'X-Men: Apocalypse' storylines would have benefited from major pruning
'Apocalypse' features the return of franchise stars such as Jennifer Lawrence, James McAvoy, and Michael Fassbender. The group must battle villain Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac), an Egyptian god.
'X-Men: Apocalypse' stars Jennifer Lawrence (l.) and Evan Peters (r.).
Alan Markfield/Twentieth Century Fox/AP
Mutants galore infest 鈥淴-Men: Apocalypse,鈥� but the pile-on quickly聽becomes wearying. Bryan Singer鈥檚 latest installment in the Twentieth Century Fox聽franchise is chockablock with the old standbys 鈥� even Hugh Jackman鈥檚聽Wolverine makes an uncredited appearance 鈥� but the storyline, such as it is, would have benefited from major pruning.聽
It seems that Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac), an Egyptian god newly聽awakened after 5300 years in slumberland, wants to wipe away the world聽and all its awfulness and start afresh. This god definitely has a God聽complex.
With supermutant powers beyond the paltry abilities of his X-Men聽combatants, he proceeds to wreak havoc. He does, however, teleport all聽the world鈥檚 nuclear missiles into outer space, out of harm鈥檚 way, so you聽have to give him that.
He鈥檚 aided by some handpicked mutant recruits, not that he needs help.聽Magneto (Michael Fassbender) is his biggest catch. In a particularly聽distasteful scene, Apocalpyse brings Magneto to Auschwitz to seethe over the hellhole that wiped out his parents. Using Auschwitz as pulp fodder is聽remarkably clueless.
Some of the franchise stalwarts, such as Jennifer Lawrence鈥檚 Mystique,聽are given too little to do. Most are given too much. Grade:聽C+ (Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence, action and destruction, brief strong language and some suggestive images.)