“Darkish Phoenix” clocks in at just below 2 hours, however not as a result of the story is tightly written. Somewhat, it is a hodgepodge of various drafts, reduce to the bone and devoid of rhythm. Particularly, there’s the third act and the movie’s antagonists.

The villains of “Darkish Phoenix,” at the very least throughout principal images and earlier than re-shoots, had been the Skrulls. The movie was speculated to conclude with the X-Males battling the Skrulls outdoors the United Nations in New York. This was modified on account of similarities with one other superhero film, virtually actually “Captain Marvel,” which additionally launched in 2019 and featured Skrulls. Director Simon Kinberg additionally felt the ending was too just like “Captain America: Civil Battle.” The third act was re-shot into battle on a prepare with the X-Males attempting to cease the aliens from reaching the unconscious Jean Gray (Sophie Turner).

Stated aliens had been additionally revised from Skrulls into the D’Bari — within the comedian “Darkish Phoenix Saga,” Jean destroys their planet. Nonetheless, they’re Skrulls in all however identify, full with shapeshifting powers. Their chief, performed by Jessica Chastain, is the best sufferer of the film’s unsure route — her character was rumored to be everybody from Lilandra (empress of the alien Shi’ar and paramour of Professor X), to Skrull Queen Veranke, to Emma Frost, however ultimately was Vuk, who “obscure” would not even start to cowl. Chastain even admitted she did not know her character’s identify throughout taking pictures.