What Might Have Been

It’s not the fault of X-Men: Apocalypse that its villain, with his plan to destroy the world and all the puny people in it, feels extra tired just now. The filmmakers surely didn’t know that a very similar plot would play out in DC’s televised universe this season: On Arrow, a TV show based on comic-book character Green Arrow, the terrorist kingpin Damien Darhk wanted to do away with most of humanity.

But this isn’t Apocalypse’s only bit of overfamiliarity. Like Captain America: Civil War, Apocalypse has too many people on its teams (why introduce a magnetic new Storm, Alexandra Shipp, and then make her such a minor character?). Like all those Zack Snyder movies, Apocalypse is awash in property damage, filling the screen with ribbons of debris and collapsing buildings.

In short, X-Men: Apocalypse spends too much time not feeling particularly like an X-Men movie, which is a little crushing for those of us who love the X-Men best among all those semi-functional superhero families. Its most egregious bit of comics failure is arguably the addition of two new female characters for the sole purpose of killing them to give a man his motivating anguish. There is a term for this — fridging — and it’s extremely lazy storytelling.

Somewhere in the middle of this super-sized muddle of tropes is the movie that could’ve been. When the X-Men movies (new and old) are at their best, they’re character-driven: think of Rogue’s loneliness, Xavier and Erik’s complicated friendship, the unwillingness of Jennifer Lawrence’s Raven to rely on anyone. When Apocalypse has room for these moments, it shines.

Jean (Sophie Turner) sits alone on school grounds, fully aware that everyone else is afraid of her. Every scene with Moira MacTaggert (Rose Byrne) and Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) sparks with their friends’ knowledge — and disapproval — of what he did to her memories. Raven, standing defiant, comes to accept that the kids around her need her, whether she likes it or not. With Apocalypse, we got another superhero movie; more of these moments, and we would’ve had an X-Men movie.

And we could’ve had an X-Men movie about Jean Grey (X3 doesn’t count; thank Days of Future Past for that). Lost in the overstuffed shuffle is a powerful theme about coming of age and accepting yourself and your power — a theme that should’ve been front and center.

Turner is playing through a similar, though much darker, character arc on Game of Thrones, and to watch her on that show is to see what this movie could’ve been: a feature starring one of the X-Men’s most important members, played by a vibrant young actress who can speak volumes with a sullen stare. Jean’s story is about taking the things that make you you and figuring out how to use that, how to be that, even if it’s scary and people don’t know what to make of you.

The emotional payoff for Turner’s character in Apocalypse seems lifted from another movie — a better movie. One we can only wish we’d seen. (Broadway Metro, Valley River Cinemas, Cinemark 17)

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

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None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!