Tag: X-Men

Can Dark Phoenix (X-Men) Deliver The Fun In Cinemas This June?

Can Dark Phoenix (X-Men) Deliver The Fun In Cinemas This June?

carlocarrasco

The newest movie poster of Dark Phoenix (or X-Men: Dark Phoenix in some other countries) has been released and so has the second movie trailer which you can watch right here.

Previously scheduled for a November 2018 release, Dark Phoenix is all set to to fill up the movie screens – including IMAX – in cinemas around the world this June and fans of the X-Men movies developed by 20th Century Fox will finally be getting their fill of fun.

The new movie is the 2nd cinematic adaptation of the classic Dark Phoenix storyline of the X-Men comics. It has superstar Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique, Sophie Turner as Jean Grey/Dark Phoenix, James McAvoy as Charles Xavier, Michael Fassbender as Magneto, Tye Sheridan as Cyclops and Jessica Chastain as an alien shapeshifter. Given the fact that 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past erased X-Men: The Last Stand (the unfaithful Dark Phoenix adaptation) from canon, the 2019 X-Men film will be the DP cinematic story to see.

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Space travel confirmed for the newest cinematic adaptation of Dark Phoenix. There was space travel also in the comic books of the Dark Phoenix storyline.

Dark Phoenix is set in the year 1992 (9 years after X-Men: Apocalypse) and Charles Xavier’s team of mutants face their most formidable and powerful foe yet who happens to be one of their own…Jean Grey. During a rescue mission in space, Jean gets hit by a mysterious cosmic force. As a result, she gains tremendous power but struggles to contain it. What makes things more difficult is her raging emotions.

At least from its premise, the movie has potential. I myself am an X-Men fan as well as a long-time comic book collector. The Dark Phoenix Saga is one of my favorite storylines of not just the X-Men but of all superhero comics in general. I could never forget the very powerful storytelling pulled off by Chris Claremont and John Byrne. The Dark Phoenix Saga in comics has always been very engaging to read on my part.

Within that storyline, the stakes were raised very high and each member of the team – Charles Xavier, Colossus Wolverine, Storm, Nightcrawler and others – each had a nice contribution to the overall development of the team as it struggled with the moral complications related to Jean Grey’s struggle with Dark Phoenix not to mention her being responsible for the countless deaths of inhabitants of planets destroyed. Also included in the saga was the Hellfire Club

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Quicksilver moving towards a very powerful Jean Grey.

Naturally I cannot expect Simon Kinberg and his team to pull off a 100% faithful adaptation of the literary storyline. As such he and his creative team have a story of conflict and division that looks like will challenge each X-Men member personally as their team struggles with Jean Grey.

The newest movie trailer is an improvement over the previous one and now the cinematic plot looks clearer. I just hope that the marketing team at 20th Century Fox did not reveal potential surprises from the movie.

As much as I enjoyed the X-Men movies and comics, there are a few signs of concern that can potentially make Dark Phoenix a major disappointment.

The first sign is that this movie is Simon Kinberg’s directorial debut. Checking his record on IMDB.com, he worked as a screenwriter, producer and as Second Unit Director (notably on the pathetic 2015 Fantastic Four movie). I’m not putting Kinberg down but those credentials don’t convince me he could effectively direct a solid film. As I learned in film school from my Hollywood mentor almost 15 years ago, the film debut of a Hollywood director is often the worst film as he makes more films.

Many times in Hollywood, the director’s 2nd movie turned out not only a major improvement over his/her first film but also a critical and/or commercial hit. Look at the 2009 Star Trek movie which was J.J. Abrams‘ 2nd movie as director. That was a critical hit and it grossed $385,680,446 worldwide. Remember when Iron Man 3 made $1,214,811,252 in global ticket sales in 2013? That movie was Shane Black‘s 2nd directorial effort!

I can only hope that Kinberg can prove me wrong by making a really great and fun movie despite the tremendous odds stacked against him. It is very rare that a movie directed by a first-time director would become a hit. Maybe Kinberg can pull off a Dances With Wolves with Dark Phoenix.

The next sign is that key storytelling elements from the 2006 disappointment X-Men: The Last Stand seem to be resurfacing in the new movie according to the latest trailer released today. Those elements include Charles Xavier taking special responsibility of Jean Grey when she was a little girl. Jean Grey becoming unstable with her tremendous power which affects her relationship with the X-Men. Also if you look closely at the movie poster posted below, you will notice Jean Grey wearing (on the other half) a coat that resembles what the X-Men: Last Stand Jean Grey (then played by Famke Jansen) wore.

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The official movie poster from 20th Century Fox.

Still there is potential in the movie to deliver something new as far as storytelling is concerned. Key portions of the latest trailer show Cyclops showing greater concern for Jean Grey (which reminds me of what I read in The Dark Phoenix Saga) and he even pushes Charles Xavier to answer his questions. Xavier could only say “I don’t know what to do!”

It has been reported that Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige reviewed the script of Dark Phoenix although it’s not necessarily a sure sign that the X-Men cinematic universe will end and somehow the X-Men will become part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) within the movie.

Even though there are uncertainties, I intend to watch Dark Phoenix in the local cinemas this June. The uncertainties actually motivate me watch and find out the answers if there are any. Also I want to experience again the fun of watching Fassbender, McAvoy, Lawrence and Hoult reprising their roles. Sophie Turner meanwhile proved to be good as Jean Grey in X-Men: Apocalypse and I really want to see her portray the character struggling with the Phoenix. I am confident she can do a much better job than Famke Jansen.

Now if only the clock could move faster…

Thank you for reading. If you find this article to be engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenor is still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco.

A Look Back At Freex #1

A Look Back At Freex #1

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I want to say that I am a fan of Marvel’s X-Men. Given the long publication history as well as how many creators – most notably Chris Claremont, John Byrne, Jim Lee and Whilce Portacio – defined and redefined them through the ages, the X-Men for me is the best superhero team comic franchise from Marvel.

Back in 1993, Malibu Comics launched a new line of superhero comic books called the Ultraverse and there I was inside a comic book store along Presidents Avenue, BF Homes, Paranaque one time struggling to decide which of the many Ultraverse launch titles displayed to buy with my very limited budget. As I was very fond of the superhero team dynamics of the X-Men, I bought Freex #1.

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Cover of Freex #1.

Written by Gerard Jones with art by Ben Herrera (inked by Mike Christian), Freex #1 introduces Ray/Boomboy (a guy who lived hidden from the public due to his abnormal body), Valerie/Pressure (a very bitter lady who could produce steam or plasma out of sweat), Lewis/Anything (a guy who could reshape his body), Angela/Sweetface (who has several fleshy tentacles from her body) and Michael/Plug (a digital escapee).

The comic book emphasizes the five individuals’ respective struggles with not only their abilities but also with being social outcasts. This eerily parallels Marvel’s X-Men in more ways than one. The big difference is that the Freex do not have a mature adult to guide them nor do they have a large estate to hide and live in. Clearly the Freex are in a desperate situation to survive and realize their destiny.

In terms of storytelling, the pacing is fine and for the most part character development or spotlight was noticeably invested on three of the five Freex which is understandable since the comic book had only twenty-five pages of story and art. In terms of spectacle, there presentation is nice and the action scenes nicely reflect what the characters could do.

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Valerie Sharp’s flashback.

Going back to character development, I find Boomboy’s back story to be the most interesting. Due to his rock-like appearance, his family had no choice but to hide him in the basement for an unspecified number of years. Unsurprisingly he became very lonely and he dealt with loneliness by reading a book about a certain literature classic.

Due to his high consumption related to his abnormal condition, Boomboy’s family realized that feeding him was too costly and they found a place where he could be transferred to and receive special care. Thinking that he would end up like a slave at the new place, Boomboy naturally rebels and forcefully leaves the house causing damage.

For the first time, Boomboy explores the suburban exterior while causing people nearby to panic as he looks like some monster to them. The uncertainty for him ended when Lewis meets and welcomes him.

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It truly is very hard to be social outcasts.

Very notably, Boomboy claims that “Huck” (actually Anything) saved him and went on to really believe in him.

Being an X-Men fan, I noticed that Freex has some similar themes with Marvel’s superhero team in the sense that there is a group of individuals with special abilities (or abnormalities as some would call them) who are noticeably rejected by members of the local society they live in. Valerie said it correctly: So we are here, right? Living in some locked-up squat, stealing to eat with the cops all over us!

Valerie’s words captured the desperate situation of Freex. They don’t have a mature leader to look up to. They cannot go back to where they came from. They cannot reunite immediately with the people who care for them. They are already rejected by the local authorities.

Overall, I find Freex #1 as engaging as it was when I first read it way back in 1993. It has aged nicely with its fine mix of drama and spectacle composed with a more mature audience in mind. If you are a comic book collector looking for 1990s concepts or if you want something similar to the X-Men or even DC Comics’ Teen Titans, then I recommend this comic book.

It’s too bad that Marvel bought out Malibu Comics and shut them down. As of this writing, Freex and the rest of the Ultraverse characters and concepts are all in limbo and remain unused by Marvel for decades now.

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Freex with a stronger superhero look they adapted later in their short-lived comic book series.

Still I can imagine the unlikely scenario that Marvel Studios (under the orders of their parent company the Walt Disney Company) would revive someday the Ultraverse properties in a limited way without cannibalizing their very own superhero properties already in use in movies. I think Freex would make an interesting animated series or as a video game or as action figures. Truly there is still good entertainment potential with Freex similar to the other Ultraverse franchises.

Thank you for reading. If you found this article to be engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenor is still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco.

Author’s Note: This article was originally published at my old Geeks and Villagers blog. What you read on this website was an updated and expanded version. In other words, this newest version you just read is the most definitive version.Â