The X-Men is a film series, based on Marvel characters, about the emergence of mutants.

There are two trilogies and we are currently at the end of the second trilogy with the X-Men Apocalypse (2016, USA).

Though the actors in the trilogies are different, the characters are the same, as younger versions in the second trilogy.

For example, The Hunger Games’ Jennifer Lawrence plays Raven/Mystique. Rebecca Romijn played the older Mystique in the first films.

And there are many others that would take too long to mention.

Onto the story of X-Men Apocalypse.

An Egyptian god En Sabah Nur (Oscar Isaac) wants to make-up for his loss thousands of years ago when shot down as a “false god”.

In the 1980s, the god awakens with a lust for power. Called Apocalypse, the powerful mutant desires to cleanse the world.

Survivors of his worldwide cleansing will serve under him. Other mutants must stop him from taking over, but the god recruits a few mutants for his own purposes, leading to a showdown, the apparent apocalypse of the film’s title.

X-Men Apocalypse leaves you in suspense for what is going to happen next. Several interlinked story-lines converge, but the action showdown is not as effective as it could have been. I’m left asking what has gone wrong.

Life at the movies moment:

There is the usual ‘with great power comes great responsibility’ theme that has marked other Marvel films.

The emergence of what’s called a ‘false god’ on the world stage must be stopped. The god ala mutant thirsts for ultimate godhood. Perhaps this could be filed under ‘lust for power’.

Interestingly, Erik (played convincingly by Michael Fassbender, one of the better performances) has an identity crisis when he loses what is dear to him, causing him to take on his mutant alter-ego Magneto.  Erik is a good person, but bad things can happen to good people and change their entire destiny. But, as we know, it doesn’t have to be that way.

With apocalypse in the title, the film should be big, but there is less than enough scope. There promised an exciting finale, but it is just visual fireworks gone up in smoke. The action may be better appreciated in 3D, though.

X-Men takes an unsuccessful turn into straight good versus evil territory.

Warnings: violence, sometimes intense, and brief coarse language.

Notes:  Starring: James McAvoy (Charles Xavier), Michael Fassbender (Erik Lensheer/Magneto), Jennifer Lawrence (Raven/Mystique), Nicholas Hoult (Hank McCoy/Beast), Oscar Isaac (Apocalypse), Director: Bryan Singer, Screenwriter: Simon Kinberg