity as a mutant and in this film it is both Raven and Hank who have to come to grips with their visible mutations. Normally with Marvel comic movies, the recurring theme is always one of the unlikely hero proving that anyone can be a superhero. Yet in X-Men, it reaches down further than that and tries to teach people that what you sometimes believe is your weakness, can be your strength. I think we all need to remember this. Stop seeing what is wrong with yourself and turn it around so that you see that that is what makes you special. And of course, who can forget the romanticised theme of it is what is inside that counts.

Wow, it seems as though I am also becoming a motivational speaker as well as a film critic. That was deep! It would be great if we could all use our weaknesses to join in some superhero activities and go to Charles Xavier’s school, where education seems to be a lot more fun that sitting in Maths class each day!

These are my own words and here is my review.

Review

The 3^rd of June is the day in which X- Men fanatics would have been holding their breath in anticipation for. With a killer cast, great special effects and a lot of answers to those questions that have been asked ever since the first X- Men film was released back in 2000, X- Men: First Class is an absolute thrill for X- Men fans. However, if you are not an X- Men fan or haven’t seen any of the previous films, un-fulfilment and boredom will be the order of the day.

X- Men: First Class is the prequel to the four previously released X- Men films.  It takes you back to the very beginning when Professor X was Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Magneto was Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender), two mutants with extraordinary powers who are united in the fight against a common enemy, Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon). Together they assemble a team of mutants, who feel outcast from society but like they belong with each other and fight against Shaw and his team of faithful followers.

Anyone who likes any of the previous X- Men films will love this film. There are many references to bits and pieces in the prior films and all the questions as to why things are the way they are are answered. It really is a suitable prequel to the series and is really quite interesting and definitely enjoyable enough. Those who are not X- Men fans are sure to 132 minutes too long for this film and may get restless quite a few times throughout.

What does differentiate this film from its predecessors (except maybe X- Men Origins: Wolverine), is that it is focussed more on the narrative rather than on the action. There really isn’t too much action until the end. Sure there are bits and pieces of impressive special effects and the odd rough and tumble here and there throughout the film, but there really aren’t any intense action sequences until the close to the end. This may be a long time to wait for those who have their heart set on seeing lots of explosions and gunfire. However, this scenes are worth the wait and as they are very impressive and suspenseful. The CGI is outstanding and the sound editing is also commendable.

And what a cast. Perfectly cast are all those who are involved. James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender had hard roles to live up to as they had had the bar set so high by Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen. McAvoy’s performance reflected Stewart’s in his mannerisms and nature, but also bought something new to the role. McAvoy’s Charles Xavier grows from a cocky Oxford student into a leader throughout the course of the film and you can see how much the character changes from beginning to end. Fassbender is superb as Erik Lehnsherr. The raw emotion exhibited in his character shows how Magneto became the way he is and he demands pity from the audience.

Rose Byrne is very good in her role as CIA agent Moira MacTaggert and gets the most out of her role as she possibly can. Jennifer Lawrence shines as the young Raven who renames herself Mystique, again showing the growth in character over the film. The story of Mystique is one which people will enjoy as she has always been one of the great mysteries of the X- Men series. Kevin Bacon’s performance is good for the most part of the film, but the first scene in which he is in in the Polish war camp is brilliant. It would be an absolute treat to see him do a role like he was in that scene in a whole movie in the future. Nicholas Hoult is also very good as Hank, who later turns into Beast.

One of the best things about this film is that there is so much character development for each of the main characters. Charles, Erik and Raven are so well constructed and every question is answered as to who they are, where they come from and why they are the way they are. Also watch out for a hilarious cameo by Hugh Jackman!

It can’t be said enough that X- Men: First Class is a film which anyone who has seen any of the first four X- Men films will enjoy. There is a lot of fun to be had while you find out the history of the two men who started it all. Great for the fans, quite possibly tedious for those who are not.

7/10