This film making it to cinemas is an achievement in itself. It’s certainly not the conditions they probably would have liked to see it released in, but after countless delays, reshoots or not, The New Mutants - regardless of quality - deserved a chance at a big screen release, as unlikely as it is for a superhero movie based on a popular franchise with the backing of a big studio to be seen as an underdog film, it is. Even if the end result is somewhat empty.
The New Mutants finds Dani Moonstar (Blu Hunt) sectioned to a hospital that specialises in young mutants recently discovering their powers and are considered dangerous until said powers can be controlled. Alongside fellow mutants Rahne (Maisie Williams), Sam (Charlie Heaton), Roberto (Henry Zaga) and Illyana (Anya Taylor-Joy) all of which are overseen by Dr Reyes (Alice Braga) as she trains them in their powers and helps them with their variety of tragic backstories. However, it’s not long before the group begin to suspect that the hospital itself has a seedy underbelly and ulterior motive.
The film bridges the characters through their shared trauma brought on through their powers awakening. Whilst exploring this is when the film is at it’s most interesting as it looks at the variety of ways this emotional turmoil can manifest itself within each of the characters. Rahne wears their damage on their sleeve and are honest with it. Roberto may go into denial, try and push it down so it no longer becomes a problem. Then there is Illyana who wears the destruction she caused as a symbol of pride, choosing to view it as a moment that makes her powerful rather than dangerous. Unfortunately, the end results is that the film comes to the conclusion that these catastrophise that define these characters and altered their lives can simply be overcome in an instant as if trauma comes with an on/off switch.
The film opens with the protagonist Dani reciting a proverb that everyone has two bears within them, one representing all the good within them, and another representing all the bad, and it is up to us as individuals to choose which one we feed; which the film presents as simply being a literal choice, you choose whether to be in distress or not, it’s that simple. It is very much not that simple, for a film where the main antagonist Dr Reyes, a Nurse Ratched type who manipulates and controls the teens at seemingly impossible standards, as she single-handedly runs the entire facility and has intimate knowledge of the young mutants locations and actions at all times. The time she spends with the ensemble is exclusively uncooperative therapy sessions and no time towards actually controlling their abilities.
There are times where the film reaches for more, most notably the character of Rahne who receives the majority screen time and is allowed to explore the multi-facets of her character and how they clash or fuse together to create this 3-Dimensional person. Her connections to her religion, relationships, sexual orientation, and of course mutant powers. She’s easily the most interesting of the group and feels like the only one who was given that attention likely due to her being played by the most famous actor of the cast.
That lack of commitment is not only found in the story but even with the genre itself, as this film seems to have an identity crisis of what it’s going for. Director Josh Boone is seemingly attempting to make a horror film at times, replicating the semiotics and conventions, but only in mere fleeting moments, unlike it’s counterparts Deadpool or Logan which commit to their respective genres. It’s as if the film wants to appeal to the horror fans, without alienating the average superhero fan.
New Mutants is far from the worst X-Men film as come critics have referred to it as. It’s still a film with a talented cast & director carrying a mediocre script, at a brisk 94 minutes the film doesn’t want to risk overstaying it’s welcome even if extra scenes of character exploration would be welcome, but for what they’ve given us, you’re sure to walk out giving the film a pleasant shrug and move on with your day.
-Danny
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