The only thought I had when I realized the movie was coming to an end was, “I want more”. X-Men: Apocalypse, the third installment of the X-Men prequel trilogy that began with X-Men: First Class in 2011, complements X-Men: Days Of Future Past (2014) perfectly.
Before I get on with the review proper, I want to put it out there – I’ve never read the comics. I seen some of the animated series, but what I really am, is a fan of the x-movies. I simply love this particular X-Men trilogy. It is amazing how it takes us back in time and shows us the very essence and how it all began for mutants. I love how the trilogy builds up the characters and lets them grow with us.
X-Men : Apocalypse continues ten years after the events of X-Men : Days Of Future Past – Magneto (Michael Fassbander) causing destruction in front of the White House and Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) incapacitating him. In this installment we see Magneto trying to lead a normal, non-mutant-i’m-gonna-destroy-the-world life in Poland, but evil follows him like a shadow. As always, the question with Magneto is if the good in him prevails.
Apocalypse, the titular antagonist, aka En Sabah Nur, is played well by Oscar Isaac, who manages to summon a regal first mutant’. In some scenes though, I couldn’t help but reminisce of Imhotep from The Mummy.
The other two characters that caught my attention is the young Jean Grey, played by Sophie Turner (more famous for playing Sansa in Game Of Thrones) and also Quicksilver (played by Evan Peters), who they reveal (as expected) as Magneto’s son.
It is really interesting to see how Jean Grey’s powers – telepathy and telekinesis are depicted in this movie… and her ability to see the future. Especially how her powers were all out of her control and how she learnt to put them in check.
As for Quicksilver, one of the breakout characters from DAYS OF FUTURE PAST thanks to a show-stopping and visually arresting sequence where Quicksilver runs along the walls in the Pentagon kitchen, parallel to the ground, as part of a successful effort to free Magneto from a seemingly impregnable prison. He was also probably the coolest of all of the mutants in this movie. And the 80’s fashion sure looks good on him!
In this installment, get to see how and why, Professor Charles Xavier or Professor X (played by James McAvoy) becomes bald and how the young Cyclops (Tye Sheridan) manifests his energy and gets introduced to X-Mansion and much more iconic mutants from the X-Universe… Psylocke anyone?
X-Men : Apocalypse brought me back in time with all the retro details and music and is a movie that will not disappoint if you’re a fan of the franchise.