Dark Phoenix Delivers a Power Ending To A Beloved Film Franchise

By Ryan Grow | June 12, 2019

Dark Phoenix is the most intense and emotional X-Men movie ever made. It is the culmination of 20 years of X-Men movies, as the family of mutants that we’ve come to know and love must face their most devastating enemy yet — one of their own.

This is the story of one of the X-Men’s most beloved characters, Jean Grey (Sophie Turner), as she evolves into the iconic DARK PHOENIX. During a life-threatening rescue mission in space, Jean is hit by a cosmic force that transforms her into one of the most powerful mutants of all. Wrestling with this increasingly unstable power as well as her own personal demons, Jean spirals out of control, tearing the X-Men family apart and threatening to destroy the very fabric of our planet.

The film was directed and written by Simon Kinberg, who has had a producing or writing role in the X-Men films since The Last Stand back in 2006. Now as a director, he has a certain flair for working with actors. Jessica Chastain is perfect in her role as an alien named Vuk who takes over the body of a human and befriends Jean, manipulating her to use her new powers so their alien race can rule over the Earth. Chastain is great at being a master manipulator, making Vuk more persuasive and dangerous.

Kinberg delivers on some impressive action scenes. When Jean finds Magneto (Michael Fassbender) on an island where he and other mutants have found peace, military helicopters arrive to take Jean away. Fassbender gives it his all when Magneto puts up his hands and fends them off. He is brilliant in this scene because he lets us see and believe Magneto’s emotional and physical struggle.

And mad props to Sophie Turner in her powerful performance as Jean. She goes through a rollercoaster of emotions as she sorts out whether to use her powers for good or evil. Turner proves that she is not just Sansa Stark on Game of Thrones.

Dark Phoenix provides a satisfying ending to the X-Men film franchise, with a storyline that is character-driven and well-developed.

Critic Rating: 5/5 stars

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