[7.4/10] The second part of this one isn’t as good as the first, but it still has some good moments, mostly in the form of the crazy twists. Normally, crazy twists tend to be a downgrading, but here, they’re clever or emotional enough to pass muster.
The first is the swerve when it comes to Gambit being the assassin who takes out Senator Kelly. The twist that it’s Mystique disguised as him, trying to discredit the X-Men, helps account for why a good guy would do something like that in a clever way, using someone whose powers have already been established. Bishop/Rogue getting mixed up as to who’s who at just the right time is a bit convenient, but I’ll take it as an answer to the “How do you fight fate?” tension at the center of this one.
I also like the reveal that Mystique is Rogue’s adoptive mom. Something that forges a connection between the good guys and the bad guys is usually a good move. I like how it puts Rogue in a position where she feels compeed to hide a secret from her compatriots, one that will undoubtedly cause trouble down the line. And I like Mystique explaining that her connection to Apocalypse is like Rogue’s connection to Professor X, to where she thinks this is all the only way forward. The development does more to suggest cool things in the future than in the present, but I still enjoy it.
Otherwise, most of this one is one big fight, with not much to show for it. We’vve seen most of these mutants before, and other than a firebird from Pyro, there’s not any particularly creative uses of their powers. Watching the team fight in front of the Washington Monument has some oomph due to the setting, but that's about it.
Otherwise, I do appreciate that for all Rogue’s frustration with Gambit (not unreasonably since he basically sexually harasses her on the regular), she’s apt to send Bishop back to the future when Gambit’s threatened. That future is still bad despite our heroes preventing the assassination, which is itself a solid twist, with the heavy tease of Magneto’s involvement in Senator Kelly’s abduction.
Overall, a lot of this one is homogenized action, but the parts that are focused on the story and important new developments are quite good.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2023-04-16T01:59:40Z
[7.4/10] The second part of this one isn’t as good as the first, but it still has some good moments, mostly in the form of the crazy twists. Normally, crazy twists tend to be a downgrading, but here, they’re clever or emotional enough to pass muster.
The first is the swerve when it comes to Gambit being the assassin who takes out Senator Kelly. The twist that it’s Mystique disguised as him, trying to discredit the X-Men, helps account for why a good guy would do something like that in a clever way, using someone whose powers have already been established. Bishop/Rogue getting mixed up as to who’s who at just the right time is a bit convenient, but I’ll take it as an answer to the “How do you fight fate?” tension at the center of this one.
I also like the reveal that Mystique is Rogue’s adoptive mom. Something that forges a connection between the good guys and the bad guys is usually a good move. I like how it puts Rogue in a position where she feels compeed to hide a secret from her compatriots, one that will undoubtedly cause trouble down the line. And I like Mystique explaining that her connection to Apocalypse is like Rogue’s connection to Professor X, to where she thinks this is all the only way forward. The development does more to suggest cool things in the future than in the present, but I still enjoy it.
Otherwise, most of this one is one big fight, with not much to show for it. We’vve seen most of these mutants before, and other than a firebird from Pyro, there’s not any particularly creative uses of their powers. Watching the team fight in front of the Washington Monument has some oomph due to the setting, but that's about it.
Otherwise, I do appreciate that for all Rogue’s frustration with Gambit (not unreasonably since he basically sexually harasses her on the regular), she’s apt to send Bishop back to the future when Gambit’s threatened. That future is still bad despite our heroes preventing the assassination, which is itself a solid twist, with the heavy tease of Magneto’s involvement in Senator Kelly’s abduction.
Overall, a lot of this one is homogenized action, but the parts that are focused on the story and important new developments are quite good.