The New Mutants (2020)
The New Mutants was delayed, then delayed, then delayed again. With Disney having acquired the X-Men license and the series stumbling majorly with two entries in a row - enough to make even the biggest fans of the characters longing for a refresh - it's practically a relic from a bygone era. I think people are just assuming it will be bad at this point. Truth is, this is a competent film. You can even admire its decision to take the superhero genre in a more horror-like direction but it doesn’t go far enough to be memorable.
After an unseen force destroys her reservation, Danielle “Dani” Moonstar (Blu Hunt) wakes up in a hospital run by Dr. Cecilia Reyes (Alice Braga). At this facility for mutants four other teenagers are being treated: Sam Guthrie (Charlie Heaton), Illyana Rasputin (Anya Taylor-Joy), Bobby da Costa (Henry Zaga), and Rahne Sinclair (Maisie Williams). While the teens believe they are being trained to control their powers so they can eventually join the X-Men, terrifying visions at night say otherwise.
The New Mutants is a little bit of YA drama/adventure, some Nightmare on Elm Street 3, and a smidge of Ginger Snaps 2. It’s kind of a horror movie that's shackled to the superhero genre. As we explore the traumas that brought the teenagers to Dr. Cecilia Reyes, some are genuinely disturbing and make for creepy visuals. If only they weren't restrained. You keep expecting it to kick it up a notch, really go all-out with the horror but it doesn’t. This lack of commitment makes decisions that would otherwise work seem odd. There’s only one staff member in the whole building. The technology we see in it alternates between something from the near future and the early 2000s. If our protagonist's sanity was questioned or her mind unraveling, it would add to the mood. With the film ultimately going the direction it does, it doesn't.
There’s a central mystery surrounding the terrifying visions and unfortunately, it's all too easy, too obvious. Like many superhero films, the climax is where The New Mutants is at its weakest, with a lot of special effects being poured onto the screen. It’s generic stuff; another letdown. On the upside, there are some nice quiet moments between the young mutants, with the scenes between Dani and Rahne standing out as some of the best. If this movie had been better their relationship would be the kind that would take DeviantArt and Tumblr by storm.
I was not bored during The New Mutants and considering how far my expectations had fallen, it’s actually better than I expected. It’s good enough to keep your hopes up and with its Native American protagonist and slight leaning towards female storytelling, you keep hoping it will burst out of the screen and deliver something really special. If only. The New Mutants is a step up for the franchise compared to Dark Phoenix but not enough for it not to have ended with Days of Future Past or Logan. (January 4, 2021)
