Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
The X-Men face their most formidable and powerful foe when one of their own, Jean Grey, starts to spiral out of control. During a rescue mission in outer space, Jean is nearly killed when she's hit by a mysterious cosmic force. Once she returns home, this force not only makes her infinitely more powerful, but far more unstable. The X-Men must now band together to save her soul and battle aliens that want to use Grey's new abilities to rule the galaxy.
Dark Phoenix is a disappointing adaptation of one of Marvel's most beloved comic storylines. The plot feels rushed and emotionally hollow, retreading similar ground to X-Men: The Last Stand's handling of the same source material but without even that film's spectacle. The acting is competent — James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender bring their usual gravitas, and Sophie Turner tries hard as Jean Grey — but the script gives them little to work with. Cinematography is serviceable but unremarkable for a superhero blockbuster. Novelty is low: this is the second attempt at the Phoenix saga in live-action X-Men films, and the execution feels formulaic and derivative rather than distinctive. The ending, set on a speeding train, is visually adequate but emotionally unsatisfying, failing to deliver the cathartic payoff the storyline demands and leaving the franchise on a deflating note.