X-Men: Apocalypse Movie Poster Image

X-Men: Apocalypse

(i)

 

Superhero-size violence, fab effects in '80s-set threequel.
  • Review Date: May 27, 2016
  • Rated: PG-13
  • Genre: Action/Adventure
  • Release Year: 2016
  • Running Time: 144 minutes

What parents need to know

Positive messages

Lots of conflict and disagreement, but in the end it boils down to: United you stand, but divided you crumble. Friendship, support, unity, and hope can save the day. Also: Don't fear what's different, and embrace who you are.

Positive role models

Although there are some clearly evil characters, Professor X believes in the good in people and feels that extra talents can be controlled so they won't wreak havoc. Mystique is loyal to her friends, even when they seem not to be her friends anymore. Some strong, powerful female characters and a somewhat diverse cast.

Violence

Lots of superhero-style action, including weapons, big explosions, and plenty of hand-to-hand action. Bodies fly, and so do other large objects. In one sequence, a group of men's heads is destroyed in nearly an instant. In an extended sequence featuring Wolverine, he fights anonymous bad buys by slashing them, resulting in some bloody, disturbing moments; but for the most part, it's not gory. Very menacing bad guy bent on destruction. Very sad death of a child, with resulting grief.

Sex

Flirting. A couple of female characters are fairly scantily clad; Mystique is technically nude when she's in her natural state, but it looks like body armor.

Language

Most of the language is along the lines of "piss" and "damn," but there is one use of "f--k."

Consumerism

Tie-in to vast quantities of X-Men/Marvel merchandise.

Drinking, drugs, & smoking
Not applicable

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that X-Men: Apocalypse (the third film in the X-Men: First Class reboot series), pits the super-powered heroes against a mighty foe who's bent on nothing less than laying waste to the whole world. Expect plenty of superhero-style action violence; aside from one sequence with some disturbing slashing, it's not particularly gory, but it does involve lots of combat, destruction, and weapons. There's also some swearing (mostly "piss," "damn," etc., but there's one use of "f--k"), a couple of scantily clad characters, and a few intense scenes centering around one character's loss of his family. Most of the popular X-Men from the prior movies are back, and there are a few new ones, too; overall, they're a pretty diverse bunch, with several strong women. And in the end, the story showcases the value of teamwork.
 

What's the story?

It's the 1980s, and the mutants have scattered around the globe. Professor X (James McAvoy) now runs a school for kids gifted with superpowers, Magneto (Michael Fassbender) is living a quiet life as Erik Lehnsherr, a factory worker with a wife and young daughter, and Raven (Jennifer Lawrence) is keeping to herself. But then a 6000-year-old super-mutant, Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac), is awakened from his deep slumber, ready to wreak havoc everywhere aided by his crew of evil mutants (Alexandra Shipp, Ben Hardy, and Olivia Munn). With stakes so high, it's hard for the team not to reunite, especially since Magneto is deeply troubled and has been lured to the dark side because of a deep loss. Will the X-Men prevail?

 

Is it any good?

QUALITY

This adventure has the requisite gang's-all-here clash and bang of a Marvel superhero movie that's sure to enthrall franchise fans, but there's more to it: It has depth. Instead of just jumping from one mishap to the next, X-MEN: APOCALYPSE takes some care unveiling its storyline, which touches on fairly intense themes.

Although we once again find Magneto teetering on the line between good and evil, the cast's game-on performances elevate the film from mere special-effects showcase. (And to be clear, those effects are astounding, right from the get-go with an impressive opening sequence.) At times, Apocalypse feels a bit overcrowded, as is the case with most ensemble action films, but for the most part, most of the franchise's big characters -- even Wolverine -- gets his or her moment in the sun. 

Families can talk about...

  • Families can talk about the action violence in X-Men: Apocalypse. Scenes of battle and mayhem are a big part of superhero movies: Do you think they're always necessary to the story? What's the impact of media violence on kids?

  • How do the characters demonstrate teamwork? Why is that an important character strength?

  • What is the movie saying about being suspicious -- or accepting -- of others who may not be quite like you? How does this theme play out in the X-Men franchise?

  • The X-Men don't always agree about how to proceed with a mission -- or even if they all have the same intentions. Talk to your kids about the role that disagreement plays within a group of peers. 

Movie details

Theatrical release date:May 27, 2016
Cast:Jennifer Lawrence, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender
Director:Bryan Singer
Studio:Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
Genre:Action/Adventure
Topics:Superheroes
Character strengths:Teamwork
Run time:144 minutes
MPAA rating:PG-13
MPAA explanation:sequences of violence, action and destruction, brief strong language and some suggestive images

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Teen, 13 years old Written byTim_McCool May 15, 2016

Entertaining. Great sequel for an already great series.

What other families should know
Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
Teen, 14 years old Written byrebo344 May 20, 2016

Really entertaining.

X-Men: Apocalypse was one of my most anticipated of 2016. So it delivered, although it's not perfect. I loved Tye Sheridan, Sophie Turner and Kodi Smith-Mcphee's performances and acting. Michael Fassbender is flawless, Oscar Issac is solid, although his character is a bit generic and others were good. Great action, great visual effects and decent story. The 3D is good. The Quicksliver scene is perfect. Grade: B+.
What other families should know
Too much violence
Too much swearing
Teen, 15 years old Written byPipeCine May 22, 2016

"X-Men: Apocalypse" Closes the Trilogy With Many Visual Effects, Drama and Quality

Bryan Singer, Apocalypse and Quicksilver compose a film about the cataclysm. After four films based on Marvel's comics, Bryan Singer firmly demonstrates is owner of the best of the powers of the "X-MEN". One decade after "Days of Future Past," Professor Xavier's young students must confront the villain more powerful and fearsome of the history, located in the pyramids of the ancient Egypt, close to El Cairo. Oscar Isaac plays Apocalypse - unrecognizable after his work in "The Force Awakens" as Poe Dameron or "Ex Machina" as "Nathan", using blue makeup, boots with heels, prosthesis and a heavy costume that turned recordings into something hellish- a supreme being who over the years has absorbed the powers of many mutants, after 80 years sleeping under the Egyptian pyramids is accidentally awakened and seeing that his world is praising false gods decides to destroy the human race completely. Singer decides to resume the franchise after "X-Men: First Class" in 2011, this brings back to the mutants better known as James McAvoy's Professor X, Michael Fassbender's Magneto, Jennifer Lawrence's Mystique and Nicholas' The Beast, joining to spectacular cast, new and talented youths to the team. Cyclops (Tye Sheridan), Jean Grey (Sophie Turner from "Game of Thrones"), Storm (Alexandra Shipp) and Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee) are juvenile interpretations of mutants already seen in the previous films, they give you a touch more fresh and comical to each character while still retaining the essence itself. On the other side are the four horsemen of the antagonist, Psylocke (Olivia Munn), a renovated and young Archangel (Ben Hardy), Storm (Alexandra Shipp) and the very famous Magneto (Michael Fassbender) faithful to his master, until a certain point. A luxury cast bought 20th Century Fox to project for the fourth time to the "X-MEN" franchise, nominees for the Oscars, winners of Oscars, nominated for prestigious awards increase the expectation of the fans, and from what I saw, action and drama are present in each framing. This is a tradition, this is an addiction, this is a necessity. Once more the fabulous Evan Peters' Quicksilver runs a masterful slowdown scene in the scene, with many jokes, action, happiness and perfection. Since the moment that the scene becomes slow and a bee appears next to a flower, we knew what it was going to happen, the music plays and all goes to shit. It's fucking amazing. I think that Quick has been established as one of the best X-Men, becoming like the actors for the film, like the water for humanity, he's a necessity in the saga. Throughout the film, it also presents a pleasant and surprising cameo - in the full sense of the word - you know who we are talking about, despite being short and very bloody, the man does his job and leave. Bryan has worked a little more than sixteen years with the mutants, his knowledge is obvious to mix so many characters in a different age and yet provide a coherent, articulate and outstanding story. Relations and changes of the characters are also highlighted. The merit is not only to Singer, It's to entire team. "Apocalypse" might not be the best superhero movie to the public child considering that is very dark and sinister, but it can be pure entertainment for infants and adults, something not will like much the fans because the film replaces the lack of genuine entertainment by tons of action and CGI. Opinions are mixed, but it is irreproachable do not say that the film is worthy of receiving the name "Apocalypse".
What other families should know
Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence

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