"X-Men," Bryan Singer's superhero film from 2000, was unusual in two ways. One, it was part of a genre that barely existed, and two, its mutant characters were complicated, with powers that made them supra-human but also pariahs. The movie felt fresh, original and brave.
Nearly 20 years and fully 12 titles later, the Fox franchise no longer seems any of those things. At their best, the movies have style ("X-Men: Days of Future Past"), but they can also be pretty crumby ("X-Men: The Last Stand"). The modern Marvel movies, by contrast, so varied in tone yet all of a piece, quickly lapped the "X-Men."
The latest, "Dark Phoenix," pretty much throws in the towel. Described as the "culmination" of the main series, it ostensibly serves as the origin story of the mysterious mutant Jean Grey. It also seals fates and puts familiar faces out to pasture. It's a hello and a goodbye at once, then, and every bit as muddled as it sounds.
