Dark Phoenix: 10 Ways It's The Worst X-Men Film Yet

3. It Flirts With Interesting Concepts, But Completely Abandons Them

By far the most frustrating thing about Dark Phoenix is the fact it actually has a couple of intriguing concepts. When we find the X-Men in 1992, they're no longer the feared outcasts of yesteryear, but instead a fully autonomous superhero team looked fondly upon by humanity. Professor X has a direct line to the POTUS, and children play with toys based on the team's members.

It's quite the departure, but it could so easily have made for a compelling pillar of Dark Phoenix's story. We barely get to see any of the X-Men toss and toile with their newfound fame, and any metaphorical discussions surrounding how governments exploit marginalised labour for their own benefit take a backseat as well.

One of the few characters to actually get an arc in the film is Charles himself. Again, the film occasionally lands on the fact he's become an ego-driven ideologue who's lost sight of the X-Men's purpose, but satisfying answers are never forthcoming.

Both of those ideas could've sustained a genuinely interesting X-Men film, but they're squandered by Dark Phoenix's reluctance to explore this version of nineties America.