The X-Men (and women as one character points out to Xavier) are sent on a mission to save a space shuttle that has been damaged by a cosmic anomaly. During the mission Jean Grey (Sophie Turner) is exposed to the anomaly and appears to consume its power, but can she control it?

It seems quite difficult to discuss Dark Phoenix without discussing the context of where this film sits in the now burgeoning mutant list of films and the fact this may be the last of its kind. Whilst the X-Men are a Marvel property the films are not part of Disney’s MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) as the rights have always been owned by 20th Century Fox. With the recent acquisition of this studio by Disney this marks the end of this series of films as we know them.

After three original X-Men films, two Deadpools, three Wolverine films and this fourth entry into the new series of X-Men films this will be the last we see of these characters in this form (albeit there is still a possibility of one more Fox mutant film called New Mutants which is currently sitting in development hell). The quality of these films has drastically swung between very good and very bad. So what will this swan song be?

It’s fine. It’s ok. It’s generally entertaining and also generally forgettable. But in comparison to the likes of other entries in the series such as The Last Stand (which followed the same comic story arc) and Apocalypse it’s definitely better. On the other hand it is not going to be challenging Logan, X2 or First Class for the most accomplished either.

The main issues here seem to be that of landing generally middle of the road on everything. Jessica Chastain appears as a villain but feels like such a passing thought in the script that she holds no threat and has no interesting lines. Jennifer Lawrence also seems rather listless in a character she has given much better performances with. None of the other performances stand out and none of the action sequences do either, with the exception of perhaps one flourish from Magneto (Michael Fassbender) near the end.

Sophie Turner is also not as compelling as she needs to be. This is her film. She is the lead and needs to sell to us the conflict between Jean Grey and the Phoenix. What she delivers though is the same icy stand-offish performance I think she has given in every major role she has had to date. It absolutely works at the end when she is consumed by power, but it doesn’t make us care or invest at the beginning.

Despite all of that, if you are a fan of the series and you understand this is firmly an entry into the mid to lower pool of X-Men films it is entertaining enough.