X-MEN: Apocalypse is the sequel to the past X-MEN movies, “The First Class” and “Days of Future Past.” The story begins at the 1980s, several years after Mystique saved the life of President Nixon. Mutants are partially accepted to the human society thanks to the contribution of Mystique. Charles Xavier (Professor X) is teaching mutant students for improving their performance and control upon their uncanny power.
On the other hand, Mystique is concealing herself from the society because she feels annoyed to see some people hating mutants. As well, she dislikes being approved as a hero by other mutants. And, Eric Lehnsherr (Magneto) is living as a factory employee, disguising his past. Only his wife and daughter know his mutant power. He tries to keep an ordinary life without any troubles.
Meanwhile, Apocalypse, the origin of all mutants, revives from the long sleep for thousands of years. He was the king in the ancient Egypt, continuing to move his soul to another powerful mutant’s body repeatedly, but finally had been betrayed by his subordinates, to be buried in the deep of a pyramid alive.
Apocalypse makes some mutants belong to him, showing his extraordinary power and even making their mutant power stronger. Angel, Psylocke, and Storm are aside of Apocalypse.
An earthquake occurs relevant to the resurrection of Apocalypse. Then, one worker is near to be killed by accident. Magneto saves him with his mutant power to control metals. He is afraid someone reports him to the authority and attempts to run away with his family. But he is too late so that his daughter is caught by police. The police try to arrest Magneto as a terrorist. Magneto accepts to be detained, but his daughter cries so seriously that she awakes her mutant power. Seeing her daughter and wife killed by the police accidentally, Magneto fails to suppress himself from his rage, and he kills the police all. He feels desperate to know he is not free from bloody life, and human never accepts him. Then, Apocalypse appears to invite him to destroy the current civilization together.
I understand Magneto’s agony well. But, I think he cannot justify his behavior. He attempted to kill President Nixon. His had not been judged officially, neither compensated the crime. I never say criminals should not become happy. But he had to do something before making another life.
In real, many offenders insist that their behavior is justified, without being empathetic to the victims of their crimes.
Apocalypse has a unique character as a ruler. He has overcome the challenges of mortals. He destroys all nuclear weapons possessed by all nations. It is not for eliminating the threats for himself, but thinking that there is no need for weapons for humans to be guided by him. Apocalypse is almost invincible, but worrying about human conflicting each other.
However, it seems not Apocalypse is perfect. He was betrayed in the ancient era. The traitors shouted, “False God!” It means that Apocalypse was not trusted completely by some citizens. But he is arrogant so that he never recognizes his fault. In a later part, he calls his subordinates “useless” after he was interrupted by X-MEN. It is not a behavior of a good leader. He should be shameful to have failed the skills of friends and foes.
For these reasons, I did not feel Apocalypse as a great villain. Magneto in the first X-MEN film and Striker in X-2 seems more powerful and consistent in their ideology.
In the last battle, Jean Grey unleashed her mutant power to save Xavier from Apocalypse’s mind attack. She has potentially strongest ability among X-MEN. But in The Last Stand, she failed to control her power, to become Dark Phoenix and killed Cyclopes and Xavier. The last scene of The Last Stand is quite tragic. X-MEN: Apocalypse describes another history of X-MEN, and it is very contrastive to the past trilogy.
X-MEN: Apocalypse is a great movie. But I was not satisfied to the acts of Apocalypse. Also, it is sorry that the conflict between human and mutants, the main theme of X-MEN stories, is not focused at all on this film.
Personal Rating: 4 (Good)
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