---
title: "X-Men: Apocalypse"
year: 2016
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/x-men-apocalypse"
fi1m_id: "x-men-apocalypse"
imdb_id: "tt3385516"
tmdb_id: 246655
wikidata_id: "Q17042878"
fi1m_score: 48
critics_score: 51
critics_reviews: 26
published: "2026-10-05T14:02:49.645204+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-05T14:02:50.025995+00:00"
region: "IS"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

Directed by Bryan Singer · 2h 24m · Science Fiction, Fantasy, Action

## Identity

X-Men: Apocalypse

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/x-men-apocalypse
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** x-men-apocalypse
- **IMDb ID:** tt3385516
- **TMDB ID:** 246655
- **Wikidata ID:** Q17042878
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3385516/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/246655, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17042878

**Fi1m score: 48** · Critics 51 from 26 reviews

*In a sentence:* Even Quicksilver cannot get all these introductions over with

> Bryan Singer gives a likeable young cast and Michael Fassbender too little room in an overfilled superhero sequel. A few playful sequences help, but the villain and the plotting make 144 minutes feel generous.

## Synopsis

An opening in ancient Egypt introduces Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac), a mutant who begins gathering followers. Magneto (Michael Fassbender) tries to pass as an ordinary man, seeking a life that does not revolve around his powers. Professor Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) has younger mutants around him, including Jean Grey (Sophie Turner), Cyclops (Tye Sheridan) and Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee). As Apocalypse recruits mutants to his cause, Xavier faces an opponent building his own force from people like them. The younger mutants enter a conflict already shaped by the older generation’s disagreements.

## Review

*X-Men: Apocalypse* has enough appealing mutants for several films, but too little for most of them to do in this one. Bryan Singer aims for a confrontation large enough to accommodate established characters and a younger cast, and repeatedly stops to introduce somebody else. Simon Kinberg’s screenplay gives them plenty of business without much chance to become interesting together. There are pleasures here, some of them substantial, but at 144 minutes this is a disappointing way to spend time with a good ensemble.

Michael Fassbender provides the strongest reason to stay involved. As Magneto, trying to pass as an ordinary man, he makes the effort of suppressing himself feel exhausting before the film asks for any grander emotion. The smaller scenes allow him to suggest what a normal life might cost someone who can never quite relax into it. James McAvoy brings welcome warmth to Professor Charles Xavier, though the screenplay seldom lets that warmth develop into a sustained exchange between people.

The younger cast are another reason to keep watching. Tye Sheridan gives Cyclops enough awkwardness to suggest a person still getting used to himself, while Kodi Smit-McPhee makes Nightcrawler immediately companionable. Sophie Turner has less opportunity to make Jean Grey equally distinct. Simon Kinberg keeps allocating attention to the next arrival, and the result is a group we might like to know better without the scenes that would let us do so.

The ancient-Egypt opening is more inventive about spectacle. Newton Thomas Sigel’s cinematography gives it a sweep that the later effects-heavy action cannot sustain, and Grant Major’s production design makes the setting more interesting than the villain it introduces. Both help establish a sense of scale without making the images feel anonymous. Once the action grows busier, the variable effects and the shortage of clear character objectives make it harder to follow who is doing what, or why it matters.

We laughed at the Quicksilver sequence, because Evan Peters plays with the difference between his speed and everybody else’s rather than merely demonstrating it. Slow motion becomes a way to build jokes, with time to notice the next one coming and enjoy its arrival. The editors, John Ottman and Michael Louis Hill, find a precision here that the surrounding character-hopping badly needs. The sequence has a clear comic purpose, which makes it easier to follow than much of the larger action.

Oscar Isaac has a less rewarding assignment as Apocalypse, whose menace depends on how insistently the film tells us to fear him. There is little curiosity about what makes this particular villain worth opposing beyond the obvious need to stop him. John Ottman’s score supplies weight to the confrontations, but its solemnity often makes already heavy scenes feel heavier. Oscar Isaac needs more to play than a standing invitation for everybody else to look concerned.

Against the superhero genre’s better ensemble stories, this is weak at making personal differences shape the action. The cast can suggest friendships and friction, but Bryan Singer too often abandons those possibilities to manage another mass of effects. A few enjoyable sequences are not enough for us to recommend the whole film. Existing affection for these mutants will have to do quite a lot of the screenplay’s work.

*Fi1m score 48, published 5 October 2026.*

## What the critics say

The consensus on X-Men: Apocalypse is mixed to negative, though even several detractors find pleasures among the crowded cast and effects. Praise clusters around Quicksilver’s playful slow-motion sequence, which the reviews repeatedly identify as a welcome burst of invention. Michael Fassbender’s Magneto supplies much of the emotional weight, while the younger cast earns credit for charm. Most critics find the storytelling messy, but some consider the performances and occasional visual flair enough to keep it entertaining.

The spread is wide: reservations range from uneven pacing to a more fundamental lack of compelling drama. Overcrowding, thin character development and familiar spectacle recur across the reviews, with the villain a particular weakness for several critics. Deadline dissents on that point, praising Oscar Isaac’s Apocalypse as the chief attraction. Vulture also offers a warmer reading of the ensemble, arguing that the mutants work together rather than merely prepare the franchise’s next instalment.

## Straight answers

**Is X-Men: Apocalypse worth watching?**

*X-Men: Apocalypse* has enjoyable moments, but we cannot recommend the whole film; we score it 48 out of 100. Michael Fassbender and the playful Quicksilver sequence give existing fans reasons to watch, but the crowded introductions, weak villain and effects-heavy action make its 144 minutes feel longer than they should.

**How long is X-Men: Apocalypse, and what is it rated?**

*X-Men: Apocalypse* runs 2h 24m. It is a science fiction and fantasy film.

**Where can I watch X-Men: Apocalypse in Iceland?**

*X-Men: Apocalypse* is streaming on Disney+ in Iceland. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is X-Men: Apocalypse, and is it suitable for children?**

*X-Men: Apocalypse* carries a UK 12A certificate, so we would not treat its superhero action as suitable for every child, particularly younger or sensitive viewers. The certificate requires an accompanying adult for children under 12 at the cinema; the film contains large-scale confrontations and a threatening villain, though we find his menace less persuasive than intended.

**How does X-Men: Apocalypse compare to X-Men: Days of Future Past?**

*X-Men: Apocalypse* is less satisfying than [*X-Men: Days of Future Past*](https://film.one/film/x-men-days-of-future-past), which we find better at making its crowded cast’s disagreements matter. Both offer playful action amid solemn superhero business, but *Apocalypse* spends too much time introducing characters and too little developing them together. The earlier film is the stronger choice for an entertaining ensemble story.

**Do you need to have seen the other X-Men films before X-Men: Apocalypse?**

*X-Men: Apocalypse* introduces younger mutants, but we would not choose it as a starting point for the series. Its conflict grows from the older characters’ disagreements, and the film gives many of its introductions too little room to develop. Existing affection for the characters helps more than the screenplay should require.

**What should I watch after X-Men: Apocalypse?**

After *X-Men: Apocalypse*, try [*The Incredibles*](https://film.one/film/the-incredibles) (2004, Fi1m 88): A family of superheroes whose disagreements make the action worth following. Then [*Akira*](https://film.one/film/akira) (1988, Fi1m 83): A far harsher vision of young people frightened by their own powers; and [*Unbreakable*](https://film.one/film/unbreakable) (2000, Fi1m 81): Superhuman abilities become troubling discoveries, with room for the people discovering them.

**What order should I watch the X-Men films in?**

Release order is the safe choice for X-Men, and it is the order [our collection page](https://film.one/collections/x-men) lists them in. *X-Men: Apocalypse* is the most recent of the 5 X-Men titles on Fi1m; before it comes [*X-Men: Days of Future Past*](https://film.one/film/x-men-days-of-future-past). [The full order.](https://film.one/collections/x-men.md)

### Reviews we read (26)

- **Vulture**, David Edelstein (75/100, inferred): Edelstein likes the film, despite its choppiness and variable effects, and argues that its large ensemble works together rather than feeling like franchise setup. He especially praises the mutants’ complementary dynamics and the emotional force of Magneto’s struggle to pass as normal. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2016/05/review-x-men-apocalypse-has-a-winning-ensemble.html)
- **IndieWire**, David Ehrlich (B-): Ehrlich finds the film audacious and sporadically entertaining, though its heroes and character moments are underdeveloped. He singles out Magneto’s destruction of Auschwitz as a powerful, unsettling use of pop iconography. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-x-men-apocalypse-is-one-of-the-most-audacious-superhero-movies-ever-made-290983/)
- **Radio Times**, Jeremy Aspinall (70/100, inferred): The headline presents the adventure as spectacular, though it feels like a baton handover. Its epic scale is singled out as a strength. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/x-men-apocalypse-review-its-spectacular-but-theres-a-handing-over-the-baton-feel-to-the-latest-adventure/)
- **The AV Club**, Ignatiy Vishnevetsky (B-): Vishnevetsky finds the film interesting but frustrating and lopsided, pitting the series’ strengths against its weaknesses. He praises Singer’s power-fantasy sequences, especially Quicksilver’s time-stopping rescue, while criticizing the blockbuster structure and underdeveloped female characters. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/apocalypse-pits-the-strengths-of-the-x-men-series-again-1798187877)
- **The New Yorker**, Richard Brody (70/100, inferred): Brody finds the film dramatically weak and overlong, but says its strongest visual sequences deliver genuine cinematic ecstasy. He especially praises the inventive ancient-Egypt opening and Quicksilver’s balletic, slow-motion rescue sequence. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/the-empty-astonishments-of-x-men-apocalypse)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan (65/100, inferred): Turan finds the film disorganized but engaging and diverting, though not fully convincing. He praises Quicksilver’s choreographed rescue set to “Sweet Dreams” as a standout moment. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-x-men-apocalypse-review-20160524-snap-story.html)
- **Screen Daily**, Tim Grierson (64/100, inferred): The review text is behind a paywall, so the critic’s verdict cannot be determined. No specific praise or complaint is visible in the accessible page. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/x-men-apocalypse-review/5103463.article)
- **The New York Times** (64/100, inferred): The page could not be accessed, so the critic’s verdict is unavailable. I could not verify what the review singles out for praise or complaint. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/27/movies/x-men-apocalypse-review.html)
- **RogerEbert.com**, Brian Tallerico (2.5/4): Tallerico finds the film overstuffed and uninspired. He singles out its lack of freshness amid the franchise’s familiar spectacle. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/x-men-apocalypse-2016)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (60/100, inferred): Bradshaw finds the film entertaining but less inventive and strange than its predecessor. He praises the playful Cyclops and Quicksilver sequences, while lamenting the reduced room for the series’ surreal character. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/may/09/x-men-apocalypse-review-marvel-jennifer-lawrence-oscar-isaac)
- **Evening Standard**, Charlotte O'Sullivan (55/100, inferred): The critic finds the film uneven but says the franchise remains worth following. She praises the young cast and standout effects, while faulting the underwhelming villain and muddled script. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/xmen-apocalypse-film-review-nothing-can-throttle-this-franchise-a3252781.html)
- **Time Out**, Tom Huddleston (2/5): The review calls the film a sprawling mess that will mostly appeal to forgiving fans. It faults the confusing script and unimpressive action, with a wince-inducing scene encapsulating its problems. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/x-men-apocalypse)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Todd McCarthy (30/100, inferred): McCarthy finds the film overstuffed and narratively jumbled, concluding that its abundance of characters and action makes it less effective. He faults the film’s use of Auschwitz as a backdrop for Magneto’s recruitment as especially appalling. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/x-men-apocalypse-film-review-891719/)
- **Empire**, Helen O'Hara (25/100, inferred): O'Hara finds the film leaden and overly reliant on callbacks, falling short of its predecessor. She praises the charm of newcomers Cyclops and Nightcrawler, while criticizing the lack of nuance among the villains. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/x-men-apocalypse-review/)
- **Variety**, Geoff Berkshire (25/100, inferred): Berkshire finds the film disappointing and less compelling than Singer’s previous entries. He criticizes its overcrowded cast and reliance on visual effects at the expense of coherent storytelling and character development. [Read](https://variety.com/2016/film/reviews/x-men-apocalypse-review-jennifer-lawrence-michael-fassbender-oscar-isaac-1201768577/)
- **Little White Lies**, Adam Woodward (3/1/1): The review calls the film a crushing disappointment and one of the worst comic-book movies in recent memory. It singles out Quicksilver as the standout, while criticizing the characters’ thin development and the film’s lack of fresh ideas. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/x-men-apocalypse)
- **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (70/100, inferred): Hammond finds the film a mixed bag but says it is highly entertaining for X-Men fans and better than the franchise’s recent entries. He singles out Oscar Isaac’s Apocalypse as stealing the show. [Read](https://deadline.com/2016/05/x-men-apocalypse-review-marvel-jennifer-lawrence-michael-fassbender-1201764022/)
- **Digital Spy**, Hugh Armitage (65/100, inferred): The critic finds the film messy but entertaining, with enough charm to keep the franchise’s future looking bright. They praise the performances, especially Evan Peters’s Quicksilver and Michael Fassbender’s emotionally affecting Magneto. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a793444/x-men-apocalypse-review-does-bryan-singers-mutant-civil-war-still-pack-a-punch/)
- **Eye for Film**, Max Crawford (60/100, inferred): The critic finds the film enjoyable but predictable, tonally uneven, and weaker than its predecessors. The performances, especially those of James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, are singled out for rescuing the nonsensical script. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/x-men-apocalypse-2016-film-review-by-stuart-crawford)
- **The Skinny**, Josh Slater-Williams (★★★): The critic calls the film a messy but occasionally appealing entry, recommending it with reservations for franchise completists. They praise the charismatic new cast, while faulting the generic villain and distracting action-scene problems. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/x-men-apocalypse)
- **Consequence**, Michael Roffman (50/100, inferred): Roffman finds the film familiar and overstuffed, but still damn fun. He praises Michael Fassbender’s dramatic backstory and the film’s tighter, intimate scenes. [Read](https://consequence.net/2016/05/film-review-x-men-apocalypse/)
- **Den of Geek**, Ryan Lambie (2/5): Lambie finds the film overstuffed and dramatically underpowered, judging it a disappointment beside its predecessor. He praises the Magneto woodland scene and the cast, especially Nightcrawler and Quicksilver. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/x-men-apocalypse-review-2/)
- **NME** (35/100, inferred): The critic finds the film competent but dull and uninvolving rather than a disaster. They single out Quicksilver’s playful time-freeze sequence as its most memorable moment, while criticizing the thin supporting characters. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews-movie-16468-306023)
- **The Playlist** (20/100, inferred): The headline signals a negative verdict, describing the film as bloated. It singles out the destruction-porn trope as a troubling feature of superhero movies. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/review-bloated-x-men-apocalypse-falls-prey-destruction-porn-trope-troubling-super-hero-movies-20160509/)
- **The Wrap**, Alonso Duralde (20/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a monotonous letdown that fails to make its stakes compelling. The generic, metaphor-free villain is singled out as the main reason the story does not engage. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/x-men-apocalypse-review/)
- **/Film**, Jacob Hall (10/100, inferred): Hall finds the film a frustrating, lifeless misfire, criticizing its continuity, characters, villain, and slow pacing. He singles out the Quicksilver evacuation sequence as weird, thrilling, and hilarious, despite calling it a retread of the earlier film’s scene. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/544559/x-men-apocalypse-spoiler-review/)

## Details

- **Director:** Bryan Singer
- **Director:** Bryan Singer
- **Screenplay:** Simon Kinberg
- **Story:** Bryan Singer, Dan Harris, Simon Kinberg, Michael Dougherty
- **Cinematography:** Newton Thomas Sigel
- **Editor:** John Ottman, Michael Louis Hill
- **Music:** John Ottman
- **Production design:** Grant Major
- **Producer:** Simon Kinberg, Lauren Shuler Donner, Hutch Parker
- **Cast:** James McAvoy as Professor Charles Xavier; Michael Fassbender as Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto; Jennifer Lawrence as Raven / Mystique; Nicholas Hoult as Hank McCoy / Beast; Oscar Isaac as En Sabah Nur / Apocalypse; Rose Byrne as Moira MacTaggert; Evan Peters as Peter Maximoff / Quicksilver; Josh Helman as Col. William Stryker
- **Runtime:** 2h 24m
- **First release (the UK):** 9 May 2016
- **Genres:** Science Fiction, Fantasy, Action
- **Part of:** [X-Men](https://film.one/collections/x-men.md) · 5 of 5
- **Budget:** $178 million
- **Box office:** $544 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jer8XjMrUB4

## Where to watch in Iceland

- Disney+: streaming, uhd

*Checked 2026-10-05.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, IE, IL, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, UA, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *The Incredibles* (2004), Fi1m 88: A family of superheroes whose disagreements make the action worth following. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-incredibles.md)
- *Akira* (1988), Fi1m 83: A far harsher vision of young people frightened by their own powers. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/akira.md)
- *The Host* (2006): A monster spectacle that keeps its squabbling family firmly in view.
- *Unbreakable* (2000), Fi1m 81: Superhuman abilities become troubling discoveries, with room for the people discovering them. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/unbreakable.md)
- *Chronicle* (2012): Teenage powers bring awkward friendships and dangerous temptations into sharper focus.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/x-men-apocalypse