The New Mutants
Starring Maisie Williams, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Heaton, Alice Braga, Blu Hunt, and Henry Zaga.
Directed by Josh Boone
Rating: **
There are just 7 characters in the Mutant movie, making it the most intimate character-study piece. But intimacy is suited for the bedroom. For a series that boasts of its epic scale and tornado-like SFX, The New Mutant comes as a lame, listless lump of made-for-television situations with not a single stand-out action sequence. There is a big bad wolf on the prowl at the climax. More than scary ot looks weary and quite contrary to the intimidating forces that the film talks about, but never gets down to showing.
The film is set almost entirely in a rehabilitation centre run by a female doctor(Alica Braga) who behaves like a headmistress in a convent whom the students ignore and do what they want. At one point in the lmost-frozen storytelling Danielle(Blu Hunt), Wolfsbane(Maisie Williams), Samuel(Charlie Heaton), Roberto(Henry Zaga) and Magik(Anya Taylor-Joy) actually drug the doctor and party all night.
Such sequences of poured perkiness not only run untrue but also create unintended laughter. There is a lesbian angle thrown into the mutants’ saga with Danielle and Maisie snuggling up for mutual comfort. There is an elaborate kissing sequence between the two young actresses. But their passion leaves us unmoved. The plot is turgid and the narrative lacks any serious momentum.
Lack of outdoors also makes the experience uncomfortably claustrophobic. The last thing we want to see at the moment is a bunch of youngsters forbidden from stepping out because of the danger that lurks outside.
The performances are pale and unpunctuated. It’s sad to see the amazing Anya Taylor-Joy , fresh from the sterling performance in The Queen’s Gambit reduced to playing a pouty trouble-maker in a place that has seen better days.
