A metaphorically disguised voice against discrimination since 1963, 20th Century Fox released the ninth entry into their X-Men movie franchise in 2016. X-Men: Apocalypse tells the story of the awakening of an ancient force of evil who lays claim to the world’s mutants as his “children.” Intent on building himself a new empire, he seeks the world’s most powerful mutants and recruits them to his cause of destroying humanity. What he isn’t prepared for, though, is the opposition of the X-Men, who still fight for humanity despite having been betrayed by them, time and time again.
This month, Eve and I are reviewing the 2016 movie X-Men: Apocalypse, directed by Bryan Singer, with music by John Ottman, and starring James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, and Oscar Issac. This apocalyptic story features an ancient mutant who thinks himself a god but is much closer to Satan. We take a look at his delusions of divinity, his manipulative temptations of the world’s mutants, and compare him to the serpent who’s first recorded words were to question God.
General Impressions
As the pandemic enters its NINTH month, Eve and I are still drawing from older movies. As listener Matthew Tuck suggested, this month’s selection brings us into the X-Men universe. We’ve both seen all, or nearly all, of the movies in the 20th Century Fox’s Marvel entries. Eve has a special place in her comic-movie-lover’s heart for the X-Men movies, with Wolverine being a favorite character. She has yet to see Dark Phoenix or Logan, though. I’ve seen all the X-Men proper films, but not the one-offs like New Mutants. I’ll also admit to a bit of a man-crush on Hugh Jackman.
X-Men movie veteran John Ottman composed the music for X-Men: Apocalypse. This is the third X-Men movie in the franchise that John composed for. The music is enjoyable and does a nice job of helping to set scene mood and reaction. It also stands nicely on its own.
This was probably the fourth time I’d seen Apocalypse, so I tried to notice different things for the podcast. I was taken with the global scope of the events of Apocalypse. This wasn’t just stuff happening in one state or one country; Apocalypse and his horsemen’s actions were globally devastating. I found myself questioning if the writers even understand the scope of the actions, though. While Eve disagreed, I argue that the rate at which Magneto sets about his assigned task would have resulted in centuries of work. I was also astounded, again, at the number of lives that would have been snuffed out by these actions without much more than an afterthought—or a post-defeat mention. Would the death toll approach that of “the snap” in Avengers: Infinity War or the alien attacks in Independence Day?
We both enjoyed the Easter eggs and subtle nods to other movies in the franchise, even the ones that came before X-Men: Days of Future Past. They didn’t stay subtle, though. X-Men continues to beat the viewer over the head with their comparisons of the mutant’s plight to that of the discriminated classes in the real world.
I did like Jennifer Lawrence’s acting in this one—in particular, her non-verbal communications. Facial expressions and body language were used to excellent effect.
Interestingly, I was a little distracted by the Kree’s clear inclusion without ever having them mentioned. Apocalypse is definitely human, but he LOOKS like a Kree, and the transfer technology featured at the beginning of the movie is very clearly of alien origin. I suspect they’d originally planned to work the Kree in somehow but were stymied by lack of permission to use the alien race as part of the story. This makes even more sense when you realize how the Kree were worked into the MCU up to and including Captain Marvel.
Chaotic Satan
Society has many errant ideas and misconceptions around Satan. Red devil with a pitchfork, ruling gleefully over the fires of hell, providing the balancing yin of hate to Jesus’s loving yang. The Bible tells us that Lucifer is a beautiful fallen angel with only the angels’ power and limitations. They are created beings who lack omniscience and omnipotence, and no matter what he thinks, he is no better than the mortal beings he and his followers seek to mislead. This is the same that we see with Apocalypse—he believes himself a god to the very end of his existence but is really just a mortal who has been set apart from humanity by his power. He lays claim to deity through his lies, claiming the titles of Elohim, Shen, Ra.
Tempter & manipulator
Apocalypse is so smooth and fluent with the manipulative narrative that he mimics Satan as well. He uses his incredible charisma and intelligence to convince people to follow him by pushing only the buttons that encourage the action he seeks. In recruiting Ororo, he appealed to her desire for power and authority. For Eric, he fed his anger over his wife and daughter’s death and the endless persecution of mutants worldwide. We can presume he similarly manipulated Warren and Psylocke.
While we may not encounter our own super powerful, millennia-old mutant with a god complex in our lives, we are all tempted multiple times every day. Scripture calls us to test these spirits of temptation:
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. (1 John 4:1-3)
Do not be afraid to test spiritual guidance. “The heart is deceitful above all things,” so supernatural or not, we should not hesitate to test like Gideon—but be ready to accept the results. If the test fails, you can believe that the origin is demonic, not holy.
They provoked his jealousy with different gods; they enraged him with detestable practices. They sacrificed to demons, not God, to gods they had not known, new gods that had just arrived, which your ancestors did not fear. You ignored the Rock who gave you birth; you forgot the God who gave birth to you. (Deuteronomy 32:16-18)
Spiritual Opposition
And don’t discount the spiritual opposition we face! Not all temptation originates with our deceitful hearts. Scripture is clear that, through Christ, we oppose cosmic evil.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. (Ephesians 6:12-13)
How wonderful is it that these cosmic powers of darkness don’t even approach a minuscule fraction of our triune God’s power and authority. Even an image of a false god cannot stand in the Almighty’s presence. (See 1 Samuel 5)
One God versus many
It wasn’t uncommon for ancient near-east religions to mix and match gods. As Moses was receiving the law from God, the just-liberated Hebrews were constructing a golden calf to worship alongside the God who has just parted the waters of the Red Sea and drowned the most powerful army on the planet. When God called Gideon as a judge, his father was a priest for Baal and Ashera while still having taught his son the history of Israel. Time and time again, Israel tried to create a pantheon of gods in which Yahweh was the head—completely forgetting that God is a jealous God. They forget because they would not teach their children well. The children were taught the wrong things—the things important to the people and not the things important to God.
“. . . so that this will be a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ you should tell them, ‘The water of the Jordan was cut off in front of the ark of the Lord’s covenant. When it crossed the Jordan, the Jordan’s water was cut off.’ Therefore these stones will always be a memorial for the Israelites.” Joshua 4:6-7
Just as there are demonic forces and human desired that seek to seize the status of godhood, there are also humans that seek to claim authority among believers, pretending piety to grasp at power.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’” (Matthew 7:21-23)
Be Alert!
It’s easy to be lead astray—if you have any of God’s love in you, it pains greatly that so many will never see heaven. More than one Christian throughout time has sought loopholes that will allow “good people” to go to heaven without necessarily believing in Christ. The problem is that our love has to be informed by God’s holiness and justice. God has a perfect plan—one that we have to believe and trust in.
Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. (1 Peter 5:8)
Even a desire for more to be saved can be a temptation to lead you astray—and into the waiting mouth of the hungry lion.
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.” (Ephesians 2:1-3)
Do not forget: we are no better than anyone else. It is only through the saving grace of God that we have been redeemed. We need to show the unsaved the same love that God has shown us—through us, perhaps they can see the saving grace of God.
Like Satan, Apocalypse took good things—like freedom and fellowship—and perverted it for his own purposes. Satan himself is a beautiful angel, but his ugliness is revealed in his opposition to the Creator. Apocalypse talks the good talk, particularly if you are a persecuted mutant. But the path he leads them on opposes the one true God.
Please support the podcast!
Are You Just Watching? is listener supported. Special thanks to our current patrons: Craig Hardee, Stephen Brown II, David Lefton, and Peter Chapman for their generous support. We can't continue to share critical thinking for the entertained Christian without your financial help, so please head on over to our Patreon page and become one of our supporting patrons!
Share your feedback!
What did you think of X-Men Apocalypse? We would like to know, even if just your reactions to the trailer or the topics we shared in this episode. Or what general critical-thinking and entertainment thoughts or questions do you have? Would you like to suggest a movie or TV show for us to give a Christian movie review with critical thinking?
- Comment on the shownotes
- Call (513) 818-2959 to leave a voicemail
- Email feedback@AreYouJustWatching.com (audio files welcome)
- Join our Facebook discussion group.
