As the title of this article suggests, X-Men: Dark Phoenix wasn’t exactly a hit with critics or fans. The second adaptation of the classic X-Men comic book failed to meet expectations yet again. In fact, it was more or less a remake of the original Brett Ratner adaptation of the story, X-Men: The Last Stand, as opposed to the comic. Despite it’s struggles, the Simon Kinberg film had some redeemable qualities. Sure, Jean Grey wasn’t nearly as impressive an adversary as she should have been. But there were some qualities the movie possessed that made it a relatively decent X-Men movie.
For all the flack it received, Dark Phoenix wasn’t as bad as it seemed. There have certainly been other superhero films more deserving of the hate this particular movie received. Were there mistakes made? Absolutely. Was it a fitting conclusion to the X-Men franchise? Not even close. But there were some moments in the film that made it relatively watchable. It was no Avengers film or even a Syndercut, but it certainly wasn’t Catwoman either. Fans, of course, would have loved a more faithful adaptation of the Dark Phoenix story, but alas, it was yet another misfire. But was it really as bad as most people make it out to be? These are the 5 reasons Dark Phoenix that argue it wasn’t.
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The Action Sequences Were Well Done
At the very least, X-Men: Dark Phoenix was a watchable action film. The action sequences may not be as exciting some other comic book action films, but they still hold up. The climactic train sequence was a pretty good scene for Kinberg to show off his directing abilities. There may have not been an epic Endgame style clash, but it was enough to entertain at the least. The visuals utilized were top-notch. The visualization of Jean’s newfound powers were impressive. In comparison to The Last Stand’s visuals, this was definitely an upgrade.
X-Men…in Space!
X-Men: The Last Stand was a substantially dwarfed version of the Dark Phoenix saga. It was so dwarfed in fact that there wasn’t even an alien component to the Phoenix force. Dark Phoenix, however, did find the X-Men dealing with an extraterrestrial threat. The beginning action sequence found the X-Men in space for the very first time. For years, the cinematic version of the X-Men was Earthbound, with very little in the way of more fantastic characters. Sadly, it was too little too late as Fox Studios was purchased by Disney, a move that made fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe very happy.
The Stakes Were High
The reasons behind this decision may not have been solely for the sake of story, but the fact that Jennifer Lawrence’s Mystique was killed was pretty bold, especially so early in the film. It’s not often that a hero is saddled with killing a fellow hero, but that’s what happened with Jean Grey after she inadvertently kills a team member. Mystique, for better or worse, was a major character throughout the First Class incarnation of the X-Men films. Killing off her character was a surprising yet welcome plot point for the movie. Her death had real ramifications for her fellow X-Men. It also added a real shift in tone for what would be the last X-Men movie produced by Fox. This darker tone was appropriate given the circumstances. There was a somberness to the film that added something extra to a film that needed all the help it could get.
Faithful to the Dark Phoenix Saga
It was clear that Kinberg hoped to tell a more complete version of the Dark Phoenix saga. Originally meant as a two-parter, Dark Phoenix seemed to be more willing to accept the cosmic side of the X-Men universe as opposed to X-Men: The Last Stand. Unfortunately, the looming acquisition of Fox Studios by Disney meant that plenty of changes were forced on the script. There was speculation that the movie’s villains would be either the Skrulls or the Shi’ar, yet Kinberg settled for the D’Bari. While there was a letdown in regard to the final story and all the characters included, the end result was still an admirable attempt at adapting such a storied comic.
X-Cellent Performances By the Actors
For all its faults, Dark Phoenix still had a solid cast. The most welcome newcomer to the mutant world was of course Jessica Chastain as the villain, Vuk, the shapeshifting leader of the D’Bari. While fans will never know what could’ve been if she had been a Skrull, as originally planned, she still gave her usual best with a less than stellar script. This was all the more impressive considering she didn’t even know the name of her character until she saw the movie. Sophie Turner meanwhile did the character of Jean Grey proud with her performance. Despite differences in the character of the Dark Phoenix herself, Turner still gave a great performance as a mutant who is essentially dealing with mental health issues. Her performance carried the film and allowed for the audiences to actually care about her ultimate fate.
