Keep it Reel: 'Dark Phoenix'
By Marc Woodfork
I'm not sure what the decision makers at 20th Century Fox are thinking, but this really should be the last 'X-Men' film. At least for the foreseeable future. They should follow Disney's Star Wars example and shelve the franchise. In my opinion, at least 10 years. 'Dark Phoenix' is not that bad of a film, it's just, no one cares. While watching this movie, I found myself thinking "I don't care about any of these characters anymore."
The film begins with Jean Grey flooded with a powerful space energy that transforms her into a supreme being with unlimited power that she can't control. Because she can't control it, she becomes angry and lashes out at those she once called friends. The next two acts of the film are spent watching the X-Men track her down and try to "fix" what's wrong with her. Had the producers of past X-Men films not messed the timeline up so badly or had they given us better stories and character development, this might have been a better movie. But I say again, "Who cares?" Who cares about these characters anymore?
Sophie Turner, who plays Jean Grey, is a phenomenal actor. But this script is so poor, she had no choice but to embody her character Sansa Stark from "Game of Thrones," just to try and make Jean interesting. Though she tried, it still didn't work. The supporting cast didn't have much to work with either. That's unfortunate because the X-Men have always had interesting characters, and backstories. The concept of the X-Men is genius, but for some reason, film producers have been unable to translate the intriguing plotlines and stories to the big screen on a consistent basis. I sincerely hope this is the last X-men film for some time. Filmmakers need to walk away and find a passion for the franchise again. Before any more damage can be done.