Dark Phoenix

***A fuller rendition of the Jean Grey Plot of “X-Men 3” with Sophie Turner*** This is another take on the Jean Grey story of “X-Men: The Last Stand” (2006). That movie was good up until the last act with the conventional battle between the good and bad mutants at Alcatraz Island, which diverged from the more interesting core story concerning Jean. “Dark Phoenix” (2019) has a similar problem in that Jean’s inner conflict between good and evil is the most interesting element, along with the other mutants being troubled by her transformation and trying to figure out how to handle it. Unfortunately, as with “X-Men 3,” the filmmakers insist on having everything come down to a big battle sequence that’s overlong and predictable, although it’s better and more moving here. A good example of predictableness is when Magneto (Michael Fassbender) utilizes many rifles to shoot Vuk (Jessica Chastain); you know very well that the bullets are going to be totally useless. The ending’s not bad, just tedious and perfunctory, similar to the big battle sequence in “Avengers: Endgame,” albeit less dull. The original climax of “Dark Phoenix” took place in space and had too many similarities to “Captain Marvel,” which beat “Dark Phoenix” to the theaters. So the creators had to reshoot the ending as a battle sequence involving a train, but it didn’t feel tacked on or inorganic, although the Juk/aliens subplot did. I prefer Sophie Turner to Famke Janssen in the titular role. She’s just an all-around pleasure to behold, although acting-wise she’s not yet up to the caliber of Fassbender, James McAvoy (Xavier) or Jennifer Lawrence (Raven), not even close. In any case, I found the Phoenix story fascinating just as I did with “The Last Stand,” but here it’s more fleshed out, which makes it better in some ways. I just wish the creators would have the gonads to do something fresh rather than strap the conventional “big battle” ending on what could have been a great movie. If you liked “First Class” (2011), “Days of Future Past” (2014) and “Apocalypse” (2016), “Dark Phoenix” is cut from the same cloth in all-around quality. I prefer “Days” and “Apocalypse,” but “Dark Phoenix” ain’t no slouch, despite what detractors might say; and it’s superior to “First Class.” The film runs 1 hour, 53 minutes. GRADE: B+