*Contains spoilers for the movie X-Men: Apocalypse*
While X-Men: Apocalypse has not had the same opening success as previous X-Men titles (a $65 million dollar opening weekend is still nothing to sneeze at), it definitely passes the die-hard Marvel fanboy test and delivers what previous were the criticisms of Director Bryan Singer's previous X-Men movies: action.
The opening scene is very much a conspiracy theorist's dream: it opens up to Ancient Egypt and all kinds of spooky suggestive imagery including, but limited to, the Egyptian ankh, the scarab, the pyramid with the ankh in it (suggesting the all-seeing eye), the hammer and scythe on the Russian flag, etc. A person can read a lot from that. Not only that, but there is more showcasing of mutant powers than in previous movies; in this movie, the main conflict is mutant against mutant.
Maybe it's because of Apocalypse and his origin story, but there is a lot of religious imagery that comes from the Semitic traditions, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. As the first mutant, Apocalypse preaches a messianic message to the other the mutants, and the world, about how mutants are the face of God. Mutants who side with him become his Four Horsemen and follow him in a reverie that is reminiscent of revelation. For those who don't follow him, he is denounced as a false God; in fact, that is the archetype he represents to those who stand against him. It is Jean Grey who unleashes the Phoenix against him in a fiery, Angelic rapture in which even Apocalypse acquiesces. "All is revealed," he says before he is consumed by seemingly divine flames. These conversations provide hidden commentary about religious traditions and it is especially evident in the conversation CIA agent Moira McTaggert and mutants Professor Xavier, and Havok have about Apocalypse and Christianity.
What moviegoers should keep in mind is that this storyline of the X-Men: Days of Future Past has changed the story of the previous movies COMPLETELY. It confused me a little bit, and there are inconsistencies. Everyone thought that Storm's white hair was part of her mutation. In Apocalypse, it is revealed that when Apocalypse modified Storm to make her one of his horsemen, he turns her hair white. If that's the case, what made her hair white in the first X-Men movies? And didn't Xavier see Storm with white hair in Cerebro in X-Men First Class? Also, Cyclops, Nightcrawler, and Jean Grey are the ones who end up freeing Wolverine (Hugh Jackman has a great cameo as Weapon X) from the base at Alkali Lake, which is obviously not the case in the original movies, as they are meeting each other for the supposed first time. It can be confusing, and there are inconsistencies.
This is clearly not the last X-Men movie that Singer will be directing with this cast. There are constant little signs (that the cast is in on) that build up for future plots. There is a little look between Jean Grey and Magneto that speaks volumes towards the end of the film; there could be a little Scott/Jean/Magneto thing going on. There is a large team of X-Men at the end of the movie too, fighting...Sentinels! Yes, Sentinels, the bane of mutants' existence in the comics. That alone will probably be amazing. And guys, you heard here first: my prediction for the next films is Singer will be sending the X-Men into space. In the comics, the Phoenix and Dark Phoenix saga begins there (it is more than hinted that Phoenix saga will occur). Not only that, but the war ship that Beast has built, the new X-Men suits, it all hints space! Like I said, you heard it here first.
X-Men: Apocalypse is a great movie despite some of the oversights, and if you liked the Days of Future Past, you will probably like Singer's continuation of that storyline.
