Once upon a time, there was a myth of a movie that existed. Some said it existed, while others ignored its legitimacy. It's the equivalent of the Sword and the stone. Surely, those passing by could clearly see a blade lodged within a stone. Surely, it can’t be that hard to remove, right? Thus the challenge was born. That sword was destined to be pulled out by none other than King Arthur. As the legend goes and as a number of interpretations have told us, it was so.
Similarly, we've reached this mythological shift in our consumption of movies. In 2017, when audiences were introduced to Justice League, they quickly realized this wasn’t the intended version of the movie. For the next few years, we heard conflicting stories about the existence of the fabled “Snyder Cut”. Some claimed it was real, while others refuted such stories. This past summer, HBO Max acknowledged its legitimacy by announcing the platform would be premiering it next year. Even with the event, DC Fandome, we got our first look at the film. The fable has become reality.
The Snyder Cut gave fans renewed hope to rally for other such mythological movies. Such as the supposed “Ayer Cut” of Suicide Squad or even the extended, darker director's cut of Batman Forever. Up to this point, it wasn't just DC who had their own cinematic legends. Marvel had one that had been called cursed, rather than actually calling it make-believe. That would be none other than The New Mutants. To be honest, it feels a bit surreal to be writing a review of the movie. Somebody pinch me. The only question that audiences need to ask themselves is the movie as good as the fantasy of the fable? The film centers upon the development, and eventual formation, of the new era of mutants, dubbed - you guessed, The New Mutants. The cast making up the team is relatively small, in the vein of 2000’s X-Men. We get our entry point of view through Dani Moonstar (Blu Hunt) as she comes to grips with her new reality of undergoing training and equally understanding her new identity as a mutant. The cast is filled out with fellow teammates Rahne Sinclair (Maisie Williams), Illyana Rasputin (Anya Taylor-Joy), Sam Guthrie (Charlie Heaton) & Roberto de Costa (Henry Zaga).
I will say that the co-writer and director, Josh Boone, does a decent job of setting up each character, humanizing them and fleshing them out. Perhaps, not to a deep degree but it works for the runtime of the film. While the cast is relatively small, as previously stated, there are no real stand-out performances. By this point, comic book movies are juggernauts within the industry. You can largely point to a number of films within any given franchise and pull out performances that left an impression. Mutants offers nothing of the sort. The performances just come across just okay. Perhaps the only performance who stands out would be Joy. She is the most entertaining, feels the most fleshed out, and if you know the comics, she has the closest relation to the X-Men franchise. Actors are often the ones who leave the most impression upon an audience. Though, they are only a small portion of what actually makes up the movie. The other portion being the actual script which in this case comes from Boone and writing partner, Knate Lee. Some of the script lacks a tonal consistency. It’s not until almost the third act which the script actually has a consistent tone.
In the way that we are following the team’s formation, it equally feels like the script is trying to come together as well. I want to emphasize I have no problem with romance within films if it’s placed in the right context. A movie like The New Mutants does not have such context - at least not upon its’ first outing. Two of the five characters end up with a romance arc. A team like The New Mutants is largely uncharted territory for the movie-going audience. Boone does a first-rate job at setting up and explaining these characters. Even though the cast is small, it is still a tall order to tackle a team film - especially when it comes to superheroes. The romance arc feels like a shoehorned angle that feels not only unnecessary but misplaced throughout everything. For as long as we have waited for this movie, this shouldn’t be another issue but it is - the selective use of good CGI. There is favorable CGI littered throughout it all. Joy’s final mutant form, Heaton’s Cannonball effects, and even the Demon Bear are all exceptional. The film is littered with nightmare sequences throughout. The real nightmare is clearly the CGI. Some of them look like they were done as student projects. With the amount of time that we’ve waited for this film, this shouldn’t be anywhere near the list of cons. Yet, here we are.
Overall, The New Mutants is an entertaining, yet deeply flawed final entry into the X-Men film franchise. A steady pace for the film allows the co-writer and director, Josh Boone, to tell an effective, yet forgettable, narrative. Introducing audiences to a new generation of mutants, set within an already familiar world. The performances are average, with the exception of Anya Taylor-Joy. Perhaps the issues lie within the sometimes cheesy dialogue and an unnecessary romance subplot that makes the world feel more crowded rather than lived in. Boone does a great job of building up and fleshing out characters. Unfortunately, the movie falls a bit short with a bland plot, spotty CGI & subpar performances. If this is the next generation of the X-Men world, please for the love of God, let me keep it nostalgic.
RORSCHACH RATING:
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Victims and Villains is written Josh "Captain Nostalgia" Burkey (and produced by), Caless Davis, Dan Rockwood, & Brandon Miller. Music by Mallory Johnson and others. The New Mutants is property of Fox & Marvel Studios. We do not own nor claim any rights.
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