Dark Phoenix (2019)- X Lives

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The latest addition to the X-Men franchise continues the Phoenix narrative; also as a sequel to X-Men: Apocalypse.  We witness the origins of debatably the most powerful Mutant, Jean Grey, the young Phoenix (Sophie Turner).  

True to its trademark of the sexiest and most diverse superheroes out there, Dark Phoenix doesn't disappoint, but also adds to its chronological complications.  Maybe Simon Kinberg took on more than he could chew as a new director and co-producer for avid X-Men followers.  Yet, for me, a newcomer, it catalyzed me into its fandom.  So after about 10 X-Men movies, and some alternate timelines, why bother, but this one was actually easy to follow.  You wouldn't know that it took place about in the middle of the whole series.**  Many of the same actors are present from the first movies Professor X (J. McAvoy), Magneto (M. Fassbender), Mystique (J. Lawrence), Beast (N. Hoult), and Cyclops (T. Sheridan).  S. Turner, dazzled as GOT princess, was a mesmerizing younger Phoenix.  The Hans Zimmer score draws you in, despite box office returns barely surpassing overhead.  This continuity and a full protagonist bio left me with renewed interest.  It was an engaging look at Jean Grey, one of the most complicated members, which the previous Phoenix film didn't do it justice.

For the purists, there was probably too much redundancy from ongoing themes since the first films: Mutants are divided into two camps, Magneto playing both sides, government tries to control Mutants, Professor X doing his best to reel in his own Mutants, and Mutants taking matters into their own hands by the end.  To tackle more renditions, X-Men will have to be more innovative, and I hope for it.  I still feel Dark Phoenix added to the X-Men universe by filling in some holes, developing some 'darker' sides of Professor X--as he always foresaw the government persecution completed Logan--, including a tragic death, and the last addition of the late comic book creator Stan Lee in the credits as co-producer.  With that, I leave it at the Winning 25 yd. Line.  

* 20th Century Fox.  "Jean Grey."  Pinterest, Gif-Tumblr, Patrick Coote,                 2019, https://www.pinterest.com/pin/745697650771762912/  

** denofgeek.com