Dark Phoenix
2019 · Directed by Simon Kinberg
Original language: English
- science fiction
- action
- adventure
The story
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.
What it’s like
Cool, saturated 1990s-period palette, with the X-Men's sleek jets and mansion interiors lit in clean, glossy studio light that turns harsh and bruised once the cosmic force takes hold. Space sequences are wide and starry, with bright, colourful bursts of energy that feel more spectacle than dread. Camera work is busy and kinetic, with fast cutting and sweeping crane moves during the set pieces, and the score is big, orchestral and insistent, swelling under every emotional beat. The vibe is brooding and operatic, a glossy blockbuster with a melancholy core, best suited to a Friday night with popcorn or a comic-book fan wanting a big-screen team-up. Pacing is brisk and rarely quiet, and the emotional arc follows a gifted young woman slowly losing her grip on herself while her friends struggle to hold on to her. Violence is frequent and stylised: superhero fights, energy blasts, crowds thrown about, and a few deaths, with some tense peril but no gore. For viewers who like ensemble superhero action with a serious, sombre undertone.
More films like Dark Phoenix
Closest in mood, pacing and theme. Tell us why you loved Dark Phoenixand we’ll explain which ones fit you.
