Story

X-Men: Dark Phoenix begins in the 1970s, when Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) is the head of an academy for mutant children. He takes in Jean Grey (Sophie Turner), after her supernatural powers accidentally cause her family’s car to crash, killing her parents.

After several years at the academy, Jean becomes a key member of a group of mutants called the X-Men – Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence), Beast (Nicholas Hoult), Cyclops (Tye Sheridan), Quicksilver (Evan Peters), Storm (Alexandra Shipp), Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee), Magneto (Michael Fassbender) and Professor X. The X-Men protect the world when no one else can.

When a mission goes wrong and Jean is filled with a mysterious, alien substance, she begins to develop incredible powers that she struggles to control. As her powers continue to grow, Jean starts to hurt those around her, both unintentionally and deliberately. The X-Men must work together to stop Jean and the alien Vuk (Jessica Chastain), who has come to destroy her and take the supernatural powers for her own use.

Themes

Death; child abandonment; murder

Violence

X-Men: Dark Phoenix has some violence. For example:

• A car crashes in slow motion. We see the inside of the car as it flies into the air, flips and crashes. This scene is quite graphic.
• Mutants use their powers to fight one another. They fight with fists, lasers, lightning strikes, ropes, mind control, knives, guns and so on.
• Soldiers shoot guns at other people.
• Aliens in human form are attacked and shot, but they heal and continue to fight.
• People are thrown around violently and into objects.
• A character is thrown across a road and impaled on wooden stakes. The character dies. This is a graphic scene.
• A mutant makes people disintegrate.
• A train hits an alien in human form.

Sexual references

X-Men: Dark Phoenix has some sexual references. For example, a young woman dances provocatively at a party.

Alcohol, drugs and other substances

X-Men: Dark Phoenix shows some use of substances. For example:

• Adult characters drink spirits several times.
• Teenage and young adult characters appear to drink punch at a party.

Nudity and sexual activity

X-Men: Dark Phoenix shows some nudity and sexual activity. For example, young adult characters kiss passionately several times.

Product placement

The following products are displayed or used in X-Men: Dark Phoenix: Panasonic TV.

Coarse language

There is some coarse language in X-Men: Dark Phoenix.

Ideas to discuss with your children

X-Men: Dark Phoenix is the fourth movie in the X-Men prequel franchise. Although it’s generally well shot, this movie is often quite violent and its plot is repetitive. There are some continuity disruptions in this movie, which were pre-empted by the two previous movies in the prequel series. But it’s still likely that some of the events in X-Men: Dark Phoenix will confuse viewers familiar with the original movies.

This movie isn’t suitable for children under 13 years because it has moderate action violence, coarse language, and supernatural and mature themes.

Values in this movie that you could reinforce with your children include loving and supporting people you care about, even when they’re going through difficult times.

This movie could also give you the chance to talk with your children about real-life issues like underage drinking.