Dark Phoenix Is Already Better Than X-Men: The Last Stand

Dark Phoenix will mark the last Fox-owned outing of the X-Men, as Disney is set to acquire Fox's film properties on March 21. The film will take the latest generation of on-screen X-Men last seen in X-Men: Apocalypse through an adaptation of the classic "Dark Phoenix Saga" from writer/director Simon Kinberg. But will it be a solid ending to this iteration of mutants on the big screen, or is it primed to disappoint fans?

Initial reactions to Dark Phoenix pointed out on the film's similarity to 2006's X-Men: The Last Stand: identical costume choices, plot points, and even scenes seemingly directly lifted from the previous film. These comparisons have been troubling to those hoping to see an authentic adaptation of the classic "Dark Phoenix Saga," especially considering Brett Ratner's The Last Stand failed to deliver on the emotional depth of the story. Of course, the original's failure was largely due to the removal of a key member of the storyline early on in the film, which looks to be the biggest difference between these two adaptations. Whatever other problems Dark Phoenix may have, at least it got one thing right by having Scott Summers/Cyclops play a large role in the film.

On the surface, this seems like a no-brainer. Of course Cyclops would factor into an X-Men tale that largely revolves around the relationship between Scott and Jean! However, The Last Stand threw this out the window early in the film, when Jean Grey murdered Cyclops after her rebirth. Counting on the popularity of Hugh Jackman's Wolverine to carry the film, Ratner and Co. decided to write James Marsden's Cyclops out after issues developed with the actor's availability due to his role in Bryan Singer's Superman Returns. This left the story without its emotional core, and with Wolverine as a cheap stand-in, the film failed to come close to hitting the same notes as its comic book inspiration.

Dark Phoenix looks to be increasing the scope of its adaptation by taking the story to space like the original comic. But as it remains rooted in the mythology of the films that came before, it is perhaps unintentionally replicating what didn't work about The Last Stand. Thankfully the film has a saving grace: Tye Sheridan as Cyclops. Not to undercut Sophie Turner's Jean Grey, but the character's transformation from Jean to Dark Phoenix feels too familiar at this point. Scott's reactions to everything happening with Jean, on the other hand, will be new and should deepen the connections between these characters as things get dark for the X-Men in this final Fox outing.

NEXT PAGE: Why Cyclops May Be Dark Phoenix's MVP

So why is Cyclops so important to the "Dark Phoenix Saga?" We have to look back at the original comics, where the story played out over the span of several years. Long-time X-scribe Chris Claremont was joined by legendary artists Dave Cockrum and John Byrne to bring fans a tale that has gone down in history as one of the X-Men's best, yet darkest storylines. Beginning in Uncanny X-Men #101, Jean is first possessed by the Phoenix Force and granted incredible power to save her fellow X-Men on a mission in space. Unfortunately, after psychic manipulation by Jason Wyngarde/Mastermind and the Hellfire Club, Jean was corrupted by her power and became the Dark Phoenix, eventually consuming a star and wiping out a whole planetful of alien beings.

The corruption of Dark Phoenix is felt throughout the galaxy, but Cyclops continues to fight for the woman he loves even as alien races like the Shi'ar, Kree, and the Skrulls attempt to end the threat of the Phoenix Force. It's only when Jean witnesses the possible death of Cyclops that she realizes she'll never be able to control the full power of the Phoenix. She sacrifices herself in front of Cyclops and the rest of the X-Men, refusing to let Dark Phoenix destroy any more lives.

Cyclops remained a stable point for Jean to center herself during this entire ordeal, and his absence in The Last Stand was hard to get past. It's evident when comparing the final moments of the comic and the film just how much the inclusion of Cyclops changes the tragic ending. The Last Stand featured a no-win situation that left Wolverine and the X-Men with no choice but to kill Jean/Dark Phoenix. In Uncanny X-Men#137, the X-Men never stop fighting for Jean's life, and her death is never once considered as an option for Cyclops. In the comic Jean is forced to make the decision herself to save Scott and the rest of the X-Men, while The Last Stand saw Jean force Wolverine to kill her, a moment that would haunt the character for years after, as seen in James Mangold's The Wolverine.

Cyclops' presence keeps the far-reaching story rooted in the relationship between Scott and Jean, even as the X-Men travel across the galaxy and face stakes unlike anything they had encountered before. Cyclops and the X-Men's extreme dedication to their teammate despite her growing threat is something trailers for Dark Phoenix have already managed to replicate, shining a bright light of hope onto the newest adaptation of the classic story. Dark Phoenix's focus on the relationship between Scott and Jean as they deal with the greater threat of the Phoenix Force already makes the film better than X-Men: The Last Stand, despite the other troubling similarities, and that's a reason for fans to be excited.

Written and directed by Simon Kinberg, Dark Phoenix stars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, Alexandra Shipp, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Evan Peters and Jessica Chastain. The film is scheduled to be released on Jun. 7.

CBR

Dark Phoenix Is Already Better Than X-Men: The Last Stand in One Major Way

NEXT PAGE: Why Cyclops May Be Dark Phoenix's MVP