The New Mutants is thrilling, terrifying and a new take on a superhero film. Big on character development, light on superhero fighting action. Check out my The New Mutants movie review.
The New Mutants, a new superhero horror film from Marvel Studios will invariably upset some fans of the comic series. Sure they will recognize some of the characters, but they will nitpick over their origins and introductions on the timeline and I am certain many more idiosyncracies. Since the comic series of the same name has undergone many changes and even more “new mutants” over the course of almost 40 years, there are seemingly infinte ways to bring this beloved series to the silver screen. But the beauty in comics and thus their celluloid counterparts is in the retelling for current and future generations.
The New Mutants quotes and The New Mutants Cast Interview.
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The New Mutants Movie Review YouTube Video Below
The plot is very simple, 5 teen New Mutants are trapped like latchkey kids in a mansion/asylum that smacks familiar for some reason. The only other inhabitant is one Dr. Reyes, a mutant herself that is attempting to help them better learn and control their powers. The film’s director, Josh Boone (The Fault in Our Stars) chose several of the original heroes. Cannonball who can charge up and blast off, but has trouble sticking the landings, Mirage who can bring your worst nightmares to fruition, Wolfsbane who can turn into a wolf but also a werewolf, and Sunspot who gets hot (think The Human Torch but not as effective). Last but not least is easily the coolest member, Magik played by Anya Taylor-Joy (Glass, Emma) who can teleport through time and space, command an ethereal armored laser sword arm at will, and various other magics.
It’s unkown how they all got there, but they can’t leave because Dr. Reyes can cast forcefields, and there’s one around the whole complex. They are told that if they cooperate they will qualify to go to a different yet somehow better facility by the doctor’s masters. The mutants gradually show off their powers except for Mirage (Blu Hunt), all we know is she was chased by a spirit bear that killed her family and now she’s here. Dr. Reyes spends much of the film trying to find out Mirage’s powers while the teens get to know each other.
Relationships and adversaries are developed amongst them as strange things begin to happen around the asylum; spooky things…like the place is totally haunted. Eventually, it is determined that Mirage must be destroyed as she is too powerful, before it’s even ceratain what her powers actually entail. The teens must work together to save her and themselves from the precarious Dr. Reyes.
Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones) does a bang up job as Wolfsbane, and Charlie Heaton (Stranger Things) nails the Kentucky born Cannonball. The film mixes up elements of special effects and character development quite deftly, and it’s dark and chilling atmosphere set the tempo for the film. While it never really plods along, it never really gets going either. It sheds light on some things that foreshadow subsequent movies, but never gives you enough satisfaction until near the end, though it does leave you wanting more. Alas, there is no hidden scene after the credits roll, and if ever a Marvel movie needed one. Guess we’ll have to wait and see.
