Mordar
2020-10-14, 03:17 PM
Hi all -
I have really enjoyed my local theater being open again. My wife and I have been to 3 movies (Tenet, Empire, New Mutants) and have not had more than 8 people total in any showing. Feel safe, and frankly would pay quadruple to have the same experience on a regular basis.
We saw New Mutants last week...both give it a thumbs up, mine stronger than hers. She felt it a little slow at the beginning, and that is true, but once it hit the second/third act transition it picked up nicely. I think it rates in the top 2 of the X-men franchise (faint praise, I know), despite the delays, reworking and studio disinterest.
The acting was probably the weakest element, but it wasn't terrible. Yes, bad accents are bad. Effects were generally decent...visuals at times VERY good. The characterizations weren't exactly as I might like, but that's okay. I was a bigtime X-title guy since the list of X-titles was 1 entry, so I carry a lot of baggage and expectations. The non-spoilery version of my review is: Very enjoyable to me as a fan of the New Mutants comics who also understands that movies aren't made like comics. I am disappointed there will not be a sequel, and not even likely a reboot.
I liked Dani and Sam best (from an acting standpoint), but feel Sam really got shorted on the power side. All things considered, only Dani and Illyana get a lot of power display time. Dani's powers, while uncontrolled, start at a much higher potency than in the books. Sam shows clear signs of significant physical harm (broken arm, bruises/black eye) that didn't quite track for me, and doesn't use his powers much beyond a strange tether-ball like training scene. Roberto was barely there, and I didn't like the power side-effect. Illyana and Rahne are pretty close to the power levels I recall, and effects were decent. Loved the way they incorporated Lockheed. Illanya was too adversarial, and I didn't like the clear abuse scenario - wanted the "Colossus' little sister who grew up in Limbo in 10 minutes of earth time" angle, but it wouldn't fit with the rest of the story. Liked that they kept most of Rahne's personality intact, even if she is older than originally introduced.
The facility should have been nicer if they wanted us to believe there was any chance it was X-affiliated...but if we were supposed to be in the know the whole time, it was fine because it made it creepier. The movie really does present as a teen quasi-horror film, and it is quickly clear that the kids aren't there for their own best interests but as prisoners of some nefarious purpose. We get close enough to the characters to care, but not sure there's ever full investment in any beyond Dani and Illyana. Even Rahne is primarily there as a vehicle for Dani. Still, good groundwork and potential. Sadly, no sinister mid- or post-credit scene.
Hope people get out and support the effort!
- M
I have really enjoyed my local theater being open again. My wife and I have been to 3 movies (Tenet, Empire, New Mutants) and have not had more than 8 people total in any showing. Feel safe, and frankly would pay quadruple to have the same experience on a regular basis.
We saw New Mutants last week...both give it a thumbs up, mine stronger than hers. She felt it a little slow at the beginning, and that is true, but once it hit the second/third act transition it picked up nicely. I think it rates in the top 2 of the X-men franchise (faint praise, I know), despite the delays, reworking and studio disinterest.
The acting was probably the weakest element, but it wasn't terrible. Yes, bad accents are bad. Effects were generally decent...visuals at times VERY good. The characterizations weren't exactly as I might like, but that's okay. I was a bigtime X-title guy since the list of X-titles was 1 entry, so I carry a lot of baggage and expectations. The non-spoilery version of my review is: Very enjoyable to me as a fan of the New Mutants comics who also understands that movies aren't made like comics. I am disappointed there will not be a sequel, and not even likely a reboot.
I liked Dani and Sam best (from an acting standpoint), but feel Sam really got shorted on the power side. All things considered, only Dani and Illyana get a lot of power display time. Dani's powers, while uncontrolled, start at a much higher potency than in the books. Sam shows clear signs of significant physical harm (broken arm, bruises/black eye) that didn't quite track for me, and doesn't use his powers much beyond a strange tether-ball like training scene. Roberto was barely there, and I didn't like the power side-effect. Illyana and Rahne are pretty close to the power levels I recall, and effects were decent. Loved the way they incorporated Lockheed. Illanya was too adversarial, and I didn't like the clear abuse scenario - wanted the "Colossus' little sister who grew up in Limbo in 10 minutes of earth time" angle, but it wouldn't fit with the rest of the story. Liked that they kept most of Rahne's personality intact, even if she is older than originally introduced.
The facility should have been nicer if they wanted us to believe there was any chance it was X-affiliated...but if we were supposed to be in the know the whole time, it was fine because it made it creepier. The movie really does present as a teen quasi-horror film, and it is quickly clear that the kids aren't there for their own best interests but as prisoners of some nefarious purpose. We get close enough to the characters to care, but not sure there's ever full investment in any beyond Dani and Illyana. Even Rahne is primarily there as a vehicle for Dani. Still, good groundwork and potential. Sadly, no sinister mid- or post-credit scene.
Hope people get out and support the effort!
- M