Entertainment

Apocalypse wow: the new X-Men offers fun 1980s-set superhero carnage

In the third of his hit X-Men 'prequels', director Bryan Singer pitches the early-1980s era X-Men against an ancient super-mutant with apocalyptic plans for mankind. David Roy enjoyed a stylish mix of cartoonish superhero fun and existential themes starring James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender

Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) and Quicksilver (Evan Peters) in X-Men: Apocalypse
Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) and Quicksilver (Evan Peters) in X-Men: Apocalypse Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) and Quicksilver (Evan Peters) in X-Men: Apocalypse

FINALLY, a summer superhero spectacular that gets it right: in the wake of the leaden mega-misfire Batman v Superman and another hard-to-care-about entry in the Avengers' canon (though at least Spider-Man finally showed up in Captain America: Civil War) comes a third X-Men 'prequel' that combines fun moments with a coherent ensemble-based storyline and CGI-enhanced action battles that actually make sense.

While writer Simon Kinberg includes a knowing bit of meta-commentary in his 1983-set script as teen mutant future X-Men Jean Grey/Phoenix (Sophie Turner), Scott Summers/Cyclops (Tye Sheridan) and Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee) discuss how Return of The Jedi illustrates why "the third sequel is always the worst", director Bryan Singer ensures the third entry in this spin-off/reboot franchise is even more entertaining than his excellent previous effort, X-Men: First Class.

Set 10 years after the events of that time-travel-themed film, which climaxed with shape-shifter Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) preventing metal-manipulating Magneto (Michael Fassbender) from assassinating President Richard Nixon with the aid of a killer robot army, X-Men: Apocalypse finds Professor Xavier (James McAvoy) and co taking on immortal super mutant En Sabah Nur (an unrecognisable Oscar Isaac) who has been frozen since ancient Egyptian times.

Awakened from his involuntary slumber to discover the Cold War in full effect, this soon-to-be-nicknamed-'Apocalypse'-for-obvious-reasons super villain decides humanity is in dire need of a 'wipe the slate clean' moment of mass destruction – something he's made his trademark over several previous millennia.

It's an interesting move that positions the movie's bad guy as a twisted 'moral guardian' who believes that mutants should be the true rulers of the world – a point of view he shares with poor old Magneto (Michael Fassbender), who's been living a quiet, married life in deepest darkest Poland since successfully fleeing the scene of his failed assassination.

Naturally, his cover is soon blown – and the tragic fallout from his unmasking uncorks Magneto's long bottled inner rage at mankind once more.

While Apocalyse is assembling his preferred squad of civilisation-erasing mutants – which also includes Storm (Alexandra Shipp), Angel (Ben Hardy) and Psylocke (Olivia Munn) – Professor X is attempting to track him down with the help of mutant-linking telepathy device Cerebro (which is key to Apocalypse's plans), CIA agent and love interest Moira Munroe (Rose Byrne) and the Prof's own selection of super-powered genetic abnormals; the aforementioned teen trio, plus Mystique, Beast (Nicholas Hoult), Havok (Lucas Till) and Quicksilver (Evan Peters).

The latter time-manipulating mutant gets one of the film's most show-stopping scenes in which this zippy wiseacre conducts the meticulous and mirthsome evacuation of an exploding X-Mansion to a period-correct soundtrack of Sweet Dreams by Eurythmics (Metallica fans are also in for a treat elsewhere).

This Quicksilver moment might be the litmus test for X-Men: Apocalypse – those left rolling their eyes will likely not be onboard with the film's overall tone of easy jocularity in the face of literally apocalyptic doom.

Before too long, the 'good' mutants are facing off against the 'bad', via tear-stained dialogue exchanges – there are a lot of weeping men in this film – and good old fashioned action-packed battle sequences, which Singer ensures are rendered in fine, refreshingly coherent style.

There are some negatives to mention: we get to see the usual cliched destruction of cities and major landmarks (in this case, Sydney Opera House takes a good pasting), Olivia Munn's Psylocke gets a dangerously skin-tight and revealing outfit that's straight out of the 'make 'em sexy' school of outdated female costume design and there's some deus ex machina action in the very final act that sows things up a little too conveniently.

However, overall, X-Men: Apocalypse is a riotous romp from start to finish – and, as an added bonus, it sets up the new Wolverine flick in fine style.

X-MEN: APOCALYPSE (12A, 144 mins) Action/Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Romance.

Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Oscar Isaac, Nicholas Hoult, Sophie Turner, Evan Peters, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Lucas Till, Tye Sheridan, Ben Hardy, Olivia Munn, Alexandra Shipp, Rose Byrne

Director: Bryan Singer

RATING: FOUR STARS