X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

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.

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.

The headline presents the adventure as spectacular, though it feels like a baton handover. Its epic scale is singled out as a strength.

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.

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.

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.

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Tallerico finds the film overstuffed and uninspired. He singles out its lack of freshness amid the franchise’s familiar spectacle.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.