I still find it hard to believe I’m writing a review for The New Mutants... It's become one of the most delayed films ever, the final X-Men movie before they join the MCU, but it finally made its way into theaters this week. Filming wrapped in 2017 with an initial release date of April 2018, and Josh Boone had reshoots planned that pushed back the film’s debut. Then Disney began discussions to merge with 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios), which put the movie on hold. A global pandemic further delayed its arrival. The final result was a limited worldwide release three years after completion, and without those intended reshoots. So, naturally, I went in with quite low expectations... Surprisingly, The New Mutants isn’t a disaster; it's… acceptable! I feel bad for all the people who worked on this film and had to wait so long for its release. It manages to stand apart from many other generic superhero movies. Yes, there are familiar elements, and at times it certainly feels like an X-Men movie, but I appreciate that Boone and Knate Lee crafted a story with substantial character development, including a believable romantic storyline. Each of the young mutants has their own backstory explored in detail. Whenever the film delves into a character's past, it never seems irrelevant; everything serves a purpose. Given the limited budget compared to other films in the genre, I have to commend the technical crew for transforming a small, single-location movie into something surprisingly entertaining. The visual effects aren’t up to current standards, but they are passable overall. The horror atmosphere is present, though the film might have benefited from a more assertive and intense approach to those frightening scenes. The strongest aspect of the entire film lies with the cast, with one exception... From Anya Taylor-Joy's rebellious attitude to Charlie Heaton’s seasoned performance, through Maisie Williams’ emotional portrayal and Henry Zaga’s witty lines, each actor demonstrates why they were chosen for such a well-known franchise. Despite some questionable accents, they all have great chemistry together, including Blu Hunt. However, she doesn’t quite come across as a convincing lead, likely due to her lack of experience. I don't want to be too critical because there were moments when she connected well with the other actors. Still, I must say that any scenes where she acts alone or against a green screen are noticeably awkward. Boone and/or the casting team share some responsibility for selecting her as the main character, but truthfully, she's not even my biggest problem. My issue is with the character itself. While she receives the same amount of attention regarding her backstory as the other mutants, she never truly has to confront the consequences of her abilities. Some of the mutants have hurt or killed people and are understandably traumatized by it. Dani doesn’t have a single moment where she expresses regret for what happened in her past or is held accountable for it. It's difficult to connect with a protagonist when both the character and the actress portraying her lack that captivating quality. Finally, Alice Braga, as the doctor, feels like the most predictable element of the film. From their first conversation, viewers can easily guess where the story is headed. Braga does well as Dr. Cecilia Reyes, but it’s noticeable that her backstory wasn't explored at all. Reyes’ motivations and what lies beyond the hospital raise intriguing questions that unfortunately remain unanswered. Perhaps those planned reshoots could have addressed some of these issues or added more depth. Whatever the case, The New Mutants is far from being a complete failure. Overall, Josh Boone and Knate Lee delivered a reasonably entertaining screenplay that avoids many superhero genre clichés, filled with detailed character development and decent horror sequences, especially considering the limited budget. The film boasts a wonderful cast who share great chemistry. Most of the actors deliver strong performances, except for Blu Hunt, whose inexperience occasionally shows. In contrast to how other characters are treated, Dani Moonstar doesn’t emerge as a compelling protagonist because she's rarely shown dealing with the emotional fallout from her powers like everyone else does. Despite the refreshing approach to the story, there are still some clichés and predictable elements throughout, particularly concerning the hospital setting. Ultimately, it’s surprisingly acceptable given all the production problems, so I definitely recommend seeing it as a farewell to the last X-Men movie before the MCU era. Rating: B-

Source on TMDB