X-MEN: APOCALYPSE (2016) Movie Reaction! | First Time Watch! | James McAvoy | Michael Fassbender
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Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Magneto's arc, particularly the loss of his family, is considered the most impactful part of the film.
- ❖Quicksilver's action sequence is praised for its creativity and execution.
- ❖The 80s aesthetic, including costumes and pop culture references, is a positive aspect.
- ❖Pacing issues, especially during the climax, are a significant criticism.
- ❖Apocalypse's Four Horsemen are seen as underutilized, serving mainly as background characters.
- ❖Jean Grey's brief interaction with Wolverine is viewed as a clever way to establish their future connection in the new timeline.
- ❖The post-credits scene sets up the future introduction of Essex Corp.
Insights
1Magneto's Tragic Arc and Justified Villainy
The hosts highlight Magneto's storyline as the most compelling aspect of the film. His attempt to live a quiet life in Poland with a family, only for them to be tragically killed, provides a powerful and understandable motivation for his return to villainy. This personal loss, mirroring his past trauma, creates a 'wedge' between him and Charles, deepening their ideological conflict.
The hosts describe the scene where Magneto's wife and daughter are killed as 'heartbreaking' and 'what got me leaned in heavily at the beginning of the movie.' They note it makes his subsequent actions 'justified' in his mind. (, )
2Quicksilver's Memorable Action Sequence
Quicksilver's scene, where he evacuates students from the exploding X-Mansion in slow motion, is universally praised as a standout moment. The hosts appreciate its humor, visual creativity, and how it showcases his powers effectively.
The hosts repeatedly express their love for Quicksilver and his scene, calling it 'so funny' and 'so fast, man.' They also acknowledge the film's attempt to address his 'overpowered' nature by showing his vulnerability against Apocalypse. (, )
3Underutilization of Apocalypse's Horsemen
A significant criticism is the underdevelopment and underutilization of Apocalypse's Four Horsemen (Magneto, Storm, Psylocke, Angel). Despite their individual powers and potential, they are perceived as mere 'backup dancers' to Apocalypse, lacking meaningful contributions to the plot.
One host states, 'it feels like they just don't do anything. They're just there to be backup dancers to Apocalypse.' Angel is specifically mentioned as 'massively underutilized.' (, )
4Pacing Issues in the Climax
The hosts identify pacing problems, particularly towards the movie's end during the final confrontation. They felt the resolution, especially Jean Grey's delayed intervention, dragged on, diminishing the tension.
One host remarks, 'I started feeling the runtime a little bit, especially when he's like, 'Jean, help me. Jean, Jean, Jean.' There were like a lot of moments where it felt like, okay, we're creating this feeling of like, oh no, something bad is building and then it just kind of builds and builds and builds and doesn't get a resolution as fast as we would like.' ()
5Jean Grey's Connection to Wolverine and the New Timeline
The brief scene where Jean Grey helps Wolverine regain some humanity and unlocks parts of his memory is seen as a clever and necessary retcon. It provides a more logical foundation for the 'inexplicable draw' between them in later films, given the altered timeline.
The host states, 'I really appreciated what they did with the brief moment of Jean Gray unlocking Logan's memories a little bit.' They believe it 'makes way more sense as a setup' for their relationship. ()
6Mystique's Evolving Role as a Hero
Mystique's character arc in this film, following 'Days of Future Past,' is praised for her transition from a henchman to a central figure and accidental hero. Her struggle with this new identity and her eventual embrace of a leadership role among the X-Men is highlighted.
The hosts discuss how 'Mystique is really prominent in these last few movies' and how 'it is fun seeing her kind of become a central focus point rather than a henchman.' They note her 'emotional journey of coming back into the fold.' ()
7Post-Credits Tease: Essex Corp.
The post-credits scene, featuring agents collecting Wolverine's blood samples and a briefcase labeled 'Essex Corp.', is identified as a direct setup for future X-Men films, specifically hinting at the introduction of Mister Sinister.
The hosts react to the 'Weapon X' samples and the 'Essex Corp.' label, stating, 'We know what's coming.' (, )
Quotes
"I think his switch to being like, 'Okay, we're stopping Mystique,' to, 'Oh, I'm going to kill Mystique because I need to prevent her DNA from getting into the wrong hands,' is such an excellent piece of character of who Magneto is. He's willing to sacrifice everything for the what he perceives as the greater good."
"If we're sitting here screaming at Jean to get in there and we have multiple moments of like just cutting to her staring... a line would have been helpful in there somewhere."
"I always had a rough time buying their immediate connection or relationship in the first three X-Men movies... this establishment of this like passing like ships in the night almost of her unlocking memories and and being there for when he first became conscious again drives that inextricable inexplicable draw that they will have later on."
Q&A
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