“Dark Phoenix” (Action/Science-Fiction: 1 hour, 54 minutes)

Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult

Director: Simon Kinberg

Rated: PG-13 (Violence, disturbing images, and some strong language)

Movie Review: Compared to previous X-Men movies, this one is a sort revisionist movie. Its narrative is farfetched as a straightforward movie. Scenes appear a mixture of the previous five prequel movies. 

“Dark Phoenix” yields a second-rate outcome, a waste for such an endowed cast.

Jean Grey (“Game of Thrones’” Sophie Turner) develops extreme telekinetic abilities after she encounters an assumed vibrant solar flair. As Jean Grey becomes more powerful, her new abilities corrupt her, especially after Vuk (Jessica Chastain), a powerful extraterrestrial with sinister motives, tutoring Grey. 

The X-Men must decide between the life of one of their colleagues and saving the world.

“Dark Phoenix” fails for multiple reasons. 

The story is all over the place. The characters’ actions are not consistent with previous movies, wasting a talented cast. Additionally, the movie adds unnecessary characters that deviate significantly from the original story of Jean Grey and the Dark Phoenix account. And Sophie Turner appears flat in the movie. These elements kill an otherwise entertaining movie.

Those negatives are pitiful, considering the movie boasts some of the most talented young actors in moviedom. Producer-writer Simon Kinberg (“The Martian,” 2015) wastes a good cast. His first turn as director for a full-length movie is lacking.

His screenplay for “X-Men: Days of Future Past” (Director Bryan Singer, 2014) was much better. Otherwise, add “Dark Phoenix” to a growing list of superhero movies Kinberg has ruined such as “X-Men: Apocalypse” (2014) and “Fantastic Four (2015).

X does not mark the spot for the X-Men with this addition of a waning franchise.

Grade: C- (No rebirth for this phoenix.)

“The Secret Life of Pets 2” (Animated/Comedy: 1 hour, 26 minutes)

Starring: Patton Oswalt, Kevin Hart and Harrison Ford

Director: Chris Renaud and Jonathan Del Val

Rated: PG (Violence, action and rude humor)

Movie Review: This sequel to “The Secret Life of Pets” (2016) is just delightful enough to amuse those who appreciate the original. However, these dogs learned no new tricks since their last outing.

Max (Oswalt) and other canines are back for a new adventure. They battle against a zoo owner Sergei (Nick Kroll), who has abducted a white tiger. Max, Snowball (Hart), Gidget (Jenny Slate), Daisy (Tiffany Haddish) and other dogs set out to rescue the endangered tiger.

The pets in this movie are adorable. The addition of kids makes the movie more charming. The voices fit the characters in a very humorous manner. This gives the animated animals character in a manner that makes them more inviting.

While this movie is more of the same, audiences who like the first, should find this one enjoyable as well. As noted previously, the story is more of the same, so nothing exists that is endearing as the 2016 prequel.

Grade: B- (They are still pettable.)

Adann-Kennn Alexxandar lives and works in Valdosta.