One Mann’s Movies review of “X-Men: The New Mutants” (2020).
Bob the Movie Man’s Rating:
Certification:
US: PG-13. UK: 15.
So, I’ve heard a lot of bad word-of-mouth about this X-Men flick, but otherwise knew very little about it. As such, I went in with low expectations. And although there is nothing remotely novel about the movie, I didn’t think it was too bad at all.
The mutants assemble: from left Sam Guthrie, Anya Taylor-Joy, Blu Hunt, Henry Zaga and Maisie Williams. (Source: 20th Century Fox).
The plot.
So, my review title suggests that the plot is very closely aligned to M Night Shymalan‘s “Glass” – his “Split” sequel from last year. A Victorian-style hospital-cum-prison similarly forms the claustrophobic setting for the majority of the movie. This is where the troubled teen Dani Moonstar (Blu Hunt) is taken after being suddenly orphaned in dramatic and mysterious circumstances. The only doctor present, Dr Reyes (Alice Braga), says she is being held there for her own – and society’s safety – while her puberty-driven mutant tendencies emerge.
Locked away with her is Rahne (Maisie Williams), Charlie (Sam Guthrie), ‘hot’ Brazilian hunk Roberto (Henry Zaga) and the gloriously named Illyana Rasputin (Anya-Taylor Joy). Danni’s arrival sparks a serious of escalating events that literally lead to all hell breaking loose.
Mutants dis-assembled. (Source: 20th Century Fox).
Blu is the warmest colour.
What made this Marvel movie stand-out for me, from the normal glass-shattering standard, is that it is predominantly a character-led piece. We spend quite a bit of time (for a Marvel movie) in building relationships between the teens, including a sweet lesbian-coming-out ‘will they/won’t they’ tension between Rahne and Danni.
I was also very much attracted to the performance of Blu Hunt. I admit that this might not just be due to her interesting performance (the indigenous/LBGT angle is intriguing) but because she reminded me strongly of a girl at school who I had a mad crush on and completely failed to get off with! Blu is actually native American (from the Lakota tribe). Given she is the lead and has to carry the movie, it’s a surprise that she is only about 5th in the billing: I’d have been upset with the director (Josh “A Fault in our Stars” Boone) about that.
Maisie Williams is also effective in this, and gets top billing, although arguably Anya-Taylor-Joy has emerged – with her wonderful “Emma” – as the bigger star since filming.
If only I was 40 years younger (again!) 🙂 Blu Hunt as Danielle Moonstone. (Source: 20th Century Fox).
Fabulous screen-wallpaper!
But it’s Taylor-Joy’s Rasputin that really stands out as the most interesting of the characters on show. There’s a scene where she goes into action – eyes blazing and ‘daemon’ hovering – that would make a splendid PC screensaver! Stuff the “Black Widow” standalone movie: I’d go watch Illyana Rasputin kicking ass in her own follow-up movie!
(Of course, Anya Taylor-Joy was also prominent in “Glass“, which unfortunately cements the similarities between the films.)
The posed wallpaper image is not as dramatic as the live action one… but you get the point. (Source: 20th Century Fox).
A long-time in the making.
I don’t want to be classed as a total movie-nerd, but in the end credits of this movie I noticed that the MPAA certificate ‘number’ for the film looked wrong…. it was in the low 51,000’s, when I thought we are close to 53,000 by now (I looked it up, and “Tenet” was 52735).
I have since read that there’s a reason for this. The movie had a long and tortuous path to its final release, being made waaaaaayyyyy back in 2017. As an X-Men movie, it’s appeared after the X-Men universe finally imploded (with the disappointing whimper of “Dark Phoenix“). So in that sense it’s a bit of a ghost of a flick.
I said he was hot! Henry Zaga as Roberto has no issues with getting the barbie started. (Source: 20th Century Fox).
I’d watch a sequel – not that there will be one.
It’s a mixed bag. There’s a sense of great familiarity with the contents – particularly with the strong echoes of “Glass“, actually filmed after this one (but with ‘inversion’, who knows anymore?). Even the “Indian legend” that runs through the movie swaps a bear for a wolf but ends with a familiar, rather groan-inducing, motto. (It was used in “Tomorrowland” I think?)
But the young cast are attractive and entertained me for the (pleasantly short) running time. It’s not going to win any prizes for originality, or indeed anything else. But it really wasn’t the X-Men bust I expected it to be.
Trailer:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_vJhUAOFpI .
